Guenther ready to live up to 'huge expectations' with Coyotes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Dylan Guenther isn't planning on filling out any more change-of-address cards this season.

The Arizona Coyotes forward accumulated enough airline miles last season to make a platinum-level frequent flyer envious. He began by playing 21 games with the Coyotes, was loaned to Canada for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, returned to Arizona for 12 more games, then was assigned to Seattle of the Western Hockey League for the rest of the season.

There was lots of winning to go along with all of the early morning wake-up calls and hurried suitcase packing; he scored Canada's golden goal in its 3-2 overtime win against Czechia in the IIHF World Junior Championship, and he helped lead Seattle to the WHL title with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in 19 playoff games, and the Memorial Cup Final, where it lost to Quebec of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Though the 20-year-old Edmonton native could say he had a successful season, it wasn't entirely satisfying. Guenther was disappointed to be asked to return to junior hockey after having 15 points (six goals, nine assists in 33 NHL games, and he's determined not to go to a lower level again.

That's why the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft willingly attended his third Coyotes development camp in early July, only a month after his WHL season ended. He still has much to prove -- not just to Arizona, but to himself.

"Absolutely, I want to be here," Guenther said. "I think playing in all those different leagues, all those different situations, playing with and against so many different players, so many good players … it was a lot. it was different, but busy is good."

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Guenther (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) is a strong skater with an excellent mid-range scoring touch and an assortment of shots, but the Coyotes want him to get even stronger to handle the grind of an 82-game NHL season.

"It was good for me to go through some transitions and get that uncomfortability so when some adversity happens down the road, I'll be ready to handle it," Guenther said. "NHL players are so smart. Everybody talks about the physical and speed aspect, which is huge and something I have to work on and get better at, but it's also the mental aspect, being sharp every day and ready to go."

Guenther stood out in a development camp group that included five first-round picks in the past two drafts.

"We have huge expectations for Dylan," Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. "He will be a leader on the team, and a leader of our young generation. We believe he already has our DNA. We want him to be an example for the other guys, the way he conducts himself in the gym, the lunch room, the therapy room, in every meeting, on the ice."

It's not a coincidence, Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said, that Guenther scored two goals in his first five NHL games, led Team Canada to a World Juniors gold medal and carried Seattle to the Memorial Cup final.

"You'll really see his game get to the next level [now]," Armstrong said. "It's an exciting time for him. You're going to see a lot of growth in him. He's one of those kids that can win in the championships and he doesn't give up much. He's a pretty exciting kid."