With the Pittsburgh Penguins 10 points out of a playoff spot and set to be sellers at the 2024 NHL trade deadline, all eyes are on where winger Jake Guentzel will land between now and Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline.
And though Don Sweeney and the Bruins are not considered to be in the running for the services of Guentzel, they may play a part in the trade that involves his inevitable departure from Pittsburgh and make it a true three-way blockbuster, according to the latest report from hockey insider Chris Johnston.
With the #canucks believed to be among those pursuing Jake Guentzel, word is they've had discussions about potentially flipping Elias Lindholm to the #bruins as part of the machinations to make it happen.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 5, 2024
Nothing concrete in place at this time. Still lots of moving parts.
Feb 17, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Lindholm (23) skates during warm up prior to a game against the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena. (Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports)
And there’s also no doubt that Lindholm has/had been on Boston’s radar prior to his trade to Vancouver.
A 29-year-old, right-shot center who can thrive with superstar talents and win faceoffs all over the ice and staring down a jump into unrestricted free agency this summer, Lindholm seemed like a natural connection to the Bruins given the club’s long-term need at the center position.
The early-season success of both Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha may have downgraded Boston’s need for a center from dire to pressing, the grind of the stretch run may have been the reminder the Bruins needed to realize that they could still use another high-impact, top-six center to help balance out the rest of their roster.
Feb 24, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Canucks forward Elias Lindholm (23) tries to tip the puck defended by Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) and forward Danton Heinen (43) at Rogers Arena. (Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA TODAY Sports)
And if the Bruins are in the picture to help Vancouver complete a move for a player they view as a better fit for their club (which is clearly how they feel if their interest in Guentzel would have to come at the expense of Lindholm), there’s something to be said for the Bruins trying to ‘get a deal’ on Lindholm.
You’d also have to imagine that this would fall in line with the idea of the ‘hockey trade’ talk that’s surrounded the Bruins of late, as they would have to make some room to fit Lindholm on their roster. In a three-way trade scenario, it’s not hard to imagine the Penguins having an interest in someone like Jake DeBrusk (a pending unrestricted free agent) and seeing if he could be a fit with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin down the stretch. DeBrusk has played his best hockey when paired with superstar centermen, and DeBrusk could be looked at as a ‘less expensive’ version of Guentzel, which may fit into the Pens’ plan should he have any sort of success there.
The Bruins also have their share of expiring contracts to make the money work, and there’s also the seemingly never ending talk of the Bruins moving someone like Linus Ullmark by the deadline.
Jan 15, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) defends the net against Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)
As for Guentzel, the 29-year-old is in the midst of a 2023-24 run that’s come with 22 goals and 52 points through 50 games played, and is just two years removed from a career-high 40 goals and 84 points in 2021-22.
The 5-foot-11 wing was also on the 2017 Pittsburgh team that won the Stanley Cup, and scored 13 goals and 21 points over that 25-game run to a championship. Guentzel has been a strong playoff performer in his career, too, with 34 goals and 58 points in 58 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Vancouver’s interest in the American-born scorer may come at a perfect time, too, as Vegas, another team interested in Guentzel, pulled the trigger on a deal for the Capitals’ Anthony Mantha on Tuesday night.
