Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel has successfully undergone surgery on his right ankle, as announced by the team. Guentzel will be assessed again in 12 weeks and will not be available for the beginning of the 2023-24 regular season.
After the surgery, Guentzel is expected to miss the first month of the 2023-24 season. The Penguins’ first game of the regular season is scheduled for October 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
“As Jake increased his training intensity for the upcoming season, it became clear that his ankle injury was not progressing satisfactorily for him or the Penguins,” stated Penguins President and General Manager Kyle Dubas. “After consulting with Jake, his representative from Octagon Sports, Ben Hankinson, the Penguins medical team led by Dr. Dharmesh Vyas of UPMC Sports Medicine, and Dr. Coetzee, it was determined that surgery was the best course of action to ensure Jake’s optimal performance in 2023-2024.”
Guentzel was drafted by the Penguins in the third round (No. 77) of the 2013 NHL Draft. In the 2022-23 season, he tallied 73 points (36 goals and 37 assists) in 78 games.
Last season, the 28-year-old forward led the team in goals and finished third in total points, trailing Sidney Crosby (93) and Evgeni Malkin (83). Guentzel also tied with Malkin for the team lead in power-play goals (11). Since the 2018-19 season, Guentzel ranks joint 14th in the league for goals scored (159), along with Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele and newly acquired Detroit Red Wings star Alex DeBrincat.
Throughout his seven-year NHL career, Guentzel has accumulated 414 points (197 goals and 217 assists). He has also contributed 58 points (34 goals and 24 assists) in 58 Stanley Cup Playoff games and was a key part of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup victory in 2017.
The 2022-23 season was disappointing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2005-06, when Sidney Crosby was a rookie. The team ended the season with a record of 40-31-11 and made significant roster changes in the offseason, including re-signing goaltender Tristan Jarry and signing former New Jersey Devils defenseman Ryan Graves.
