Prospect Info: 2021 Draft #9 - Dylan Guenther (RW)

[Painful Quandary]

I legit cannot even believe we got Guenther out of that Vancouver trade. Losing Garland sucks, but getting rid of OEL's contract AND drafting Guenther is a huge win for us.

Dude looks like a bonafide stud.

Guenther is going to be the best player out of that trade.

 

[Jakey53]

Guenther is going to be the best player out of that trade.

Time will tell.

 

[rt]

Anyone know how I can get a clip of the post selection analysis from the ESPN panel? I forgot to set my DVR and I want to watch the entire selection and the following discussion. Any ideas?

 

[awfulwaffle]

Anyone know how I can get a clip of the post selection analysis from the ESPN panel? I forgot to set my DVR and I want to watch the entire selection and the following discussion. Any ideas?

There might be a replay at watch ESPN possinly?

 

[Jormungandr]

Anyone know how I can get a clip of the post selection analysis from the ESPN panel? I forgot to set my DVR and I want to watch the entire selection and the following discussion. Any ideas?

Damn. Nhl network replayed the entire first round after the draft ended today

 

[SniperHF]

There might be a replay at watch ESPN possinly?

Anyone know how I can get a clip of the post selection analysis from the ESPN panel? I forgot to set my DVR and I want to watch the entire selection and the following discussion. Any ideas?

Yup, watch espn is good.

Fri, 7/23 - 2021 NHL Draft | Watch ESPN

 

[The don godfather]

Could be a 40 goals guy for you one day. Unbelievable toolbox. Congrats guys .

 

[rt]

Yup, watch espn is good.

Fri, 7/23 - 2021 NHL Draft | Watch ESPN

Thanks! Even better than I remembered! You guys gotta watch that again!!!

 

[Name Nameless]

Well Chayka never would've taken him, it was too obvious of a pick. He would've taken someone ranked 16th then smugly would have said...

"We had him number 1 on our board even before Nolan Power, we were looking to trade up into the top 3 to get him."

As he seems to be a guy the stat-people really loved, you might actually be wrong. I suspect Chayka might have offered next years first unprotected to get him at 6th or something.

Anyhow, a goal-scoring forward? Is this legal? Fun!

 

[PainForShane]

As he seems to be a guy the stat-people really loved, you might actually be wrong. I suspect Chayka might have offered next years first unprotected to get him at 6th or something.

Anyhow, a goal-scoring forward? Is this legal? Fun!

Ha, so true. So glad / relieved we now have an actual GM with an actual plan

 

[Jakey53]

Ha, so true. So glad / relieved we now have an actual GM with an actual plan

Every NHL GM has a plan. The secret is to make it work.

 

[rt]

Kournianos released his premium content for free for 2021: Home

Dylan Guenther • Edmonton(WHL)

A top-line right wing who poses a scoring threat in any situation, Guenther wasted little time establishing himself as the WHL’s most dangerous forward this season, scoring 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in only 12 games before he was summoned for Team Canada’s under-18 camp. Although he (like most CHL’ers) waited patiently for his league to resume play, Guenther gave the Alberta Junior Hockey League a chance by suiting up with the Sherwood Park Crusaders for only a handful of games before prepping for a return to his Edmonton Oil Kings, where he has combined with linemates Jake Neighbours and Kade Oliver to form one of the league’s most prolific trios. This also was the case in 2019-20, when Guenther — the first overall pick int he 2018 WHL Bantam Draft — finished second in WHL rookie scoring (26 goals, 33 assists in 58 games).

Skating and Stickhandling

Guenther doesn’t seem like an explosive skater at first or second glance, but he can drop a lightning-quick first step in any direction, and his rapid peel-backs consistently catch opponents off guard. One thing of note is that he has added nearly 20 pounds from last season without a decrease in agility or acceleration, and he remains difficult to contain in the neutral zone.

Whether Guenther’s frequent positioning in unchecked danger areas is a tribute to either his anticipation or speed (or both), the fact remains that the kid always seems one, two, or even three steps ahead of his closest opponent. He’s in open ice a ton and displays smoothness and fluidity no matter the game speed he’s operating at.

Blessed with soft hands and sharp hand-eye coordination, Guenther can make short work of defenders in one-on-one scenarios. Filling out has helped make his puck-protection skills even more impressive, as his constant shifting of body positioning with slight delays (while his head is up) can ankle-break an opponent to a good three or four feet off him. Guenther makes a lot of money stickhandling in tight spaces and knows how to use both the boards and switching/weaving teammates to his advantage, and it’s quite common to see him turn your basic two-on-two into a coverage mix-up that results in an open lane to the net.

Shooting, Passing and Playmaking

Guenther is your classic dual-threat who can differentiate between when it’s time to play sniper and when to go the pass-first route. If there was a “best option available” category for scoring chances created, you’d probably find Guenther at or near the top of that list. In other words, he rarely settles for low-percentage plays and will reload a possession, if necessary, by staying in motion and alternating sides. But Guenther has a plus-plus shot-release combo, and he sure loves to use it, and you can say his “office” for a right wing is anywhere inside the left circle, especially on the power play. His shots per game in 2020-21 (4.25) took a massive jump in comparison to last season (2.87), albeit in a smaller sample size, but there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t have hit at least 50 or 60 goals and 250 shots had the WHL played a full season. As nasty as his wrister and one-timer are, however, Guenther probably is the best among his peers at depositing net-mouth chances or cross-crease feeds.

Having elite goal-scoring prowess affords Guenther the time and space to showcase his vision and passing ability. He’s often the primary possessor during advances up the ice and will make smart timing plays to allow his entire unit to not only enter the zone but also have enough time to position themselves properly. Guenther on the power play is used as the “F4” who starts out high but eventually slips into the left or right circle, where he will deliver crisp, accurate passes across the seam from either forehand or backhand.

Defense and Physicality

Guenther’s two-way game is a significant part of his overall skill set, but he has taken it to another level now that he has a thicker frame and is a year wiser. He is hyper-aggressive off the puck and will apply in-your-face pressure using an active stick, hard shoves, and rapid directional changes that allow him to harass either a mobile or static puck carrier. Guenther also is one of the more active penalty killers you’ll find within the 2003 age group, as he constantly pressures the points and finishes his checks along the half wall.

His desire to make life difficult for an opponent is quite strong, and it’s blatantly obvious why coaches at multiple levels of competition have used him for the penalty kill or during late/close situations. Another testament to his maturity is how he can show a nasty or gritty side while staying within the rule book — Guenther’s totaled only 24 penalty minutes in nearly 80 WHL games. Although Guenther’s zeal off the puck can lead to occasional overcommitments or lapses in coverage, any coach would gladly welcome his efforts and the mostly positive results that go along with them.

Hockey Sense

It goes without saying that a top-flight winger who possesses the qualities in versatility and playmaking must think the game at a higher level, which is exactly what Guenther does on the regular. Whether opponents know his intentions or not is practically irrelevant because Guenther still manages to outfox them and beat them to a desired spot far more times than not.

He makes so many smart plays in the neutral zone that result in immediate counterattacks, and what he does with the puck from that point forward is usually calculated and strategized. Some might call him opportunistic or taking advantage of what’s given to him, but a deeper analysis of Guenther’s game shows highly-intelligent play in all three zones. He is an effective player and contributor whether he’s scoring or not.

NHL Projection

Premier scoring winger with star potential.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Damn. Nhl network replayed the entire first round after the draft ended today

Every year, they will play it several times over the weekend.

 

[lanky]

I can't imagine we'll be able to keep him off our roster for more than one season. He won't need two more WHL seasons. He's going to tear that league apart this year.

If Hayton and Jenik get some NHL seasoning this year and then Macceli, Farinacci, McCartney and Guenther are pushing for a spot next year - it's going to be a tidal wave of rookie forwards. If Hayton and Jenik are sent back to Tuscon this year then it's going to be an even more condensed transition the following year.

Prospect development is like balancing on a tight rope. It could be tough to balance all these prospects at the same time.

 

[KG]

Will he play another junior season? Aren't scoring forwards the players least in need of additional seasoning

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Will he play another junior season? Aren't scoring forwards the players least in need of additional seasoning

That’s up to him.

 

[lanky]

Will he play another junior season? Aren't scoring forwards the players least in need of additional seasoning

Yes and yes.

He could hold his own in the NHL but there's no reason to throw him into the chaos of this roster rebuild. I still think Boedker could've reached his potential if he was left to dominate the OHL as an 18 year old.

 

[rt]

If he’s the 2nd best WHLer next year and a star player at the WJC, they’ll have no choice. Let’s hope he leaves them no choice.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Yes and yes.

He could hold his own in the NHL but there's no reason to throw him into the chaos of this roster rebuild. I still think Boedker could've reached his potential if he was left to dominate the OHL as an 18 year old.

Kirby Dach seems to have faired well in Chicago.
We may, or may not be worse, than Chicago.

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

We’ll need a hotshot center to pair him with. We truly, desperately need to draft Shane Wright

 

[MIGs Dog]

Kournianos released his premium content for free for 2021: Home

Dylan Guenther • Edmonton(WHL)

A top-line right wing who poses a scoring threat in any situation, Guenther wasted little time establishing himself as the WHL’s most dangerous forward this season, scoring 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in only 12 games before he was summoned for Team Canada’s under-18 camp. Although he (like most CHL’ers) waited patiently for his league to resume play, Guenther gave the Alberta Junior Hockey League a chance by suiting up with the Sherwood Park Crusaders for only a handful of games before prepping for a return to his Edmonton Oil Kings, where he has combined with linemates Jake Neighbours and Kade Oliver to form one of the league’s most prolific trios. This also was the case in 2019-20, when Guenther — the first overall pick int he 2018 WHL Bantam Draft — finished second in WHL rookie scoring (26 goals, 33 assists in 58 games).

Skating and Stickhandling

Guenther doesn’t seem like an explosive skater at first or second glance, but he can drop a lightning-quick first step in any direction, and his rapid peel-backs consistently catch opponents off guard. One thing of note is that he has added nearly 20 pounds from last season without a decrease in agility or acceleration, and he remains difficult to contain in the neutral zone.

Whether Guenther’s frequent positioning in unchecked danger areas is a tribute to either his anticipation or speed (or both), the fact remains that the kid always seems one, two, or even three steps ahead of his closest opponent. He’s in open ice a ton and displays smoothness and fluidity no matter the game speed he’s operating at.

Blessed with soft hands and sharp hand-eye coordination, Guenther can make short work of defenders in one-on-one scenarios. Filling out has helped make his puck-protection skills even more impressive, as his constant shifting of body positioning with slight delays (while his head is up) can ankle-break an opponent to a good three or four feet off him. Guenther makes a lot of money stickhandling in tight spaces and knows how to use both the boards and switching/weaving teammates to his advantage, and it’s quite common to see him turn your basic two-on-two into a coverage mix-up that results in an open lane to the net.

Shooting, Passing and Playmaking

Guenther is your classic dual-threat who can differentiate between when it’s time to play sniper and when to go the pass-first route. If there was a “best option available” category for scoring chances created, you’d probably find Guenther at or near the top of that list. In other words, he rarely settles for low-percentage plays and will reload a possession, if necessary, by staying in motion and alternating sides. But Guenther has a plus-plus shot-release combo, and he sure loves to use it, and you can say his “office” for a right wing is anywhere inside the left circle, especially on the power play. His shots per game in 2020-21 (4.25) took a massive jump in comparison to last season (2.87), albeit in a smaller sample size, but there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t have hit at least 50 or 60 goals and 250 shots had the WHL played a full season. As nasty as his wrister and one-timer are, however, Guenther probably is the best among his peers at depositing net-mouth chances or cross-crease feeds.

Having elite goal-scoring prowess affords Guenther the time and space to showcase his vision and passing ability. He’s often the primary possessor during advances up the ice and will make smart timing plays to allow his entire unit to not only enter the zone but also have enough time to position themselves properly. Guenther on the power play is used as the “F4” who starts out high but eventually slips into the left or right circle, where he will deliver crisp, accurate passes across the seam from either forehand or backhand.

Defense and Physicality

Guenther’s two-way game is a significant part of his overall skill set, but he has taken it to another level now that he has a thicker frame and is a year wiser. He is hyper-aggressive off the puck and will apply in-your-face pressure using an active stick, hard shoves, and rapid directional changes that allow him to harass either a mobile or static puck carrier. Guenther also is one of the more active penalty killers you’ll find within the 2003 age group, as he constantly pressures the points and finishes his checks along the half wall.

His desire to make life difficult for an opponent is quite strong, and it’s blatantly obvious why coaches at multiple levels of competition have used him for the penalty kill or during late/close situations. Another testament to his maturity is how he can show a nasty or gritty side while staying within the rule book — Guenther’s totaled only 24 penalty minutes in nearly 80 WHL games. Although Guenther’s zeal off the puck can lead to occasional overcommitments or lapses in coverage, any coach would gladly welcome his efforts and the mostly positive results that go along with them.

Hockey Sense

It goes without saying that a top-flight winger who possesses the qualities in versatility and playmaking must think the game at a higher level, which is exactly what Guenther does on the regular. Whether opponents know his intentions or not is practically irrelevant because Guenther still manages to outfox them and beat them to a desired spot far more times than not.

He makes so many smart plays in the neutral zone that result in immediate counterattacks, and what he does with the puck from that point forward is usually calculated and strategized. Some might call him opportunistic or taking advantage of what’s given to him, but a deeper analysis of Guenther’s game shows highly-intelligent play in all three zones. He is an effective player and contributor whether he’s scoring or not.

NHL Projection

Premier scoring winger with star potential.

When I googled "plus-plus shot-release combo" it returned a bunch of COVID vaccination info . What does it mean?

 

[Llewzaher]

I was on Zoom with @Grimes during the first half of the 1st tonight. When Columbus took Johnson, we were like “alright, so who’s our guy? Sillinger?” And then it hit us “Oh shit. Guenther is still on the board!” I was like, I think Detroit is taking Edvinsson to pair with Seider. They’ve taken Raymond and Zadina and they’re not doing another winger. They took Edvinsson and we cheered. Then San Jose was up. And we were like, okay. This is where it stops. But we both agreed we didn’t want the tiny winger Eklund and were cheering for San Jose to take him. They did. We celebrated. LA was up and Grimes was like “they have to go D” and he was right. It was Clarke and we’re like “Holy shit! It really happened. I can’t believe it! Guenther fell! This is nuts!” And when they picked him we went nuts.

It sure felt to us like “we got our guy!” even though we weren’t planning on it and didn’t think it would/could happen. But if you asked this pair of fans, we’d tell ya “we had him way higher and we couldn’t believe he fell and were so happy we got him!” And ya know what? We wouldn’t be lying to you.

that’s awesome .... I have been in that scenario twice.. only to have the GM pick someone different and dash my hopes...

Great to see this one go the way it should have... I knew nothing about Guenther, as we never had a 1st round pick... but after checking him out , I am pretty ecstatic

 

[Llewzaher]

Scouting Report: Dylan Guenther - Smaht Scouting

In depth report on Guenther from Josh Tessler at Smaht Scouting.

He compares his game to Kyle Connor.

I saw a shift by shift review where the guy said he was a like bigger more talented Connor Garland

 

[Jakey53]

Kournianos released his premium content for free for 2021: Home

Dylan Guenther • Edmonton(WHL)

A top-line right wing who poses a scoring threat in any situation, Guenther wasted little time establishing himself as the WHL’s most dangerous forward this season, scoring 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in only 12 games before he was summoned for Team Canada’s under-18 camp. Although he (like most CHL’ers) waited patiently for his league to resume play, Guenther gave the Alberta Junior Hockey League a chance by suiting up with the Sherwood Park Crusaders for only a handful of games before prepping for a return to his Edmonton Oil Kings, where he has combined with linemates Jake Neighbours and Kade Oliver to form one of the league’s most prolific trios. This also was the case in 2019-20, when Guenther — the first overall pick int he 2018 WHL Bantam Draft — finished second in WHL rookie scoring (26 goals, 33 assists in 58 games).

Skating and Stickhandling

Guenther doesn’t seem like an explosive skater at first or second glance, but he can drop a lightning-quick first step in any direction, and his rapid peel-backs consistently catch opponents off guard. One thing of note is that he has added nearly 20 pounds from last season without a decrease in agility or acceleration, and he remains difficult to contain in the neutral zone.

Whether Guenther’s frequent positioning in unchecked danger areas is a tribute to either his anticipation or speed (or both), the fact remains that the kid always seems one, two, or even three steps ahead of his closest opponent. He’s in open ice a ton and displays smoothness and fluidity no matter the game speed he’s operating at.

Blessed with soft hands and sharp hand-eye coordination, Guenther can make short work of defenders in one-on-one scenarios. Filling out has helped make his puck-protection skills even more impressive, as his constant shifting of body positioning with slight delays (while his head is up) can ankle-break an opponent to a good three or four feet off him. Guenther makes a lot of money stickhandling in tight spaces and knows how to use both the boards and switching/weaving teammates to his advantage, and it’s quite common to see him turn your basic two-on-two into a coverage mix-up that results in an open lane to the net.

Shooting, Passing and Playmaking

Guenther is your classic dual-threat who can differentiate between when it’s time to play sniper and when to go the pass-first route. If there was a “best option available” category for scoring chances created, you’d probably find Guenther at or near the top of that list. In other words, he rarely settles for low-percentage plays and will reload a possession, if necessary, by staying in motion and alternating sides. But Guenther has a plus-plus shot-release combo, and he sure loves to use it, and you can say his “office” for a right wing is anywhere inside the left circle, especially on the power play. His shots per game in 2020-21 (4.25) took a massive jump in comparison to last season (2.87), albeit in a smaller sample size, but there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t have hit at least 50 or 60 goals and 250 shots had the WHL played a full season. As nasty as his wrister and one-timer are, however, Guenther probably is the best among his peers at depositing net-mouth chances or cross-crease feeds.

Having elite goal-scoring prowess affords Guenther the time and space to showcase his vision and passing ability. He’s often the primary possessor during advances up the ice and will make smart timing plays to allow his entire unit to not only enter the zone but also have enough time to position themselves properly. Guenther on the power play is used as the “F4” who starts out high but eventually slips into the left or right circle, where he will deliver crisp, accurate passes across the seam from either forehand or backhand.

Defense and Physicality

Guenther’s two-way game is a significant part of his overall skill set, but he has taken it to another level now that he has a thicker frame and is a year wiser. He is hyper-aggressive off the puck and will apply in-your-face pressure using an active stick, hard shoves, and rapid directional changes that allow him to harass either a mobile or static puck carrier. Guenther also is one of the more active penalty killers you’ll find within the 2003 age group, as he constantly pressures the points and finishes his checks along the half wall.

His desire to make life difficult for an opponent is quite strong, and it’s blatantly obvious why coaches at multiple levels of competition have used him for the penalty kill or during late/close situations. Another testament to his maturity is how he can show a nasty or gritty side while staying within the rule book — Guenther’s totaled only 24 penalty minutes in nearly 80 WHL games. Although Guenther’s zeal off the puck can lead to occasional overcommitments or lapses in coverage, any coach would gladly welcome his efforts and the mostly positive results that go along with them.

Hockey Sense

It goes without saying that a top-flight winger who possesses the qualities in versatility and playmaking must think the game at a higher level, which is exactly what Guenther does on the regular. Whether opponents know his intentions or not is practically irrelevant because Guenther still manages to outfox them and beat them to a desired spot far more times than not.

He makes so many smart plays in the neutral zone that result in immediate counterattacks, and what he does with the puck from that point forward is usually calculated and strategized. Some might call him opportunistic or taking advantage of what’s given to him, but a deeper analysis of Guenther’s game shows highly-intelligent play in all three zones. He is an effective player and contributor whether he’s scoring or not.

NHL Projection

Premier scoring winger with star potential.

Sounds like we have a good one here. Proof will be in the pudding.

 

[rt]

When I googled "plus-plus shot-release combo" it returned a bunch of COVID vaccination info . What does it mean?

It means the shot is good but so is the release. Not only does the puck goes where he wants (placement) and with velocity (quality) but the release is effective too. Think about Auston Matthews, and how deceptive his release is. The puck comes out of nowhere and fools everyone. At least that’s what I think Kournianos means!