Dylan Guenther #11 of the Utah Hockey Club scores a goal on the San Jose Sharks in the first period at SAP Center on December 14, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – With a team-high 13 goals and 29 total points through 30 games, it’s been a breakout season for forward Dylan Guenther. Averaging nearly a point per night, No. 11 has been an unstoppable and consistent offensive force for the Utah Hockey Club.
So, what is it that makes his shot so lethal?
Becoming one of the most lethal young shooters in the NHL doesn’t just happen overnight but is the culmination of dedicated development, years of practice and hard work.
Ever since he was young, scoring goals has been a primary aspect of Guenther’s game. So, where did it all begin? In an unfinished basement back home where he’d let pucks fly with his brother and still does to this day.
“I just practiced a lot growing up,” Guenther said. “I had an unfinished basement in my house, and I just shot a lot of pucks. It’s what I like to do, and I was always pretty good at it. Still to this day, when I go home my brother and I rip pucks in the basement.”
The result? A plethora of goals at every single level.
From youth leagues to the pros, Guenther has always been a sniper as he scored 34 goals in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League at the age of 14, 56 the following season in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, had 45 for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL in 2021 and has continued to light the lamp in the NHL.
What some new hockey fans may not realize is how much a hockey stick’s flexibility can impact a player’s shot. For those unfamiliar, stick flex is when the stick bends as it hits the ice before making contact with the puck.
So, utilizing the right flex can greatly impact and even improve a player’s efficiency, accuracy and power.
The lower the stick flexibility, the more control, agility and a quicker release a player can have which is exactly what Guenther prefers as he uses one of the lowest flexes.
“I use a little bit of a whippier stick, seventy-seven flex. Just don’t need as much time. I don’t need to put as much into it to get more out of it,” Guenther said.
“I’ve been using the same stick for four years and the same line ever since I was growing up. It’s just a stock stick. I’ve never really changed it, so it works for me.”
More recently, Guenther’s scoring abilities have been on full display as he’s been on a tear with three goals and five assists over the last five games.
So, what’s been the formula for lighting the lamp so often? Elite positioning, lightning-fast releases and pristine precision.
“He’s really accurate” Head Coach Andre Tourigny said. “He has great release…it’s always been like that. He’s always had a great shot.”
Speed and vision from Cooley.
Gorgeous pass.
Dylan Guenther with a wicked snipe to add yet another to his tally.#UtahHC https://t.co/VXAg3IC6q9— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 15, 2024
Textbook puck movement and Utah’s leading goal scorer adds to his tally.
Guenther is special, folks.#UtahHC https://t.co/ZNObTUavcU
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 13, 2024
With his recent surge of production, Guenther has really started to separate himself as a special offensive player in the National Hockey League which speaks volumes to work ethic.
It’s one thing to come in and simply coast on natural talent, but Guenther has made a conscious effort to grow his game and adjust in order to remain so effective.
After experiencing a bit of a scoring drought earlier in the year where he only recorded a single gone in 10 games, Guenther has done a much better job recently at getting lost in the offensive zone and finding open space to get his shot off.
It also helps when you can release the shot before the goalie even has a chance to blink.
It’s not a PP goal but their movement from the man-advantage set this one up.
Great patience, they work the puck from side to side, Guenther gets free, Keller delivers a nice pass, and No. 11 makes no mistake. Nice goal.#UtahHC https://t.co/gPu62s6y4A
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) November 27, 2024
The scary part for the rest of the league? Guenther is only 21 and he’s already leading his team in scoring. Imagine how much better he’ll be a few years down the road as both him and Cooley unlock so much more of their potential.
Related: Utah Hockey Club: What Makes Dylan Guenther And Logan Cooley So Talented?
The Utah Hockey Club will now travel home to face the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday at Delta Center. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
