Denis Gurianov is leaving the NHL.
He was once seen as a promising player for Dallas, but things haven’t gone well for him in recent years. Now, it looks like he’s heading to CSKA Moscow on a two-year contract, according to Alexander Balabanov of Sport-Express. This move was expected since April when he became an unrestricted free agent.
Back in 2015, Gurianov was a first-round pick. Although he didn’t become a top player for the Stars, he had some good seasons with 20 goals and around 30 points between 2019-20 and 2021-22. Those performances earned him $2.9 million contracts twice . But last season, he struggled and eventually got traded to Montreal, who decided not to keep him.
Gurianov’s Recent Struggles:
Last year wasn’t great either; free agency didn’t go well for Gurianov. He waited ten days before signing a one-year deal with Nashville worth $850K. Things didn’t improve there as he ended up playing mostly in the AHL with Milwaukee where he scored 30 points in 27 games. In January, he got promoted but barely played with Nashville before being traded to Philadelphia where his ice time dwindled even more.
Fans might think this move back to Russia is the best thing for him right now.
In total, Gurianov only played 18 NHL games last season, scoring just one goal and one assist. With no strong offers coming from North America, returning home seems like a smart choice where he’ll likely play a bigger role close to family and friends.
If this deal goes through, he’ll leave behind an NHL career that includes 298 games with 52 goals and 61 assists.
What do you think about his decision?
