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Jake Guentzel reveals what he wants for his good friend Bryan Rust
Former Penguin Jake Guentzel remains very good friends with Bryan Rust, and he recently revealed what he hopes happens to him going forward.
Few players have had a better view of Sidney Crosby than Jake Guentzel during his eight seasons in Pittsburgh.
Even Guentzel, Crosby's longtime left wing and former dressing room neighbor, can't believe what he's seeing: Crosby has 18 goals in 25 games and is pacing for 59 in his age-38 season.
Guentzel has been productive himself. The 31-year-old scored a career-high 41 goals with Tampa Bay last season, his first 40-plus goal season since 2021-22 with the Penguins.
What Jake Guentzel has done on the ice recently
He has nine goals and 14 points in his past 12 games, leading into Thursday's matchup against his former team.
This will mark Guentzel's fifth game against Pittsburgh. He has three assists but has yet to score, which bothers him but remains secondary to team success.
Guentzel is in his second season with Tampa Bay after signing a seven-year, $63 million extension last July. He and his wife, Natalie, have two kids and finally feel settled after bouncing between Pittsburgh and Carolina during 2023-24.
Guentzel's friend Bryan Rust was nearby during the interview. The two remain close, along with Crosby, all in the same active group chat. Guentzel hopes to see Rust on Team USA for the Olympics.
"He doesn't get as much credit as he deserves," Guentzel said. "He can play in all situations. In those tournaments, that's what you need, guys to play different roles.
"I love Rusty. I think he's an unbelievable player. I would definitely vouch for him because he does it all. He probably doesn't want to hear me say that, but yeah. He's just a great guy."
"I love Rusty. I think he's an unbelievable player. I would definitely vouch for him because he does it all. He probably doesn't want to hear me say that, but yeah. He's just a great guy."
Why Bryan Rust would be a great choice for Team USA
Rust, who has scored 20-plus goals in each of the past six seasons and had a career-high 31 last year, would be a smart choice.
Turning our attention to tonight's game, Tristan Jarry will start for the Penguins against the Lightning.
He is 8-2-0 through his first 10 starts this season, with a 2.84 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 12 career games against Tampa Bay. The Penguins get a break as Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy will not play.
Joona Koppanen remains sick and did not travel, while Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari also won't play.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 4 | 77 ANSWERS Jake Guentzel reveals what he wants for his good friend Bryan Rust Do you miss Jake Guentzel on the Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 62 | 80.5 % |
| No | 15 | 19.5 % |
| List of polls | ||