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Pittsburgh Penguins: Time for Jake Guentzel to Be All Alone

By Matthew Rodrigopulle

May 3, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Jake Guentzel (59) checks Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) during the first period in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Jake Guentzel (59) checks Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) during the first period in game four of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the unfortunate injuries of Sidney Crosby and Conor Sheary, the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost two-thirds of their top line.

The concussion diagnosis to both players forces Jake Guentzel to find new Pittsburgh Penguins linemates. This may be a new challenge for the sensational rookie as he has played most of his season with these two linemates. One may even argue that his success comes from his pairing with Sidney Crosby.

Nevertheless, Guentzel finds himself all alone for the first time this season. He will be looking to adapt to a new set of linemates now, and his play will be questioned.

Game Four

Game four saw Guentzel rolling with a new set of buds for some time.

For Wednesday’s game, Guentzel played alongside Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust, as Evgeni Malkin’s line played first line minutes.

During this game, Guentzel didn’t seem too phased by the fact that he had new linemates. Guentzel’s fantastic offensive play was still apparent, and he even managed to score his eighth goal of the playoffs. However, I think it’s important to note that his goal was unassisted. Maybe Guentzel is that skilled that he can play well no matter his linemates.

Is He a Product of Crosby?

An argument that many critics have formed around Jake Guentzel this season is that he is a product ofSidney Crosby. I mean yes, Crosby is the greatest player in the world, and he seems to make the perfect plays for his linemates to make them excel as well.

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Pittsburgh Penguins

However, I don’t think this is the case with Guentzel or Conor Sheary. Guentzel has had a real breakout year playing alongside Crosby, but anyone can see that he has the skill and the hockey IQ to do things himself.

These playoffs are showing what kind of player he truly is. Leading the league in goal scoring, Guentzel has come into his own and is showing the critics who can really show up when needed. Crosby may have a part in this success, but Guentzel is ultimately the finisher. His skill alone is enough to make him a significant player.

Moving Forward

So what does the future look like for Jake Guentzel and the Penguins? According to Pens Inside Scoop on Twitter, Crosby seems to be practising once again and may be looking to return in game five. Conor Sheary’s return on the other hand is still questionable.

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Whether Guentzel gets to play with Crosby and Sheary again or not, one thing is for sure. He has the skill to be a great hockey player, now we will be able to really see what he does with that.

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