Mav Commit Jake Guentzel Lights Up USHL

Guentzel Extends Point Streak to 17 Games against Lancers

Nebraska-Omaha Maverick commitment Jake Guentzel had a relatively notable night against the Omaha Lancers Saturday to the tune of 4 total points including a hat trick. Lighting the lamp in every period,  Guentzel currently sits within the USHL Top 10 in both goals (9th) and assists (7th) while extending a points streak to 17 games. 

Guentzel is the son of Mike Guentzel, former Mavericks assistant coach, now associate head coach with Don Lucia at Minnesota. Jake also has two older brothers who have played NCAA hockey - suiting up for both Notre Dame and Colorado College respectively. While recruiting for any sport is an inexact science, being a coaches son and having brothers playing in D1 are two characteristics that bode well for future success. 

The Mavs had plenty of competition for the decorated prepster with offers from NCHC notables Minnesota-Duluth, Denver, and Colorado College.

Guentzel has a relatively small frame at 5'9, 150-ish but appears to be a points machine. Looking at his stat line over this season he not only gets his shots in but is relatively efficient in doing-so ranking (at current) 13th in the USHL in shooting percentage. While physically better days are ahead of him, Nebraska-Omaha will certainly using him as a difference maker to center the third line in opening 2013-14. 

Over the summer, I'm hoping he puts on some pounds of good weight for the upcoming month of November and the grind of the NCHC. 

The good news is that it appears that he takes the facilitator role pretty seriously in a philosophy ingrained in him by his father. Furthermore, Mike Guenztel has said that Jake and his "hockey sense will be in the top quarter of players in college hockey". Dean Blais should be getting a dependable point machine that he can mold for the next four years. 

It should also be noted that the Sioux City Musketeers also have a fellow Nebraska-Omaha signee in Jake Montgomery. The former Shattuck-St. Mary's forward has signed and will also be suited up for the upcoming season at The Link.