The Philadelphia Flyers mentioned prime prospect Cutter Gauthier did not wish to play for them, in order that they despatched him packing Monday, buying and selling the ahead to the Anaheim Geese for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round draft choose.
Flyers basic supervisor Danny Briere informed reporters that the commerce “was a very long time coming.” Briere mentioned when the staff drafted Gauthier that the ahead informed the entrance workplace that he was “constructed to be a Flyer and wished to be a Flyer” earlier than finally altering his thoughts.
“Possibly a number of months later, he informed us he did not wish to be a Flyer and did not wish to play for the Flyers,” Briere mentioned. “So, in our thoughts at first, now we have to guard him. If he alters his thoughts once more, and it is on the market that he does not wish to play, it is going to be robust for him to place the uniform on.”
After Monday evening’s 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh, coach John Tortorella was succinct when requested about Gauthier not desirous to play for Philadelphia.
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“Then we do not need you,” Tortorella mentioned.
The Flyers had chosen Gauthier with the fifth choose of the 2022 NHL draft with the expectation that the hulking ahead can be a part of their future as soon as he left Boston Faculty, the place he’s a sophomore.
Tortorella was requested if he was shocked by Gauthier’s choice.
“I do not know Cutter from a gap within the wall,” Tortorella mentioned. “I am not too all in favour of speaking about him. I relatively discuss Jamie. He is the man who’s coming right here.”
However Gauthier, 19, has been within the information, scoring two objectives and 12 factors over seven video games because the U.S. received its sixth gold medal on the IIHF world junior hockey championship final week. Gauthier completed tied with Buffalo Sabres prospect and Czechia middle Jiri Kulich for essentially the most factors within the match.
So what would make the Flyers resolve to maneuver on from arguably their most promising prospect simply days after he helped the U.S. win gold?
Briere mentioned the staff tried giving Gauthier area and tried to get in contact with him a number of instances, solely to not hear something again from Gauthier’s advisers.
“In some unspecified time in the future, we needed to decide and we thought with what occurred a number of days in the past, that this was our time to get the best worth,” Briere mentioned.
Tortorella is worked up about having Drysdale.
“Simply talked to Jamie and watched lots of tape on him and clearly, had discussions. We’re actually excited in regards to the alternative,” he mentioned. “A 21-year-old right-handed shot. We’ll put him on the ability play straight away — one among them. He is simply beginning. Child’s head’s spinning proper now. It is his first time at this, however we’re actually excited in regards to the alternative. To get a second-rounder, it is a actually whole lot for us.”
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Previous to the commerce, there had been questions round Drysdale’s future. He was the sixth choose of the 2020 NHL draft and performed one full season with the Geese in 2021-22. He had 4 objectives and 32 factors in 82 video games earlier than sustaining accidents which have restricted him to 18 video games the previous two years.
These accidents, together with an acclaimed farm system led by defensemen resembling Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov, who’re each newcomers with the staff this season, created a situation through which the Geese (13-25-1) might transfer on from Drysdale.
Drysdale’s arrival additionally offers the Flyers one other top-four choice along with what they’ve with Travis Sanheim, Nick Seeler, Sean Walker and Cam York. Including Drysdale to that group together with the actual fact he is nonetheless 21, offers the Flyers one other younger defenseman as one of many promoting factors of a rebuild that seems to be forward of schedule. The Flyers (20-14-6) ended Monday within the first of the 2 Jap Convention wild-card spots.
As for Gauthier, he initiatives as a top-six ahead who’s now slated to change into a part of the following wave of a Geese’ youth motion that already contains Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras. Gauthier, who has but to signal his entry-level contract, has 13 objectives and 23 factors in 17 video games for BC this season after scoring 16 objectives and 37 factors in 32 video games throughout his freshman season.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.