New-Found Maturity, Assertiveness Making Gurianov Dangerous Early On

Edited by: Alyssa Hertel

CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Late in the third period, Denis Gurianov stood in the slot on the Texas Stars' first power-play unit, all alone and waiting for a chance to increase his team's one-goal advantage.

His former linemate, Roope Hintz, fed him a puck from the left-wing wall, and in one swift motion, Gurianov collected the feed and stashed it in the left corner of the net in front of him for the goal.

The HEB Center at Cedar Park crowd went nuts. The 21-year-old Russian winger scored his fifth goal of the season, continuing his streak of game with a goal to five, to help the Stars knock off the Iowa Wild in a 3-1 Saturday night game.

Gurianov has gone from a healthy scratch in the Calder Cup Finals last year to arguably the most dangerous player on the roster for the Stars early into the 2018-19 season. The player and his coach, fifth-year bench boss Derek Laxdal, agree that an added maturity is the key to the former first-round pick's sudden surge.

"I think right from training camp on, his maturity and his understanding of who he is as a player has allowed him to take a step," Laxdal said on Saturday. "He's been outstanding for us early on.

"Denis is a very mature guy off the ice...his preparation and his care are really starting to grow his game," Laxdal says. "He's been one of our best backcheckers. With that effort, we're gonna start to use him on the penalty kill moving forward to reward him with some more ice time."

Gurianov sees himself the same, noting that comfort and effort have turned the tides for him this season. "It's my third year, so every year I feel more comfortable here," the Togliatti, Russia native said. "Just trying to do my best...Listen to coach, listen to the guys, and try and play hard every game."

Where the eye test can show Gurianov's ever-improving all-around game, the stats show his offensive amelioration. The 12th-overall pick in 2015 has netted five goals and two assists as a point-per-game player early on while placing second on the team in shots (19) through seven games.

The left-handed winger posted 19 goals and 15 assists in 74 games last season. Assuming he plays all 76 games (a hard guess to make), he is on pace to score 54 goals, 21 assists, and outshoot himself from last season by 74 shots (110 to 184).

Now, those season-to-date paces are in no way sustainable, but his assertiveness offensively has impressed coach Laxdal. "He's gonna be an NHLer in due time and he's taken the steps to get there. He shoots the puck like an NHLer, he passes the puck like an NHLer," Laxdal says. "In getting to this level right at the start of the season, he's got the confidence, the know-how, and the demeanor to just keep on pushing."

Gurianov was one of the last cuts from the Dallas Stars training camp and preseason roster, but even if he was unable to crack the club's opening night roster, he garnered loads of experience with the now-top line of the Texas Stars.

On the right side of Justin Dowling and Michael Mersch, his linemates in Cedar Park, Gurianov felt increasingly relaxed during September play and carried that confidence into October in the AHL.

On playing alongside Mersch and Dowling, Gurianov points to those exhibition outings as a big reason for their collective -- and his solo -- success. "We understand each other, I think because we played in Dallas camp and a few preseason games together. They're great players and they play smart, they see the ice very well. I'm glad to play with them, they're good guys also."

Only four AHL players have more goals than the 6'3" Russian. "He's growing. He's a young 21-year-old who has matured, and it seems like he's taking more care of being the first one on the puck and battling for pucks," Laxdal said. "It's just about stringing shifts together, and then stringing the games, and that's what he's doing."

Though Gurianov has bounced around from being called the future of the franchise to an unforgettable draft day bust, the speedy winger has given fans in the state of Texas a glimpse of hope from himself. "The next step is playing in the National Hockey League," Laxdal said.