Young former 20-goal scorer Denis Gurianov leaves the NHL

After attempting to make it big in the NHL, Denis Gurianov has now made the surprising decision to head back to his home country of Russia.

The NHL is full of Russian players, some that have lived up to expectations and some that haven't, and now one that fits into the latter category is making his way back home. According to a report, Denis Gurianov, the No. 12 overall pick of the Dallas Stars back in 2015 is officially heading back to the KHL after eight seasons in the top league in North America.

The 27-year old certainly showed flashes of being a top line player in the NHL, tallying 20 goals for the Stars back in 2019/20, but has yet to recapture that form, scoring just 31 goals in the 212 NHL games he has played since that point. Since leaving Dallas, Gurianov has spent time with Montreal, Nashville and Philadelphia, playing just four games for the Flyers a season ago, and given the lack of momentum and production, this is the best career move for him.

There's still plenty of time for him to turn things around and make his way back to the NHL, as the deal is reportedly a two-year contract, and if he can rekindle the spark he once had, there's no reason he couldn't bounce back in the KHL.

Source: Blade of Steel
Former first-round pick Denis Gurianov leaves North America

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