BREAKING: Jake Guentzel Has A New Deal in Place With the Lightning

One day after acquiring his rights from the Carolina Hurricanes, the Tampa Bay Lightning have struck a deal on a long-term contract with star forward Jake Guentzel.

Sources say #GoBolts have agreed to terms on a contract with Jake Guentzel after a productive Sunday.

Details have been hard to come by as Tampa has other moving parts, and info might not come out until tomorrow.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2024

Insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was the first to report the agreement.

And now, Monday morning, the announcement is official:

LOCKED IN. 🔒

We have signed forward Jake Guentzel to a seven-year contract worth an AAV of $9 million.

📝: https://t.co/LAyirt4tJw pic.twitter.com/K0AJjnmOTj
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 1, 2024

As Pierre LeBrun notes, the Lightning would not have traded for his negotiating rights yesterday "without feeling good about their chances to get him signed".

After spending 7½ seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins where he was essentially a point-per-game player for most of that time, Guentzel was dealt to the Canes at the trade deadline this season, where he was nothing short of sensational, posting 25 points and a +16 rating in 17 regular-season games, and another nine points in 11 playoff outings.