The Utah Hockey Club has been exciting fans in Salt Lake City since the beginning of the 2024-25 NHL season, but they were dealt a significant blow.

Utah forward  Dylan Guenther, who has been one of the more consistent point producers for Utah, is expected to be unavailable indefinitely with a lower-body injury; the Utah HC has summoned Josh Doan from the American Hockey League affiliate Tucson Roadrunners.

Currently, Guenther leads Utah with 16 goals and ranks third overall on the team with 34 points, including 18 assists. He's also playing in the first year of an eight-year, $57.14 million contract extension he signed in September.

The injury comes at a very inopportune time for Utah, who have lost ground in the Western Conference after dropping seven of their last eight games.

Sans Guenther, the Utah Hockey Club hosts the San Jose Sharks on Friday night at Delta Center in Salt Lake City and will try to get back into the win column; puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 PM EST.

Dylan Guenther scored the first goal in Utah Hockey Club history

Utah Hockey Club right wing Dylan Guenther (11) skates with the puck against the Dallas Stars during the second period at Delta Center.
Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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The Utah Hockey Club, who were previously known as the Arizona Coyotes but moved to Salt Lake City after years of financial strife and ownership issues in the desert, played their inaugural regular season game at Delta Center in October against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.

And it was Guenther who struck first for Utah, whistling a shot past Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek for the historic first goal in Utah HC history:

After the victory over Chicago, Utah head coach Andre Tourigny praised the hockey instincts that Guenther posseses, via The Salt Lake Tribune.

“People see him just as a goal-scorer. He’s way more than that. He has the puck well, he defends well, he works hard, he’s a good forechecker, he has a great stick, he’s good on the PK,” head coach André Tourigny 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.”

Guenther has appeared in 118 total NHL games, scoring 40 goals with 44 assists.