It was yet another standout performance from Diego Gutierrez this season at the WSI with his steady and smart play from the backend for the Young Kings. He carries all the tools of a modern-day defenseman with his great skating ability mixed with his range and size that make him really impactful in all three zones. He handles one-on-one situations with ease, being able to track opposing forwards, regardless of their speed, using such fluid lateral movements to guide them to the outside of the zone and a good use of his stick to stop plays from making their way to the middle of the ice. His passing ability is very impressive, most notably his ability to make difficult outlet passes look so easy by having a keen eye to notice open teammates past the center ice line and firing it right onto their tape from deep inside his own zone to create quick counter attack opportunities or catch his opponents on a change not just once but many times throughout the event. He is extremely effective with the puck on his stick with the mobility and puck skills to carry it up the ice along with the frame and reach to be able to protect the puck or side step defenders at top speed all while being extremely smart and disciplined with the puck in all areas of the ice, rarely looking to force plays when they aren’t available but rather hold on to the puck for those extra couple of seconds to outwait his opponents and look to make the right play.

Diego just continues to prove himself as not just one of the best 09 defencemen in the country but one of the top players in general. I found him to be an excellent distributor in this game, able to transition the puck up ice and in the offensive zone seamlessly. When challenged at the line, he activates and is able to blow by forecheckers to get open looks. He also challenges puck carriers in the defensive zone, one instance taking on and winning a puck battle against a pair of Duck players. Diego was able to catch up to plays off the rush and make himself an open option for drops as the trailer. He can also slow the pace down and use his patience with the puck to cause forecheckers to overcommit. He finished this game with a pair of assists.

As an '09 playing up a year on a strong defensive group, Gutierrez might feel some added pressure, but you’d never know it from his performance on the ice. He played with confidence and composure in this game, demonstrating that he can handle the challenges of competing at a higher level. His smooth skating and hard passes on the ice were excellent. Gutierrez’s stretch passes were arguably the best on his team. He was also a joy to watch, fearlessly joining the rush and adding another scoring threat in the offensive zone. Overall, Gutierrez brought a calm presence to Shattuck’s blue line while also demonstrating impressive offensive skills in the attacking zone. His ability to balance defensive responsibilities with offensive contributions made him a valuable asset to the team.

The way Gutierrez moves around the ice looks so seamless and effortless and I was especially impressed by his back-skating ability using his smooth yet powerful crossovers to gather so much backwards momentum to track opposing forwards across the ice and keep a tight gap. He used his speed to join rushes up the ice and made nice passing plays that led to some serious scoring chances. On a power play in the third period, he sent a long stretch pass from his own end up to Sung who fed Fitzhenry in the bumper spot for a one-time blast.