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Nebraska Omaha junior forward Jake Guentzel has signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending his college eligibility.
Guentzel was a third round draft pick of the Penguins in the 2013 NHL Draft. Heled the Mavericks in scoring this season with a 19-27-46 scoring line, and finishes his career at Omaha with 119 career points.
Guentzel is ranked 27th overall on our list of the top 100 NHL prospects in the NCAA this year. While Guentzel lacks prototypical pro size for the NHL level, he is one of the smartest hockey players in the NCAA, which should be a huge asset at the NHL level. He tremendous at finding open space for himself and teammates, especially on the rush, which makes him a consistently dangerous offensive threat that is tough to defend.
Guentzel will finish the season on an amateur tryout offer with the Penguins' AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before starting a contract with the Penguins next season.