Canadiens Early Review Of Gurianov’s Play Since The Trade

With seven games in the books the Montreal Canadiens are starting to get a better idea of Denis Gurianov’s potential.

It may feel like it’s too early to dissect his play, and in most cases, that would be true. But given there are just 16 games left in the season, we’re dealing with a very short shelf life when it comes to Gurianov.

With two goals in his short tenure with the Habs, Gurianov has already matched the goal output from his 43 games with the Dallas Stars before the trade, a rather encouraging start to say the least.

The key for the Canadiens will be establishing whether it’s a sustainable pace or simply a temporary uptick in scoring due to a fresh start.

Usage

Head coach Martin St-Louis immediately allowed Gurianov to shine by placing him on the team’s top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Mike Hoffman. The experiment was a relative success, seeing as he scored a goal in his second game in a Canadiens uniform.

DEAR LORD, THIS SHOT BY DENIS GURIANOV… pic.twitter.com/36TRfEGQPE

— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) March 3, 2023

The underlying numbers, however, were far from great. The line controlled less than 40 percent of the shots and scoring chances. 

His first two games in Montreal also led to season highs in ice time, and toward the end of the second game, you could tell the speedy forward was struggling to keep up with Suzuki.

Once he was placed on the third line with Rem Pitlick and Chris Tierney, things improved drastically. 

The trio was well above 50 percent in terms of shot share (CF%), and they held a 65 percent advantage in expected goals for (xGF%).

Gurianov’s second goal was a good example of the chemistry on the line, not to mention the importance of a strong forecheck.

He wisely found open ice, which is exactly what you want a shooter to do in that situation, but Pitlick’s intense forecheck was the catalyst for the goal.

A stick tap goes out to Tierney for his well-timed jump to avoid intercepting the pass.

Gurianov’s goal tonight, great assist by Rem pic.twitter.com/EOgK3L9mKX

— Habs Fan TV (@habsfantv_) March 12, 2023

Strengths

He’s incredibly fast, has a penchant for driving straight to the net, and has fairly good offensive instincts. 

But the aspect of his game that stands out the most can be summarized perfectly by 21st-century poet Lil’ Jon: shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots.

Gurianov is taking more shots while on the ice than any other player on the team, which is rather important since the Canadiens are among the worst teams in the league when it comes to taking shots. 

His shots aren’t always from high-danger areas, though he still ranks among the top 5 players on the team in individual high-danger scoring chances per 60. 

He also leads the team in rebounds created per 60, indicating that he’s creating second-chance opportunities, one of the situations most conducive to scoring in the NHL.

Weaknesses

Prior to his goal against the New Jersey Devils, Gurianov was essentially a non-factor, which was one of the common complaints heard from Dallas Stars fans in the weeks leading up to the trade.

Much like Josh Anderson earlier this season, Gurianov has only one modus operandi: north-south hockey with very little regard for his linemate’s strengths or style of play.

He can be seen over-skating pucks regularly and has a hard time defending in man-to-man coverage, particularly when his opponent has good lateral transitions. 

Simply put, he’s got great speed, however, his agility leaves something to be desired.

But like Anderson, who has been one of the Canadiens’ best players in the new year, Gurianov can adapt. Or rather, he must adapt to overcome the inconsistency issues that have plagued him this season.

Gurianov possesses a lot of raw skill but struggles to process the game at a high speed. 

It’ll be up to Adam Nicholas and the development team to establish whether they can help him reach the next level. 

Brass Tack

It’s too early to suggest Gurianov deserves a contract this summer, however, despite some obvious red flags in his game, it’s clear his strengths line up with some of the team’s glaring weaknesses.

It’s unlikely he becomes a fixture on the top line, but he does seem to still have top-six potential, especially on a team like the Canadiens, which desperately needs more players with natural shooting talent.

Simply put, since joining the Canadiens he’s been good, not great, but that’s enough to warrant a passing grade in his first stretch of games.

All statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via NaturalStatTrick.