One of my favorite rock ballads is Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Till It’s Gone) by Cinderella.
Along those lines, I’ve been watching the second-round Stanley Cup playoff series between the Rangers and Hurricanes with particular interest. In the battle of Metro heavyweights, one player has stood out to me above the rest.
No, not Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, although he’s been outstanding.
It’s former Pen Jake Guentzel.
Maybe it’s the fact that I watched him do his thing with the black-and-gold for so long. After a while, you kind of take players and what they do for granted. Even the special ones.
But now?
I feel like I’m watching Guentzel for the first time. What an amazing player he is!
Smart, crafty, clever…pick your superlative. To my eye, Jake thinks and reads the game as well as any player since Pens Hall-of-Famer Ron Francis.
He’s always around the opposing net, always in scoring position. He has an uncanny knack for finding the seams and openings and exploiting them. To say nothing of that magic wand of a stick. Jake may be the best on deflections and redirects I’ve ever seen, ranking right alongside long-time linemate Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist.
And talk about courage. Generously listed at 5’11” and 180 pounds, Jake’s not a big man. Yet he’s got enormous heart, pluck and determination. He fearlessly ventures into the dirty areas where you score goals.
Has there ever been a better 77th overall pick? If there is, I can’t think of one.
A shame we had to trade him.
It would be interesting to see what the Pens would look like with Jake and Michael Bunting manning the top two left wing slots. Alas, that isn’t likely to happen. Even if by some miracle the Omaha native wanted to return to the ‘Burgh, I’m not sure Kyle Dubas would pursue him. Our POHO/GM seems to have fixed in his head from the start that Jake was to be sacrificed in order for the team to get younger.
No takebacks.
Plus, Jake figures to get PAID this summer wherever he decides to go and rightfully so. Money players like him (34 goals in 58 career playoff games) don’t grow on trees.
With the ‘Canes down 3-zip, it appears Jake’s scintillating postseason will end soon, through absolutely no fault of his own. Arguably the ‘Canes best player, he’s potted three of their eight goals against the Rangers while re-establishing himself as a prolific and clutch postseason scorer.
Whichever team lands Jake this summer will be lucky to have him.
Only wish it could be us.
Keefe Canned
The Maple Leafs fired Sheldon Keefe yesterday after four-plus seasons at the helm. A development that could add some intrigue to the Pens’ coaching situation. Indeed, Dubas and the deposed Leafs skipper have a long history together dating back to their time with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL.
Still, it’s hard to imagine Keefe joining the Pens’ staff as an assistant to Mike Sullivan…or taking a step back to the AHL where he won a Calder Cup to coach the Baby Pens. Especially with so many coaching vacancies around the NHL.
But you never know…
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