Nation Network Prospect Profiles: #36 Denis Gurianov

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.

One of the most powerful, dynamic players in the draft. Has excellent speed but his explosive quickness is exceptional and he can create space and opportunities quickly. Excellent shot with a quick release and goalies have to be ready. Easily could be a top 10 or even a top five talent in this draft.

Playing in the Russian MHL, we don’t have a whole lot to go on in terms of historical comparables for Gurianov. What we do know is that he was the most prolific U18 player in the MHL this past season, and the 4th most productive all-time on a per-game basis behind Nikita Kucherov, Nikita Gusev (a Tampa Bay prospect), and Anatoli Golyshev. While Kucherov’s production was head and shoulders better than every other U18 MHLer ever, Gurianov possesses a toolkit that Gusev and Golyshev simply did not.
Per Craig Button, Gurianov is a dynamic skater with great hands and a high-end shot. EliteProspects also praises his explosive offensive abilities and mentions a tantalizingly high ceiling given his physical abilities. ESPN’s Corey Pronman has Gurianov ranked a bit lower at 35th, but he too makes mention of Gurianov’s raw skating ability to go along with a competitive streak and plus-level finishing ability.
Defense and hockey sense are a consensus minor concern with Gurianov, as is the ever-present “Russian factor,” which in practice is less xenophobia and more lower expected value on players due to KHL risk. All in all, it sounds like Gurianov is a high-octane energy winger that could be best suited for a middle-6 role in the NHL with possible second-line offensive upside – a fine prospect around 23rd overall.