Due to some difficult years of struggling and hardship in Arizona, the now Utah Hockey Club was awarded with high draft picks. Most notably is Utah’s best player, Clayton Keller, who was drafted seventh in the 2016 NHL Draft. Keller is now the leader of the team at 26-years-old. However, a few players are starting to turn into the team’s stars. It’s now 35 games into the season, Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley have been consistent for Utah in most of those games. The pair of young Utah forwards are turning into star players that will be around Utah for many years to come. The present has been great for Utah, but the future is just as bright if they continue to deliver.
Dylan Guenther
This is Guenther’s third year in the league and this will be by far his best. Guenther was drafted ninth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. Now, the 21-year-old winger is already well on pace to break last season’s career high 35 points that was achieved in 45 games. He currently has 32 points in 35 games this season and leads Utah in expected goals with 12.2, meaning he’s turning into a natural scorer with shooting ability. That’s according to Moneypuck.com. He currently plays on the second line with Cooley and Jack McBain.
Guenther leads all Utah skaters in goals and with 16, with seven of them coming on the power-play. He has 11 points in the last 10 games dating back to the Dec. 7 game against the Buffalo Sabres, where Guenther recorded an assist. Utah feels Guenther will be a cornerstone piece, so he was signed to a seven-year extension on Sept. 20, which was prior to the start if this season.
One wasn’t enough for Gunner
pic.twitter.com/fM27lRvIRc
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) December 21, 2024
Logan Cooley
Like Guenther, Cooley’s also already on pace to break his career high in points. Cooley registered 44 points and played in all 82 games last season, which was his rookie year. The 20-year-old centre was drafted third overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Unlike Guenther, Cooley is more of a playmaker that sets up his teammates more often instead of scoring.
Cooley is tied with Keller for first among Utah skaters with 23 assists. He’s second after defenceman Michael Kesselring for plus/minus rating with a +8. Cooley has recorded 12 points in the last 11 games, with nine of the points being assists. Utah will undoubtedly look to extend Cooley before the expiration of his entry-level contract at the end of next season.
No one touches the King and gets away with it
Cooley makes it a 1-0 game! pic.twitter.com/kz6XActsXG
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) December 31, 2024
How they Impact the Team
The second line with Cooley and Guenther is one of Utah’s most consistent lines. Other than the first line of Keller, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz, line two has put up points continuously. Among all Utah lines, the line ranks second in goals-for with 14, right behind the first line’s 15.
If line one has a scoring slump, line two has been able to pick up the slack and stay consistent. McBain had a goal scoring streak and has since cooled off, but Guenther and Cooley continue to produce. They’re two key reasons why Utah’s power-play has improved. It jumped to 14th in the league after weeks of struggling.
Overall, Utah’s been one of the hottest teams in the league and the second line’s been important for that. The team’s still pushing for a playoff spot, now four points out of the final wild card position. Utah will need Cooley and Guenther to keep racking up points if they wish to make the postseason for the first time in franchise history. As of now, Cooley and Guenther are living up to their draft status and are quickly becoming two of Utah’s star forwards.
Main Photo: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
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