Guenther Grateful to Stay with Coyotes, Reflects on Time with Oil Kings

Dylan Guenther had a feeling something was up.
He didn't want to jinx it, but the 19-year-old was cautiously optimistic when he boarded the plane bound for Washington D.C., still unaware of his fate. Would he play in his 10th NHL game on Saturday, triggering the first year of his entry-level contract with the Coyotes, or would he return to the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings, where he has been a standout player for multiple seasons?
When Coyotes head coach André Tourigny called him to the center of the room to take a Zoom call on Saturday, the reality started to set in:

Guenther was staying in the NHL.
"It was awesome, and it means everything for the coaches and [Tourigny] to put that together," Guenther said. "It made it a really special moment."

He said nerves started to set in as his nine-game NHL look approached its end, and though he had hoped he'd done enough to stay with the team -- he recorded six points in nine games -- he always knew there was a chance he'd spend another season with the Oil Kings.
Guether was prepared for that reality, even if he had already joined Arizona on its trip to the nation's capital.
"I wasn't sold on it yet," he said. "I still knew that there was time before the next game, so I was just trying to not get too high just in case they sent me back, but to get that is really a sense of relief.
"I was super pumped."
That's not to say he would have been upset to return to Edmonton. Guenther has nothing but fond memories of his time as an Oil King, where the club won the WHL championship last year.
He joined the team at just 15 years old in 2018-19, where he scored three goals and added an assist in just eight games of play. Fast-forward to last year, and he notched a stellar 91 points in just 59 games, helping Edmonton to that very championship.
The city meant as much to him as he did to it, and the Oil Kings released a video on Saturday reflecting on the forward's incredible WHL career.
He finished with 178 points on 86 goals and 92 assists in 137 games with the team.

"The people that I met and the players that I played with there, they're all first class," Guenther said. "I'll never forget the times there, from when I was young -- I was 15 years old and getting a call-up to play for the team -- and watching all these guys who I really looked up to.
"And then being one of the older guys and go on that championship run, you know, that was really special."
He's also grateful for the support of his parents, who have never wavered in helping him throughout his career.
"They're going through the same thing I am, and it feels like they're right there with me at all times," Guenther said. "They've been through everything that I've been through, too, and they've been by my side the whole time.
"I talked to them the day before and they didn't tell me anything. They must have known, but I think to have them share it, I know it's a pretty emotional day for them, and they were super proud, so it's pretty cool."
Guenther also said the support of his Coyotes teammates has meant the world. Throughout his journey, beginning with training camp last season, players like Christian Fischer and Lawson Crouse have been there to help.
They were over-the-moon for him after the news broke on Saturday.
"For them to be excited, that's really special to me and makes me feel like part of the team," Guenther said. "I think it's great how welcoming they have been, and how they were just as pumped up as I was."

As Guenther eyes his future, he knows that a career in the NHL is a long, winding road with plenty of ups and downs. He wants to continue to improve, both on and off the ice, and said he's excited to continue his development at the NHL level.
His next game comes against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, and will be his 11th career NHL game.
He's excited for his journey to take flight, especially alongside his new teammates in Arizona.
"Our team is playing well right now, and I think when the team gets better, and the team continues to develop, the individuals and the players within the team also grow," Guenther said. "For me, it's just never being complacent.
"You don't get here by going off your past accomplishments. I think it's a new day every day, and you have to earn the next day."