The Utah Hockey Club is gearing up for its first season in the NHL. Utah HC made huge moves this offseason in order to bolster the roster ahead of training camp. And on Friday, they made a move to lock down one of the team's future cornerstones. Utah has signed Dylan Guenther to an eight-year contract extension, the team announced on Friday.
Guenther is entering the final season of his entry-level contract, according to PuckPedia. As a result, this contract will not kick in until July 1, 2025 when the league year for the 2025-26 season begins. Utah HC is set to pay the former top-10 pick $7.142 million in each of the next eight seasons starting next year.
Guenther has emerged as one of Utah HC's brightest young stars. In 2023-24, he further showed the promise that made him a top-10 pick in 2021. The Edmonton, Alberta native scored 18 goals and 35 points in 45 games for the now-inactive Arizona Coyotes this past season.
Dylan Guenther commits long-term to Utah HC
Guenther came to the Coyotes organization with the expectation of being a cornerstone for that franchise. The Coyotes were eventually sold near the end of the 2023-24 NHL season. He is not going to play for the Coyotes anymore. But he is more than excited to get started with the Utah Hockey Club beginning with this upcoming campaign.
“This is a very happy day for me and my family,” Guenther said, via KSL.com. “Everything about this organization is on the right track, and I know we have an opportunity to do some special things here for a long time. Utah is where I want to be, and I'm proud to commit to my teammates and the organization long term.”
Many across the NHL rave about Guenther's shot. It's one reason that the young forward is a Utah HC breakout candidate in 2024-25. However, head coach Andre Tourigny mentioned that his shot is not his defining trait. There is more to his game than blistering attempts on goal.
“The other thing about Gunner is he loves to defend. There's not a lot of offensive weapons like him who can shoot the puck and who embrace the other side until they get way older and they understand that's what makes a difference between winning and losing,” the Utah HC head coach said, via KSL.com.
Guenther is certainly in a position to make noise in 2024-25. And he could help lead Utah to the Stanley Cup Playoffs sooner rather than later. The Utah Hockey Club plays its first NHL game on October 8 when they host the Chicago Blackhawks in Salt Lake City.
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