Lightning sign Jake Guentzel, head free agent while waiting to take him off the market

TAMPA — In a less complicated situation, this would have been Jake Guentzel’s time. But the Lightning’s biggest signing of a new player in franchise history almost served as a sidebar to what the organization lost when free agency opened Monday.

There’s no doubt fans should be excited about Guentzel’s arrival after signing a seven-year contract with the Lightning worth an average annual $9 million, but he could be forever linked to the player to who the organization showed the door the same day – longtime captain Steven Stamkos.

Guentzel, 29, has all the tools to make the Lightning a better team. He has a remarkable knack for finding scoring opportunities around the net and has partnered with elite talent, so he should fit in nicely on Tampa Bay’s top line left wing with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.

But it didn’t take long during his first media availability as a Bolt Monday for the questions Guentzel faced to turn to the pressure he could face in essentially replacing the longtime face of the Lightning franchise. Stamkos finalized an acrimonious split with the organization minutes after free agency opened at noon by signing a four-year deal with Nashville worth an average annual value of $8 million.

“Listen, he’s a Hall of Famer, he’s a special player,” Guentzel said an hour before free agency opened Monday. “I have the utmost respect for the guy. He’s an incredible player and person from what I’ve heard, so I’m not really sure what’s going on or what happened.”

“It’s part of the job. You never really know what’s going to happen, but it was clear that this opportunity for me and my family was hard to pass up. In this sport, pressure is everywhere, so I think you have to make sure you make the most of this opportunity. »

Guentzel has made the most of the opportunities that have come his way throughout his career.

He won the Stanley Cup during his rookie season in Pittsburgh in 2016-17, leading the league with 13 goals in the playoffs, including five game-winning goals. He has capitalized on his first-line role alongside players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Maklkin, scoring 30 or more goals each of the last three seasons. And he increased his value as a free agent when he joined Carolina at last season’s trade deadline, averaging 1.47 points late in the season, then adding nine points in 11 playoff games.

Once the Lightning decided to no longer sign Stamkos, Guentzel became the team’s top target and general manager Julien BriseBois freed up space under the salary cap. After trading top-paid defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and underperforming forward Tanner Jeannot on Saturday and halting talks to retain Stamkos, Tampa Bay went from a team with just $5.335 million under the salary cap to a team with $16.5 million.

After Guentzel and Carolina failed to reach an agreement, the Lightning traded his rights Sunday and finalized a deal with him three hours before free agency opened.

“It was definitely a whirlwind, it was my first time being involved in this process, but things didn’t work out at Carolina,” Guentzel said. “And then I heard Tampa might trade my rights and I was really excited, because everyone knows how good this team is and what a good place it is. … Obviously, it was a really exciting time for me and my family. I can’t wait to go there and see what it’s all about. »

Guentzel, 29, received the largest salary for a player signed off-season in Lightning history. The seven-year contract matched that offered by the franchise to Ryan Malone in the summer of 2008.

“There are positives in Tampa and there seem to be a lot of them, the lifestyle, the atmosphere on the ice is unbelievable,” Guentzel said. “And if (money) is part of it, that’s great. So there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that you’re really excited about. It’s going to be a really fun time.”

BriseBois used his new space under the salary cap and Florida’s favorable tax situation to build a contract that Guentzel couldn’t refuse. More than $53 million of the deal’s total value is signing bonuses, giving him nearly 85 percent of his money up front each season, including a $12,263 signing bonus this season.

Guentzal will play with a base salary of $1 million for six of the seven years. The contract includes a full no-trade clause for the first four years and a modified clause with a 10-team trade list for the final three years.

BriseBois has been consistent in his message all offseason that the Lightning need to improve defensively after finishing 22nd in the league in goals against. The acquisition of Guentzel does just that, giving the team a responsible two-way player at 5-on-5 who can slot in on the left wing of the top line.

Guentzel excelled for years in Pittsburgh on the same line as one of hockey’s best playmakers, Crosby. Now he’ll skate with the league’s top right winger, Kucherov, and former 50-goal scorer, Point, on a formidable forward line.

“Those two guys in particular are just elite players in this league, the best players in the league, hands down, those two guys you try to watch more times than anyone,” Guentzel said. “They can obviously score a lot of goals and make a lot of plays.

“So if I play with them, I’m really looking forward to getting out there and getting them the puck as much as possible. I’ve had the experience of playing with some good players, and if I get a chance to play with those guys, it’ll be really fun for me and I’m looking forward to it.”

Still, the Lightning would like to upgrade their other three lines. Even with Guentzel, they have $7.5 million in cap space, and an extension for defenseman Victor Hedman could come as early as today, the first day players entering the final year of their contracts can sign one.

This story will be updated.

• • •

Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to receive daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.

Never miss the latest news about your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, X and Facebook.