Omaha Retires Jake Guentzel's No. 20 Jersey

Guentzel becomes the first Omaha Maverick athlete to have a jersey retired at Baxter Arena.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Hockey

Omaha Retires Jake Guentzel's No. 20 Jersey

The University of Nebraska Omaha retired Jake Guentzel's No. 20 jersey at Baxter Arena on Friday night. The jersey was unfurled from the rafters before the Mavs game against St. Cloud State, with Guentzel standing at center ice alongside his wife and children.

Why it matters

The ceremony honors the first Omaha Maverick athlete to receive this distinction, recognizing a hometown product who starred for three seasons with the program. It places Guentzel's college career alongside his later professional and international achievements.

Guentzel wore No. 20 during three seasons with the Mavericks and led the team to the 2015 NCAA Frozen Four. The retirement makes him the first Omaha Maverick athlete to have a jersey hung from the rafters at Baxter Arena.

The players

Jake Guentzel

Guentzel is a former Omaha Maverick forward and Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins who also won Olympic gold with Team USA.

University of Nebraska Omaha

The University of Nebraska Omaha is the public university whose Mavericks hockey program Guentzel captained to the 2015 NCAA Frozen Four.

The details

Guentzel stood at center ice before the St. Cloud State game as the jersey was lifted into the rafters, with a spotlight shining on it as the crowd looked up. He won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and a gold medal with the USA Olympic hockey team after his time in Omaha.

1994: Guentzel is born in Omaha.
2015: Guentzel leads Omaha to the NCAA Frozen Four.
Friday, November 6, 2026: Jersey No. 20 is retired at Baxter Arena.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: The Tampa Lightning play the Minnesota Wild.

Season Trajectory

The retirement draws attention to Guentzel's 2015 Frozen Four appearance, the high point of his time with Omaha. It links a hometown program's history to a player who later reached the NHL's top tier and international competition.

Fans attending Mavericks home games at Baxter Arena can now see Guentzel's No. 20 hanging among the program's honored numbers. Guentzel's professional career with the Lightning continues this weekend against the Wild.

The takeaway

Guentzel's jersey retirement reflects how a single college career can remain part of a program's identity long after a player moves on. The honor recognizes both his Omaha roots and the professional and Olympic success that followed.