Penguins' Guentzel bringing Stanley Cup to Woodbury

Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Jake Guentzel is bringing the Stanley Cup back to Minnesota.

The Star Tribune's Michael Russo reports that Guentzel plans to spend a portion of his day with the cup at Woodbury's HealthEast Sports Center on Thursday, July 13.

Guentzel (@shakenjake20) retweeted Russo's message:

Officials from the HealthEast Sports Center, formerly known as Bielenberg Sports Center, have confirmed to WCCO that the event will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska but raised in Woodbury, Guentzel played two seasons of high school hockey at Hill-Murray, before joining the USHL's Sioux City Muskateers.

He went on to play for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, spending three season with the Mavericks and racking up 46 points in 35 games as a junior.

Guentzel left UNO after three seasons to sign with the Penguins, who selected the winger in the third round of the 2013 draft.

He broke out in the playoffs after a strong regular season, racking up 21 points and tying Dino Ciccarelli's longstanding rookie playoff scoring record, while leading the playoffs with 13 goals, including the game-winners in Game 1 and Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Despite his successes in Pittsburgh and Omaha, Guentzel's family has strong ties to the State of Hockey.

Jake is the son of University of Minnesota assistant coach Mike Guentzel, who played for the Gophers from 1981-85.