You don’t think of Omaha, Nebraska as a hockey hotbed, but it was in Cornhusker territory where Jake Guentzel came from.  

The Nebraskan stayed in state, competing collegiately for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and while this was not a hockey powerhouse, Guentzel impressed in college, bringing the school to their first Frozen Four.  Taken in the Third Round of the NHL Draft years before, Guentzel joined the Penguins in 2016, making the team after a brief stop in the AHL, and he would play a large role in the Penguins in their 2017 Stanley Cup win, where he led all skaters in Goals (13) and Even-Strength Goals (11).

The Center had 48 Points in his first full year (2017-18), and he increased that to 76 the following year.  In the last three years, Guentzel has averaged over a point per game, specifically 184 Points in 171 Games.  Guentzel went to his first All-Star Game in 2021/22, and tied his previous best of 40 Goals, and had 73 Points last year.

Guentzel is entering his eighth year in the NHL, and as good as he had been, his best years are ahead of him, where he might emrge as Pittsburgh's top threat.