59Cap hit
$9M
8.7% of $104M cap
Term
5 yrs
Through 2030-31, then UFA
Clause
NMC
Surplus value
+$1.843M
vs. $10.843M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
24:02
PP 9:30 · PK 0:50
xGF%
36.7
5v5, -18.2 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.49
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
7 W · 4 L
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 0 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ NYR · L 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24:02 | 9:30 | 0:50 | 7-4 | 67 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -0.49 |
| May 3 vs MTL · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 16:22 | 1:57 | 0:33 | 1-4 | 83 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.02 |
| May 1 @ MTL · W 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20:55 | 5:11 | 0:57 | 1-5 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -0.53 |
| Apr 29 vs MTL · L 3-2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 22:11 | 4:38 | 1:30 | 1-4 | 50 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.41 |
| Apr 26 @ MTL · W 3-2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 22:40 | 9:40 | 1:56 | 1-4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +1 | +0.08 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,104 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
86th percentile
64th percentile
88th percentile
83rd percentile
53rd percentile
74th percentile
80th percentile
81st percentile
73rd percentile
98th percentile
76th percentile
66th percentile
81st percentile
80th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play stylePass-first offensive center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Guentzel is a high-volume playmaker who generates chances at an elite rate and finishes them consistently from dangerous areas. He struggles with pace and physical engagement, making him more reliant on skill than tenacity in transition.
- Shooting volume
- 83
- Playmaking
- 90
- Zone entries(est.)
- 18
- Forechecking
- 10
- Physicality
- 11
- Defensive impact
- 26
- Puck management
- 48
- Speed
- 48
Where he shoots from
Slot 64% · Mid-range 27% · Perimeter 9%(315 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Playmaking at 90th percentile fuels his 50-assist season
- Shooting volume at 83rd percentile with 64% slot shots shows scoring touch
- Puck management stability keeps him involved despite weak transition game
Watch-outs
- Rush chances at 18th percentile reveals minimal entry impact off the rush
- Forechecking at 10th percentile means limited backcheck pressure
- Physicality at 11th percentile indicates minimal net presence or board battles
Similar style: Mathew Barzal, Gabriel Vilardi (WPG)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 81 GP · goals above average
Season total +10.6 goals, or +0.13 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +1.6
- Even strength defense
- +0.3
- Power play
- +0.9
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Finishing
- +1.6
- Playmaking
- +4.9
- Penalties
- +1.3
- Faceoffs
- -0.2
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 40 | 16 | 17 | 33 | +7 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 19.8 | 15:53 | 47.1 | — |
| 2017-18 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 82 | 22 | 26 | 48 | -9 | 42 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 171 | 12.9 | 16:29 | 50.0 | — |
| 2018-19 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 82 | 40 | 36 | 76 | +13 | 26 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 227 | 17.6 | 19:21 | 33.3 | — |
| 2019-20 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 39 | 20 | 23 | 43 | +11 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 127 | 15.7 | 20:38 | 47.8 | — |
| 2020-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 56 | 23 | 34 | 57 | +7 | 28 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 7 | 141 | 16.3 | 20:16 | 25.0 | — |
| 2021-22 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 76 | 40 | 44 | 84 | +13 | 44 | 7 | 22 | 0 | 7 | 264 | 15.2 | 20:06 | 52.0 | — |
| 2022-23 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 36 | 37 | 73 | +2 | 46 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 6 | 244 | 14.8 | 20:07 | 50.0 | +0.05 |
| 2023-24 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 50 | 22 | 30 | 52 | +9 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 185 | 11.9 | 20:53 | 27.8 | +0.11 |
| 2023-24 | Carolina Hurricanes | 17 | 8 | 17 | 25 | +16 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 15.1 | 17:30 | 20.0 | +0.11 |
| 2024-25 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 80 | 41 | 39 | 80 | +18 | 24 | 17 | 28 | 1 | 5 | 217 | 18.9 | 20:00 | 46.1 | +0.17 |
| 2025-26 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 81 | 38 | 50 | 88 | +13 | 61 | 8 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 220 | 17.3 | 20:15 | 47.8 | +0.13 |
| 2026-27 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 20.0 | 21:10 | 62.5 | -0.49 |
| Career | 11 seasons | 683 | 307 | 354 | 661 | +102 | 317 | 74 | 179 | 4 | 41 | 1935 | 15.9 | 19:23 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: @ NYR, Oct 1
Line 1 with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel (8:05 together at 5-on-5) · PP1
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Lightning pick up first win of the season, 3-1, over Capitals
rawcharge.com · Oct 4
- Guentzel has two points, Lightning edge Capitals in home opener
NHL.com · Oct 4
- Jake Guentzel October 3 Preview vs. the Capitals
957wdae.iheart.com · Oct 3
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.13 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.3 mph
- 51st pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 99
- Hardest shot
- 83.0 mph
- 38th pct
- Distance
- 252.2 mi
- OZ time
- 44.0%
- 74th pct
- DZ time
- 38.2%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 31, forwards typically produce 80% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 35, when the typical level is 56%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
5 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | TBL | $9M | 8.7% |
| 2027-28 | TBL | $9M | 7.9% |
| 2028-29 | TBL | $9M | — |
| 2029-30 | TBL | $9M | — |
| 2030-31 | TBL | $9M | — |
UFA after 2030-31. NMC. $45M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).