Dropping a beat and working the kitchen: Get to know Denis Gurianov
30 сентября 2021 года. nhl.com. Author: Kyle Shohara

The 24-year-old forward talks beatboxing, food, Russian rap, Nirvana and more

FRISCO, Texas -- Denis Gurianov admits he can't help but look ahead. As training camp rolls along and preseason continues, the 24-year-old winger has his eyes on Oct. 22 when the Stars play their regular-season home opener against the LA Kings. It's on that date when American Airlines Center figures to be rocking at full capacity for the first time since March 2020.

Gurianov loves the fans, and he wants them to know he and the Stars can't wait to see them.

"It means a lot," he said. "Last year we had some fans, but this season we'll have a full house, so that's going to help us a lot. When we played in the [playoff] bubble, we didn't have any fans, but we still felt their energy and support. For this season, I'm so excited we'll have full capacity. We're going to play for them."

The Stars, of course, have business to handle before then. They open the regular season with a four-game road trip beginning Oct. 14 against the New York Rangers and continues with contests in Boston, Ottawa and Pittsburgh.

Gurianov says the anticipation for the season is growing with every passing day.

"The boys are buzzing," he said. "We just like working hard and having fun. Everybody is excited for the season. We know we have a good team. We're all excited to go. We'll fight for a playoff spot."

This season will be a big one for the Togliatti, Russia native. He's shown flashes of brilliance, most notably in the 2020 playoffs when he recorded 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 27 games. He led NHL rookies in goals and points, co-led in game-winning goals (2) and ranked tied for second in power-play goals (2). His nine goals and 17 points are the most by a Dallas Stars rookie in the postseason and rank second in franchise history.

Though he tallied 12 goals and finished the 2020-21 season with 30 points in 55 games, Gurianov says he's still trying to find consistency on a nightly basis. His mindset will be to take each game as it comes.

"Every game, from the first one, will be a new experience for me," he said. "I won't think about what kind of game it'll be for me. I'll do my best and use my strengths to help my team win the game."

Off the ice, one of Gurianov's strengths is in the kitchen.

"I'm not a pro, but I like cooking," Gurianov modestly said. "I'll cook ribeye steak with some mac and cheese and salad. It's simple to cook. I can make it pretty quickly if I have nothing to do at home at night. I can watch a YouTube video or TV show and cook for myself. It's fun."

When he's not basting a ribeye, Gurianov is trying new foods.

"There's a lot of great food here [in Dallas]," he said. "I eat everything. I like steak and sushi. They have good sushi here. I eat a little bit of everything."

Oh, and if you don't know a beatboxer, now you do.

"I'm not a professional beatboxer, but when I was in school in Russia, I saw a guy beatboxing once, so I tried it," Gurianov said. "I watched a couple videos on YouTube and tried it out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's fun."

As far as music goes, Gurianov gets down with just about anything.

"I like to Russian music because I can understand it," he said. "I like music I can understand. I like Russian rap, but I'll listen to everything. Nirvana, Metallica. I also like American rap. I'll listen to country, too. It depends on my mood."

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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.