Dylan Guenther has quickly become a household name around the Salt Lake City area. For the first couple of games of this season, the forward was a lethal scorer, scoring five goals in the first three games. It was an incredible performance by Guenther, as he even led the league in goal-scoring for a while. It’s been an impressive season for the Utah Hockey Club forward, and it could be the start of an impressive career.
Guenther’s Path to the NHL
If you had asked Guenther a year ago if he’d ever be in this spot, he wouldn’t have believed you. While it was clearly obvious he was going to make the NHL as a regular at a point in time, a year ago, he was in the American Hockey League (AHL) to begin the season. He also wouldn’t have believed he was going to be in a completely new state, playing on the newest team in the league.
“I never would have guessed that we’d be here,” Guenther said. “I was playing in the American League last year, so new city, new state, playing in the NHL, It’s kind of just everything you’ve ever wanted.”
After being drafted by the Coyotes, Guenther spent a season with the Edmonton Oil Kings before making his pro debut during the 2022-23 season in the NHL with the Arizona Coyotes. He scored 15 points in 33 games before being loaned to Team Canada for the World Juniors and then being sent back to the Western Hockey League (WHL) to play with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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The following season, Guenther started in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners. The forward found chemistry with Josh Doan and impressed many by scoring 28 games in 29 games with the team. He impressed everyone so much that he practically forced his way back into the NHL as he was called up midway through the season just before the All-Star Break.
In the remainder of the 2023-24 season, Guenther scored 35 points in 45 games. He helped the Coyotes finish strong during their final season of existence. Now with Utah, he’s a point-per-game player with six points in six games. General manager Bill Armstrong rewarded him by extending the forward to an eight-year, $57.14 million contract.
Not Just a Scorer
With his wicked wrist shot, Guenther is mainly talked about as a goalscorer. He is indeed an excellent goalscorer. It’s fitting that he was the player who scored the first goal in Utah franchise history. However, he’s more than just a goalscorer. For head coach André Tourigny, who isn’t impressed easily, he’s loved what Guenther has brought to the team.
“I think he’s a hell of a player,” Tourigny said. “He scores goals. That’s almost what I don’t like because people see him as just a goal scorer. He’s way more than that. He passes the puck well, he defends well, he works hard, he has a good forecheck, he has a great stick, he’s good on the PK. He does way more than shooting. I mean, that said, it’s not a bad thing to have that skill, to shoot the puck that way. But he’s way more than just a shooter.”
An example of how he’s more than a goalscorer is how he helped unlock Logan Cooley. Before Guenther was called up, Cooley wasn’t playing like someone who scored 60 points in 39 games with the University of Minnesota. When Guenther was called up, the two instantly connected and formed the Coyotes’ most lethal line down the stretch. The Pittsburgh native ended the season with 44 points and currently has six points this season.
Guenther is great at almost everything when he hits the ice. You can tell he gives it his all every time he’s playing. He is a player who coaches love, but he’s also a player who his teammates love.
Big Part of the Core
There’s no doubt Guenther is already a huge part of Utah’s team. The 21-year-old has already established himself as a key part of the offense and as a good teammate. Clayton Keller, who was named captain of the team before the season began, spoke nothing but positive about Guenther and how he’s been supportive of the Canadian forward since day one.
“I’ve said it from day one,” Keller said. “He’s, you know, a special player. He works super hard. He’s so talented. He’s a guy that I loved playing with the last year and a half or so. He’s going to be a huge part of our team.”
It’s not just his chemistry with some of the stars on Utah; it’s everyone on the team. Guenther has been Jack McBain’s roommate since his arrival in Arizona. Last season, the two famously forgot to pay their water bill and went more than half a day without water. This season, the two have embarked on more adventures off the ice, including to Costco where the pair went to grab some sparkling water. They left with a hot tub.
McBain and Guenther’s brother-like relationship is even evident on Utah’s social media pages. During a recent video where players were asked who they wouldn’t want to sit next to on a plane, the former Thunderbird answered with McBain’s name with a giant smirk on his face. It shows what a likable person Guenther is on and off the ice.
As the season gets underway, Guenther is set to have a massive season. Now, with more eyes on him due to it being Utah’s first-ever season in the league, he has become one of the bigger names on the team. That means more pressure on the 21-year-old. However, if he continues his great play, he won’t just be a household name in Utah. He’ll be a household name in the whole hockey world.
