In July, Barry Trotz signed 26-year-old Denis Gurianov to a one-year $850,000 contract. The winger had previously played 280 career NHL games and scored 51 career goals and 111 points. Gurianov skated in training camp with Cody Glass and Gustav Nyquist, but on October 8 Barry Trotz placed Gurianov on waivers. It wasn't an easy decision for Trotz or head coach Andrew Brunette.
"Unfortunately that's part of the business. They're hard, hard decisions," Brunette said.
"With him, we hope he goes to Milwaukee and gets his game because we still believe in him. I still think he has an aspect of speed and can score at this level and he could help us. If he goes down and plays and gets his confidence, it'll be interesting to see him come back," Brunette said.
Gurianov has worked to do that. In his 15 games with the Admirals, Gurianov has five goals and 15 points. He leads the team in points and is tied for second on the roster in goals. In Saturday night's game against the Rockford Ice Hogs, Gurianov scored the game winning goal in overtime to give the Admirals the win.
In Gurianov's 64 games with the Dallas Stars in 2019-2020, he scored 20 goals but never was able to recreate that offensive production in the NHL. His current point per game pace in Milwaukee is the best on the team, and before Friday night's first game against the Ice Hogs of the back to back he had a six game points streak. Gurianov often shares ice time with Egor Afanasyv and Mark Jankowski. Afanasyev leads the Admirals in goals while Jankowski has the most assists so far this season.
Whether Gurianov will return to Nashville at some point this season remains to be seen. The decision may ultimately hinge more on injuries with the Predators than anything, but he is doing what he can to prove he could be ready to return to the NHL.
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