Despite varying roles and fluctuating playtime, Stars’ speedster Denis Gurianov is ‘coming around’.
25 февраля 2022 года. Dallas Morning News. By Matthew DeFranks

Rick Bowness says it’s been a season of highs and lows for Gurianov, but the Dallas winger has been a force the past two games.

Consider this a tick up in Denis Gurianov’s season.

The Stars’ 24-year-old Russian winger has had a topsy-turvy season, but has been a noticeable force in the last two Dallas games. On Wednesday against Winnipeg, Gurianov scored the tying goal in the Stars’ eventual 3-2 overtime win. On Thursday night in Nashville, Gurianov delivered a big hit on Matt Duchene that provided the Stars with a power play.

It’s been the latest chapter of the season for Gurianov, who’s seen his ice time oscillate, his role on the power play change and his place in the lineup adjusted throughout the season.

“He’s coming around,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said to reporters in Nashville on Thursday. “He’s been up and down, I get it. There’s been lows. There’s been highs. Now, we’re trying to get him to that base where he’s consistent.”

Gurianov’s eight total shots on goal in the last two games are second on the team only to Jason Robertson’s nine.

Gurianov’s goal on Wednesday against the Jets ended a 15-game goalless drought, a time spent primarily on a line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin and back in the one-timer spot on the power play. It was also just Gurianov’s third 5-on-5 goal of the season.

The goal itself was impressive, a drive to the net that finished a pass from Tyler Seguin. But 30 seconds earlier was an end-to-end rush that nearly resulted in a highlight-reel goal for Gurianov, as he knifed through four Jets defenders to singlehandedly create a scoring chance.

The main message from the Dallas coaching staff to Gurianov has been to use his speed, take defenders wide and create offense that way.

“Use his speed, stay wide and keep going and don’t slow up,” Bowness said Wednesday night. “You get the puck, go north as fast as you can. In saying that, there’s hockey plays that he has to learn and he’s still learning it, to me.

“To consistently get it at the right time in the right space so he can use that speed. Sometimes, he’s so far ahead, he doesn’t get it. Sometimes, he’s behind and he doesn’t get it. There’s a timing that comes with getting that so he can utilize his speed. That’s things we’re still working with him on.”

On Thursday in Nashville, Gurianov tagged Duchene with a shoulder to shoulder hit that caused Duchene to earn a roughing penalty by approaching Gurianov after the play.

“It’s encouraging to see your skilled players throwing hits and drawing penalties,” Robertson said. “I’ll try to take notes.”

Gurianov has missed three games due to COVID-19 and one game as a healthy scratch this season, and would be on pace to post 38 points in an 82-game season. That would be slightly behind his 45-point pace last season in the shortened 56-game season.

Gurianov is a restricted free agent in the summer due a raise from his $2.55 million cap hit. His qualifying offer from the Stars must be at least $2.9 million.