2022 Draft Profile: LW Cutter Gauthier
Scouting Report
Skating and Stickhandling
Gauthier is a excellent skater in many areas, and his combination of power-forward size with breakaway speed makes him a bit of a unicorn among his 2022 draft-eligible peers. Although he’s prone to go through periods of standing around, Gauthier does show a quick first step and long, powerful stride that helps him accelerate into open ice and well past backskating defenders. Much like teammates Logan Cooley and Frank Nazar III, Gauthier’s button-hooks at the line are pronounced, and he shows patience when waiting for support to arrive.
Gauthier is a tough out who can dominate board play in several ways. Not only is he an elite stickhandler, but he’s proven time and again to be a threat coming out from the corner. He’s agile in every direction and is difficult to knock off balance, especially when he’s on his edges while taking the puck strong to the net on the backhand. His deft stickhandling when static or mobile plays a critical role in his shot generation, and it’s common to see Gauthier play keep-away by using a series of inside-out moves while keeping the puck on a string. And he seems close to perfecting a one-arm chip or lead pass to himself in 1-on-1 situations that could cause defenders to regret playing the man instead of the puck.
Shooting, Passing and Playmaking
Gauthier is a dual threat whose flash and flair are neither forced nor untimely. He creates highlight-reel plays without the benefit of time or space, and opponents have to respect his dangerous 1-on-1 abilities. An inside player who attacks the net with confidence, Gauthier can serve as either a sniping winger or a pass-first playmaker. His wrist shot is a difference maker from any angle and he’s hit the post or forced the goalie into a tough save with blistering attempts from the left circle. Gauthier is used in a manner of ways on the NTDP’s deadly power play and will fill any role with confidence and reliability, to include the net-front and bumper positions. He’s also dipped into his passing arsenal with more frequency, as several of his primary assists came off precision seam passes from either his forehand or backhand.
Defense and Physicality
Gauthier is a hard-hitting winger who can impact shifts in all three zones. He’ll deliver loud hits along the boards and will let an opponent pay a hefty price for going toe to toe with him. A testament to Gauthier’s reliability off the puck is his occasional use and effectiveness on the penalty kill, including serving as the lone forward in 5-on-3 disadvantages. He’s a dedicated backchecker who actively uses his stick and long reach to block passing lanes, and his desire to pressure the puck doesn’t prevent him from releasing or retreating to cover the back door or an opposing point man. Gauthier’s keen anticipation and quick hands leads to a handful of interceptions and immediate counterattacks per game.
Hockey Sense
Gauthier is a gifted player whose cerebral decision-making and outside-the-box thinking makes potentially untenable situations more promising for both him and his linemates. Although his game could use more shift-to-shift consistency, Gauthier is developing into the kind of forward who rarely settles for the easy wrong over the hard right, and his delay tactics at the opposing line reveal patience, maturity, and foresight. Gauthier is a creative puck handler who rarely telegraphs his intentions, and his high panic threshold when controlling the puck in tight areas or while moving at top speed off the rush extends possessions and keeps opponents pinned in their own end. He’ll attempt a risky play every now and again, but that seems par for the course for all notable NTDP forwards since the program’s inception.
