No. 9 pick Guenther earns spot with Coyotes beyond 9-game trial

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Arizona Coyotes rookie forward Dylan Guenther has earned a spot on the roster.

Guenther’s parents delivered this news to him via a video chat on Friday before the team departed for a lengthy road trip.

“Congratulations pal, you’ve made the NHL!” Guenther’s dad told him, as he sat in the team’s dressing room with coaches and teammates watching the moment unfold.

This is one of those great days.

Dylan Guenther’s family got to deliver the news that he’s staying in the NHL. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/feMHWWmZRq

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) November 5, 2022

A player on an entry-level contract can skate in nine NHL games before teams must decide whether to send him to the American Hockey League or junior hockey and delay the start of their contract to the following season.

Guenther, Arizona’s first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and the ninth overall, turned heads during his nine-game trial by notching two goals and six points in modest ice time. He averaged 12:42 per game over nine games.

“He’s a smart hockey player,” general manager Bill Armstrong said earlier this season. “He might be one of the smartest players I’ve seen in a long time … He finds ways to win the puck. He finds ways to get offensive chances.”

Once Guenther plays his 10th game, he will gain one official year of professional experience and the first season of his entry-level contract will begin.

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