BRANDON, Fla. — Jake Guentzel was born in Nebraska, raised in Minnesota and plays in Florida for the Tampa Bay Lightning . Still, even now, on his second team since being traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins , Guentzel remains an honorary Yinzer.
Perhaps the lessons learned in Pittsburgh will help him with the Lightning because, fairly or not, he’ll be portrayed as the man who replaced franchise icon Steven Stamkos , who left Tampa in free agency for the Nashville Predators . Financially speaking, he is replacing Stamkos — and he knows it. Advertisement “Yeah, there is pressure,” Guentzel said after a recent Lightning practice.
“It does feel different. A lot different.” Guentzel signed a seven-year, $63 million contract a day after the aggressive Lightning acquired his rights from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2025 third-round draft pick on June 30.
There is no question Guentzel is happy in Tampa — “This place is awesome, absolutely one of the best places in the league to play,” he said — but a piece of his heart remains in Pittsburgh. The drama surrounding Guentzel last season is still on his mind. “I’m in a new spot now so I’m just trying to relax,” he said.
“It was definitely a lot last year. It was hard on me and on my family, not sure what was going to happen at the deadline. It wasn’t a fun time.
” After Guentzel’s trade to Carolina on March 8, the Penguins went into an alarming funk that ultimately doomed their late-season .
