Confirmed Trade: [ANA/PHI] Cutter Gauthier for Jamie Drysdale and 2025 2nd round pick

[Pelle31]

The last forward drafted in the top 5 to wait until after their D+2 season to turn pro was Ryan Strome, who was drafted 5th overall in 2011.

Gauthier had a very good D+1 season at BC and a very good WJC, so I'm not buying the excuse that they didn't think he wasn't ready. He's also the only player in the top 10 of that draft not to play in the NHL. Hell, all 4 defensemen drafted in the top 10 are NHL regulars at this point, despite that position usually taking longer.

Gauthier had every right to expect to be signed as soon as he wrapped up his freshman season at BC. Going back to BC this season likely cost him millions.

Why would Gauthier have every right to expect to be signed as soon as he wrapped up his fresh room season, if it was dumbass Fletcher then yes he would have. But Fletcher isn't the GM anymore, Briere is and he wasn't the one who drafted Gauthier. I get all of the hate on here regarding the Flyers organization, some warranted and some not but at the end of the day it's funny that so many fans are bent out of shape regarding this situation. Bottomline Gauthier changed his mind because he felt slighted by Philly for not signing him after his freshman year so he could make his million one year before, poor him. Now he's got a chance to sign with Anaheim and prove that Briere and the Flyers made a big mistake by not doing that. Or he could end up being a 1st round bust like many other 1st rounders before him. Time will tell.

 

[HBK27]

I don’t really see it as a screw-up, honestly. The Flyers didn’t want to burn a year of Gauthier’s contract for a handful of games during a meaningless season. Not an unreasonable decision. For a prospect to decide at that point they will no longer even communicate with the team’s mgmt is pretty bold. I don’t blame the Flyers for being surprised by Gauthier’s reaction.

It's not an unreasonable decision, but it's one that does cost the player potentially millions of dollars and delays the start of their career, which could rub some the wrong way.

You could also argue that burning the first year of the ELC could've been beneficial in the long-run for Philly, as he would've signed his 2nd contract earlier (at a younger age with less of an NHL resume), which presumably would've brought down the AAV during the period when Philly was competitive.

Wait one speculative report from Friedman and everyone is all of a sudden blaming the Flyers. The fact that this kid has gone on record on a video saying he's a lifelong Pittsburgh fan and refuses to play for the Flyers, most definitely is unrelated to the issue.

Even supposedly if the report is right, the guy wanted to sign right after his draft and got pissy that he didn't, how many guys get signed right after their draft? To me that just screams that he was looking for reason not to sign or part ways with the Flyers asap.

Friedman is usually very clear when he is speculating versus has some inside knowledge, so this report is rather credible. Certainly much more credible than the theory that almost a year after being drafted he suddenly woke up and decided against playing for his favorite team's rival.

He also didn't want to get signed after the draft, but after his D+1 season ended which has been the case for just about every top 5 forward for over a decade now.

 

[eramosat]

What's the earliest date Gauthier could play for the Ducks?

I know Drysdale should suit up for the Flyers tomorrow, including PP unit time according to Tortorella, which could be interesting cuz Flyer PP time is usually very forgettable but this Drysdale kid makes me think it might be worth tuning in for.

 

[Gliff]

I don‘t know about bad the injury to Drysdale, The second round pick will be a high pick in the 2nd round. I think Gauthier could have fetch maybe Mason McTavish Or David Reinbacher.

No f***ing way.

 

[Rooch]

I don‘t know about bad the injury to Drysdale, The second round pick will be a high pick in the 2nd round. I think Gauthier could have fetch maybe Mason McTavish Or David Reinbacher.

If Gauthier could have fetched McTavish, he would have.

 

[Eegs]

FYI...here is a simply AWESOME Zamula interview in Russian where he goes on at length about the NHL, the Flyers, Tortorella, Russian camaraderie in the NHL, lots of stuff...it is fantastic, much more colorful than the usual glimpses we get behind the scenes..

Don't read if you're counting on Torts- or Flyer-bashing though, it's not that at all....the opposite in fact.

«Тренер спросил, почему постригся Панарин, и рассмеялся: «Вы, русские, — сумасшедшие. Но я вас люблю». Замула — об НХЛ

Огненное интервью защитника «Филадельфии».

www.sport-express.ru

one brief excerpt:

Zemula: ...it was the same story with Torts, and he loves it when you can show character and stand up for yourself. If he starts to choke you, and you sit with your mouth closed, he will eat you.

Interviewer: And you answered such a wolf?!

Zemula: Well, he doesn’t choke me, I’m still young. There was a moment when they (Flyers) missed a goal because of me, and it became 0:1. He wanted to say something, but I had already driven up to the bench and spread my arms. In the end, he simply explained the error to me and that was all. Tortorella looks at psychology - who can handle harsh criticism and who can't. And with this he takes players to another level.

This is great, thanks for the share!

 

[ohcomeonref]

The Ducks have been the 6th worst Franchise in the NHL in the past 7 years. I didn't realize "recent" was 20 years. But yeah, good job getting internet likes by spazzing out on facts lmao

You got dunked on, take your ball and go home.

 

[FiveTacos]

I mean...I suppose that could be a theory, though a few things still don't add up.

For starters, Briere was still part of the administration that drafted Gautheir as a special advisor to the GM...though theoretically, he could've objected to the pick. Additionally, it's been reported that they tried to sign him in May 2023. Even if they weren't as high on him, why not sign him after BC's season ended in March versus waiting two months?

Because you do more to sign a guy you're high on, vs a guy you're only lukewarm on. Nobody wants to burn an ELC year on a prospect they really like, but they do it anyway because they're trying to entice a player into signing. A lesser prospect, you might not make that concession.

It's not crazy to think that Briere's predecessor indicated they'd give him 10 games, only for Briere to decide not to.

 

[Curufinwe]

This is great, thanks for the share!

Zamula is now a healthy scratch again after the arrival of Drysdale.

Would not be surprised if he goes back to Russia.

 

[HBK27]

Wait, you blaming Briere with your bogus theories? and I am not a big fan of Briere/Jones office positions...
Why the f would Briere do something stupid to a draft pick? Did Gautheir camp say anything, deny it? No right?

What is my bogus theory exactly?

Here's what we know:
- By all accounts, Gauthier was excited to be drafted by the Flyers and expressed this post-draft many times.
- The Flyers expressed interest in signing him in May 2023, at which point he decided against it.
- Gauthier did not attend prospects camp this past summer.

At some point last Spring/Summer is when it seems things soured. Seems quite reasonable that not being offered a contract at the end of last season could be the driving factor, as Friedman is suggesting.

Let's hear your theory though...

 

[HanSolo]

I don‘t know about bad the injury to Drysdale, The second round pick will be a high pick in the 2nd round. I think Gauthier could have fetch maybe Mason McTavish Or David Reinbacher.

Lol no shot. The kid is a few points below a point per game in his second season on a team that's struggled to produce offense. He's viewed as part of a future 1a/1b center core with Leo Carlsson for the future. You'd have to pay a serious premium to get Mac and convince Anaheim to part with that kind of stability down the middle.

 

[HBK27]

Why would Gauthier have every right to expect to be signed as soon as he wrapped up his fresh room season, if it was dumbass Fletcher then yes he would have. But Fletcher isn't the GM anymore, Briere is and he wasn't the one who drafted Gauthier. I get all of the hate on here regarding the Flyers organization, some warranted and some not but at the end of the day it's funny that so many fans are bent out of shape regarding this situation. Bottomline Gauthier changed his mind because he felt slighted by Philly for not signing him after his freshman year so he could make his million one year before, poor him. Now he's got a chance to sign with Anaheim and prove that Briere and the Flyers made a big mistake by not doing that. Or he could end up being a 1st round bust like many other 1st rounders before him. Time will tell.

Maybe because that's been the case for just about every other player in his situation, particularly when coming off a very strong NCAA season and WJC?

It's also not just the $950K is (likely) cost him for this season (possibly more, possibly less depending on whether or not he stuck at the NHL level or hit performance bonuses) - it also pushed back his 2nd contract by a year, which could cost him millions more.

Seems like something that might cause someone to hold a grudge.

 

[Eegs]

Zamula is now a healthy scratch again after the arrival of Drysdale.

Would not be surprised if he goes back to Russia.

Is it just me or shouldn't guys like Risto be sat instead??

Very frustrating.

 

[ninetyeight]

..

Nah I just think your hate for the Flyers clouds your judgement on this matter

I mean I won't be upset that Flyers are a poorly run organization, but there's plenty of smoke and red flags on Gauthier too. And he did refuse to play, maybe the Flyers handled it poorly, but they did want to sign him eventually and had big plans with him. I just think Gauthier felt iffy to play for the Flyers from the start and it didn't take much to make him ask for a trade.

Maybe both sides should wait until more info and confirmation comes out.

Here's the video again for those who missed it

View attachment 799249

 

[WhatTheDuck]

What's the earliest date Gauthier could play for the Ducks?

I know Drysdale should suit up for the Flyers tomorrow, including PP unit time according to Tortorella, which could be interesting cuz Flyer PP time is usually very forgettable but this Drysdale kid makes me think it might be worth tuning in for.

Not sure about the earliest date his college season could end, but the Frozen Four semis are April 11th and the championship is the 13th. The Ducks final two regular season games are April 13th and 18th.

 

[eramosat]

This is great, thanks for the share!

I share this interview whenever the context allows it...I absolutely love it. I encourage you to do so too, we see so little of real NHL players saying anything meaningful about their time spent, and instead listen to "people like us" share pointless theories about what they think is going on.

 

[HBK27]

Because you do more to sign a guy you're high on, vs a guy you're only lukewarm on. Nobody wants to burn an ELC year on a prospect they really like, but they do it anyway because they're trying to entice a player into signing. A lesser prospect, you might not make that concession.

It's not crazy to think that Briere's predecessor indicated they'd give him 10 games, only for Briere to decide not to.

Fair enough, I guess...though I'm not sure what would've occurred between the time Gauthier was drafted at #5 (which was certainly in the range he was expected to go in the draft) in 2022 to the end of last season, when by all accounts he had a very good NCAA season and WJC.

I get that it's a new guy in charge, but speculating that he dropped from a guy Philly was high on to only lukewarm on seems like a stretch. If that is the case though, then it also seems surprising that they'd keep trying to convince him to sign with them right up to the latest WJC.

 

[HBK27]

I’m still missing him being left out to dry. Like he’s toiling away mopping floors somewhere and not being treating like a king living a glorious life of a top prospect playing in the NCAA for a great team. No team needs you or I to approve a prospects readiness, you not believing to support some personal bias is a bit ridiculous to me but that’s your right. They also may have not wanted him to play pro if they thought it would be a rough season - and many thought this would be a rough season.

Either way, coming up with some theory about a teams intentions to do a prospect wrong because they are incompetent or evil is interesting.

Nemec is only there for injuries. Korchinsky being thrown to the wolves is the Hawks choice, as is Cbus. It’s a choice, not every team has to go ahead and do the same. Who cares what the other prospects are doing? Slav has been rushed most would say. Savoie and Wright are in the NHL? Kasper?

Not sure why you're asking me about him being left out to dry considering I'm not the one that wrote that.

I don't think they intended to do him wrong for any evil intentions or even incompetence, but that there was certainly a benefit to the team and they probably didn't realize that it would upset the player to this level.

 

[eramosat]

Zamula is now a healthy scratch again after the arrival of Drysdale.

Would not be surprised if he goes back to Russia.

Is it just me or shouldn't guys like Risto be sat instead??

Very frustrating.

Zamula is a reasonable scratch decision, just like any other Flyer dee, including players under consideration for a trade.

But anyone saying Zemula is already a healthy scratch, or on their way home, should simply relax. Or use more precise words to say what they mean.

 

[sigx15]

Not sure about the earliest date his college season could end, but the Frozen Four semis are April 11th and the championship is the 13th. The Ducks final two regular season games are April 13th and 18th.

Ya BC would have to completely bomb out to not make the NCAA tournament so let’s say they lose in the 1st or 2nd round of the NCAAs, your looking at around April 1st

 

[FiveTacos]

. I just think Gauthier felt iffy to play for the Flyers from the start and it didn't take much to make him ask for a trade.

Did he actually ask for a trade? Or was it a "don't talk to me unless you're coming back with a much bigger number since I missed out on a good chunk of change already."

I get that it's a new guy in charge, but speculating that he dropped from a guy Philly was high on to only lukewarm on seems like a stretch.

Maybe it's not even so much a difference in evaluation vs. a difference in philosophy on burning ELC years.

If that is the case though, then it also seems surprising that they'd keep trying to convince him to sign with them right up to the latest WJC.

Then again why would you try to sign a guy who you've actively tried to trade since the draft? If I'm spending all that effort to move a guy and talking to 2/3 of the league about it, I'm already done with him. And did Gauthier or his agent know they were shopping him? If so, I wouldn't see much point in talking with the team anymore.

 

[eramosat]

Ya BC would have to completely bomb out to not make the NCAA tournament so let’s say they lose in the 1st or 2nd round of the NCAAs, your looking at around April 1st

so someone really familiar with the rules regrading this situation, and 19-year olds and 20-years olds, and whatever else, is likely to come in and say whether or not Anaheim can sign him to a contract including 2023-24. I am still not clear on it.

 

[captainpaxil]

Here's my theory. Cutter sees himself as a big scoring winger ala stamkos. Flyers project him more as a center as there's doubts how well his shot will translate. Cutter agrees to play center as time with the puck and two way play will help when he reverts back but the flyers saw him taking the same shots re not buying into their development path.
He's a good player and I hope he's as good as he thinks he is I just don't agree with him. More a 30/60 guy than ppg+

 

[HBK27]

Maybe it's not even so much a difference in evaluation vs. a difference in philosophy on burning ELC years.



Then again why would you try to sign a guy who you've actively tried to trade since the draft? If I'm spending all that effort to move a guy and talking to 2/3 of the league about it, I'm already done with him. And did Gauthier or his agent know they were shopping him? If so, I wouldn't see much point in talking with the team anymore.

A change in philosophy regarding burning ELC years would make more sense, though given a vast majority of teams do that for top prospects I could see where Gauthier would still be a bit ticked off by it.

They only actively tried to trade him because he stated he was not going to play for Philly, not because they didn't like the player or soured on him. Trying to meet with him in Sweden sounds like a last ditch effort to patch things up.

I'm sure Gauthier and his agent had to know he was being shopped after stating he'd not sign with Philly and I agree there was no point in talking with the team anymore at that point.

 

[sigx15]

so someone really familiar with the rules regrading this situation, and 19-year olds and 20-years olds, and whatever else, is likely to come in and say whether or not Anaheim can sign him to a contract including 2023-24. I am still not clear on it.

Ya they totally can but it doesn’t matter if he plays at all this year because he turns 20 in January. He’ll get a 2 year deal instead of the 3 years and the whole thing of having to play 9 games doesn’t exist