NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Denis Guryanov

Get to Know Denis Guryanov

Date of Birth: 6-7-97
Place of Birth: Togliatti, Russia
Ht: 6’2” Wt: 187 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Right Wing/Left Wing
Team: Lada Togliatti (KHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

Elite Prospects:

A highly skilled forward who intimidates with his speed and proficient puckhandling ability, Denis Guryanov may have one of the highest ceilings as a forward prospect for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Very strong on his skates and uses his size to protect the puck well. Drives the net hard and knows where he will shoot before he is even in a position to do so. Possesses a heavy and accurate release on his shot, which he likes to get off near the faceoff dots; if he can’t shoot from there, he will either dangle or bull his way through to the blue paint. While he is proactive and aware defensively, he still needs to work on consistency in his own end. All-in-all, a dynamic offensive threat that has room to grow defensively.

Future Considerations:

The big Russian winger is a speedy and skilled forward who has potent offensive ability. A very quick skater who can pick up steam in an instant and break plays open. Guryanov is a poised puck carrier who has a long reach and great hands to remain elusive to checkers. He has no problem transitioning the puck and moving the play around the offensive zone, even though he tries to tackle these tasks with a bit of selfishness…Guryanov has a good sense of the offensive zone, especially finding open ice…he goes into corners, throws his body around and drags plays to the front of his net…He has a lethal shot that he can get off quickly. Shot selection is perfect and all of which have high velocity…Defensively, Guryanov challenges the point man, takes away space and limits options, all while being a danger to turn the play back the other way.

Director of European Scouting, Goran Stubb:

A dynamic goal scorer who is full of surprises, he is a strong, tough, power forward who goes hard to the net using his physical strength and size. He protects the puck well, is difficult to stop when at full speed and always tries to use his strong shot.

Last Word on Sports:

Big, powerful, fast, skilled, Denis Guryanov…scores goals, and can do it in a variety of ways. Guryanov has the strength to drive the net, battle in the corners, fight through checks and score gritty power forward-style goals…Guryanov also protects the puck extremely well in the cycle game, extending zone time and increasing possession for his club. He also has a heavy wrist shot with quick release…Guryanov adds the quick hands necessary to deke past defenders and it’s clear that he can be a pure sniper going forward. However, he can be a bit too offensively-minded at times, and needs to do better at making the smart pass to a teammate in order to generate a better scoring opportunity, rather than attempting a very low percentage shot…Denis Guryanov has..a quick first step and can use that along with his acceleration to be the first man on many loose pucks…He is very strong on his skates for a 17-year-old, with great lower body strength and balance…Defensively, Denis Guryanov shows a commitment to backchecking, and plays his gritty game along the boards in all three zones…Guryanov could use some work on his positioning however, as that does not seem to come naturally to him in the defensive end of the ice.

Highlights

NHL Potential

Denis Guryanov has all the talent to become a star in the NHL. He’s already playing the pro game in the KHL, so transitioning to playing with the pros of the NHL will be smooth. The transition to NHL ice, however, might be a little rougher. That among other things might prevent Guryanov from even making the switch from Russia to North America. If he does defect, he’ll be a two-way force on any team.

Expected Draft Position

If he were a Canadian boy, Guryanov would be a top-ten—perhaps even top-five—pick. However, Russians have such a huge question mark attached to them as to whether or not they will leave their homeland, and Guryanov has done nothing to indicate he is an exception. This has dropped his stock much lower than his talent suggests. If a team gambles on him, he could go in the top of the first round. But Guryanov’s lack of commitment to coming to the NHL could easily scare off all 30 teams, leaving the Russian for a smaller bet in the second round.

How Denis Guryanov Fits in Avalanche Organization

If the Avalanche could convince Guryanov to come to North America, he would be an instant upgrade in the top 6, ensuring that guys like Jamie McGinn and John Mitchell play a role better suited to them in the bottom 6. The Avalanche have only one true power forward in Gabe Landeskog. Guryanov could add another one to the second line, establishing a powerful top six that will punish you both on the scoreboard and on the body. Having a Russian on the team, especially one as high on nationality as Semyon Varlamov, gives the Avs an edge in luring him away from the KHL. But it’s never a guarantee he’ll stay even if he does come. (See Kovalchuk, Ilya). Guryanov is a risk, to be sure. Is he one worth taking, though? Probably not for the Avs unless he drops to them in the second round. Even then, the team might prefer to fold than go all in on a pair of Jacks.