According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Utah Hockey Club and Dylan Guenther have agreed to an eight-year extension, at $7.14 million per season. Guenther scored 24 goals and had 50 points in 78 games played with the former Coyotes franchise.
Utah is in the last phase of an ongoing rebuild, with hopes of making a playoff push shortly. They have only four forwards signed beyond 25-26, which will make the next couple of years very interesting. How will this deal work out for both sides?
Future Taking Shape In Utah
Dylan Guenther was drafted ninth overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and was heading into the last year of his rookie contract. In 23-24, Guenther scored 18 goals and 35 points in 45 games, and while averaging 12 minutes per game.
With Keller signed for the next four years, and Josh Doan still on a rookie contract, this signing locks in their right-wing position for at least the next two years, and the RW1 and RW2 for at least the next four years.
What This Means For The Team
It is conceivable that Cooley, Doan, and Carcone will extend some time in the next 12 months, but as of right now, almost none of the roster is locked in long-term. That puts the rebuild in a very interesting position. As far as forwards go, Keller, Guenther, Crouse, and O’Brien are the only forwards signed beyond the summer of 2025. Utah’s defensive picture is a bit more clear, as Sergachev, Durzi, and Marino are all signed until at least the 2026-27 season.
According to PuckPedia, with all of those contracts expiring, Utah will have more than $26.22 million in cap space next summer and more than $56 million the year after that. Signing Guenther is the next step in revealing who they believe will lead this team beyond the ‘rebuilding’ years. Utah finished off their Arizona era with a 36-41-5 record, finishing with 77 points and seventh in the Central Division.
Final Thoughts
On the surface, $7.14 million seems like a lot of money for a player who has 50 points in only 78 games. However, with the way the salary cap and the salaries themselves are increasing, this contract has every possibility of being a steal. Having him at that money for the next eight years means Utah will have plenty of flexibility to build a winner around him.
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