How do the Penguins replace Jake Guentzel's offense?
Alex Galchenyuk knows he can’t replace Jake Guentzel. After all, Guentzel is an All-Star and leads the Pittsburgh Penguins with 20 goals.
But someone has to be the team’s top left winger.
Based on the team’s practice Wednesday in Cranberry, Galchenyuk will get the first crack at that daunting assignment.
Galchenyuk skated on the team’s top line with Evgeni Malkin at center and Bryan Rust at right wing.
“I’m just trying to come in and do my best and bring what I can bring to the line to help the team win,” Galchenyuk said. “Obviously, (Malkin) and (Rust) and Guentzel were playing great. I’m going to come in and bring my skill set and help those guys keep being successful.”
The promotion comes during an all-too-scant spell of productive play for Galchenyuk, who has scored two goals in the Penguins’ three games since their holiday break.
One of those goals came on a power play, and the other came just as a power-play chance had expired.
“I definitely feel better now than before the break,” Galchenyuk said. “But I’ve got to skill keep working on it and keep contributing.”
Contributions have been few and far between for Galchenyuk in his first season with the Penguins.
Limited to 30 games because of a suspected groin injury as well as an unspecificed allergic reaction he dealt with in October, Galchenyuk has only 13 points (four goals, nine assists).
Plans devised during the preseason would have had him flanking Malkin most of the regular season, but his health woes, as well as an injury to Malkin, derailed those hopes.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Galchenyuk and Malkin have shared only 56 minutes, 22 seconds of five-on-five ice time this season. Galchenyuk’s most common five-on-five ice time among his fellow forwards has come with Jared McCann (110:34) and Brandon Tanev (100:31).
He’s appreciative of the second chance with Malkin.
“He’s been on fire, like he said he is,” Galchenyuk said. “Just coming in, it’s a good opportunity for me to play with those guys. I’ve just got to take advantage of it.”
Replacing Guentzel in even-strength play is one thing. The power play is another. He leads the team with six power-play goals and 10 points this season.
On Wednesday, McCann inhabited the left wall on the team’s top power-play squad.
“Obviously it (stinks),” McCann said. “Jake is a big part of our team. It’s tough seeing a guy like that going down like that because he does so much for us. But we’ve done a good job of this year of guys stepping up and stepping in.
“I’m going to try to step up for the team and do whatever they need me to do.”
The sole luxury — if such a word can be applied to this the situation — provided by Guentzel’s injury, which is scheduled to keep him sidelined four to six months, is the team can place him on long-term injured reserve and get salary cap relief from his ample average annual value of $6 million.
That would allow the team to kick tires on some of the pricier players potentially available on the market with the NHL’s trade deadline approaching in less than eight weeks (Feb. 24.)
For the time being, they’ll look to in-house options they have available, such as Galchenyuk, to replace what they lost with Guentzel.
“Alex is a good player,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’re trying to put him positions where he can play to his strengths, and he can be successful. Given the circumstances that we’re under right now, it’s a good opportunity for Alex. We’re looking for guys to step up and play more significant roles for us. Alex is very capable. It’s an option for us. We’ll see where it goes. We thought we would start there.”
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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