C Cutter Gauthier - Boston College, NCAA (2022, 5th, PHI; traded to ANA)

[William H Bonney]

The more I watch him the less I like his overall upside. He'll be an NHL player but he has low hockey IQ.

 

[Emerica]

The more I watch him the less I like his overall upside. He'll be an NHL player but he has low hockey IQ.

Future Senator

 

[bsu]

The more I watch him the less I like his overall upside. He'll be an NHL player but he has low hockey IQ.

I feel the same way, a lot of Duck fans want him at #10...... Nooooooo

 

[William H Bonney]

I feel the same way, a lot of Duck fans want him at #10...... Nooooooo

Big and excellent skater but he doesn't play to his strengths. Hangs out on the perimeter and takes a lot of low quality shots. He had improved on that this season, such as actually driving the net, but he mostly looked like he did as an U17 in this tournament.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Big and excellent skater but he doesn't play to his strengths. Hangs out on the perimeter and takes a lot of low quality shots. He had improved on that this season, such as actually driving the net, but he mostly looked like he did as an U17 in this tournament.

I hear you, but I will say that I feel like some of these issues would be remedied if we played Gauthier at center, which is where I think he plays his best hockey. He's played well off Cooley's wing, so I get it, but I'm really crossing my fingers that Cutter gets a chance to play center at Boston College next year.

Kind of tangential, but I feel the same about Chesley's deployment. I like Hutson and Duke a lot, but I feel like having two dimunitive offensive blueliners logging serious minutes (and that's not even accounting for Casey) means that Chesley has had to log heavier defensive minutes while not getting the opportunity to shine as much offensively. I don't have access to deployment numbers to see whether or not the data supports that, but that's been my impression in watching the NTDP this year.

Similarly, I think Cutter played his best hockey at center. I hope he gets a chance to develop there.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I feel like he's been misused a lot by the NTDP. He's a center. Thats where he needs to be playing. He even played his best hockey at the NTDP when used as a center.

As a winger he tries to be a perimeter dangler, and he's not. He makes bad decisions with the puck when he has it too long, and his puck control is inconsistent.

At center he plays a lot simpler, and stays in the middle of the ice. He's a big, strong kid that skates well with a good shot. He needs to be playing end-line to end-line, completing zone entries and exits, but otherwise letting the puck go quickly to his wingers to create offense. He needs to get open because he has a good shot.

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2022

I hear you, but I will say that I feel like some of these issues would be remedied if we played Gauthier at center, which is where I think he plays his best hockey. He's played well off Cooley's wing, so I get it, but I'm really crossing my fingers that Cutter gets a chance to play center at Boston College next year.

Kind of tangential, but I feel the same about Chesley's deployment. I like Hutson and Duke a lot, but I feel like having two dimunitive offensive blueliners logging serious minutes (and that's not even accounting for Casey) means that Chesley has had to log heavier defensive minutes while not getting the opportunity to shine as much offensively. I don't have access to deployment numbers to see whether or not the data supports that, but that's been my impression in watching the NTDP this year.

Similarly, I think Cutter played his best hockey at center. I hope he gets a chance to develop there.

Completely agree about Gauthier. Thats 100% the issue as I see it.

Re the defensemen, I think the bigger issue is Casey. They tried to force him onto the second pairing. Because of that, there's no Leddy to babysit Hutson's offensive adventures, and that falls to Chesley, who isn't a stay at home defensemen by nature. Casey-Duke is way too small of a pairing, so that also doesn't work great. Should've been Hutson with Leddy and Chesley with Duke with Casey-Powell as the third pairing.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Really excited to follow this kid as he continues to progress. Checks a lot of boxes. Has had good production, has the physical tools to be a top-6 guy, and imo is an elite athlete. I think you put those things together and have a player whose ceiling is very high.

 

[bsu]

Really excited to follow this kid as he continues to progress. Checks a lot of boxes. Has had good production, has the physical tools to be a top-6 guy, and imo is an elite athlete. I think you put those things together and have a player whose ceiling is very high.

If he had anywhere near the IQ of someone like Boldy I would like him at the spot at #10 but I rather have someone like Kemell, Lambert, Nazar, Lekkerimaki. I wouldn't be absolutely pissed if we took Cutter but I have him a little lower right below Geekie. I like better skaters and high hockey IQ with how the NHL is going.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

If he had anywhere near the IQ of someone like Boldy I would like him at the spot at #10 but I rather have someone like Kemell, Lambert, Nazar, Lekkerimaki. I wouldn't be absolutely pissed if we took Cutter but I have him a little lower right below Geekie. I like better skaters and high hockey IQ with how the NHL is going.

Some people said Boldy didn't have high hockey IQ in his draft year. It's hard to tell. I think Gauthier tries to do to much in the USHL at times. He moves pretty well for his size as well. I think 10 would be a fair pick for him. I think his ceiling is really high if he can pull everything together. He needs to be developed well.

 

[bsu]

Some people said Boldy didn't have high hockey IQ in his draft year. It's hard to tell. I think Gauthier tries to do to much in the USHL at times. He moves pretty well for his size as well. I think 10 would be a fair pick for him. I think his ceiling is really high if he can pull everything together. He needs to be developed well.

He was most compared to Mark Stone, of course people thought he had high IQ.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

He was most compared to Mark Stone, of course people thought he had high IQ.

I don't recall that comparison in his draft year. I remember some people saying that he had great IQ, but I also remember people saying he had below average IQ. He tried to make a lot of flashy plays with the puck, which is what I think lead to that.

 

[lwvs84]

If he had anywhere near the IQ of someone like Boldy I would like him at the spot at #10 but I rather have someone like Kemell, Lambert, Nazar, Lekkerimaki. I wouldn't be absolutely pissed if we took Cutter but I have him a little lower right below Geekie. I like better skaters and high hockey IQ with how the NHL is going.

I originally thought Gauthier might be a good pick at 10 based on size and scouting reports, but the more I read I tend to agree with the 3 you listed. If his issues can be worked out, Lambert sounds like the Verbeek pick (fast, skilled forward)

 

[majormajor]

I originally thought Gauthier might be a good pick at 10 based on size and scouting reports, but the more I read I tend to agree with the 3 you listed. If his issues can be worked out, Lambert sounds like the Verbeek pick (fast, skilled forward)

If you've got a problem with Gauthier's IQ then Lambert is an odd choice to turn to. I don't see any huge problem with Gauthier, the kind of mistakes he makes are the less than perfect choices that most NHLers make. He's a safe pick.

 

[bsu]

If you've got a problem with Gauthier's IQ then Lambert is an odd choice to turn to. I don't see any huge problem with Gauthier, the kind of mistakes he makes are the less than perfect choices that most NHLers make. He's a safe pick.

I personally think Lambert is a wild card.... I think he has the highest upside in the draft but could also not pan out. With my team I want them to take risks like that with the 10th pick.

 

[lwvs84]

If you've got a problem with Gauthier's IQ then Lambert is an odd choice to turn to. I don't see any huge problem with Gauthier, the kind of mistakes he makes are the less than perfect choices that most NHLers make. He's a safe pick.

It's not the IQ, it's the home run pick combined with what Verbeek said he likes (speed from forward, size from D). Ducks don't need a safe pick, they need stars and they have bad lotto luck, so they need to take some risks.

 

[tomd]

The responses here seem a little harsh given that Gauthier had 9 points in 6 games playing a position that isn't his natural one.

 

[Doublechin]

I had barely seen any of his play. Watched most of the US U18 games and I was glad I did because I had ranked him quite higher than he deserved to be. His game is just so average, won't be a play driver, and the thing I disliked the most is his consistency at delivering low risk shots that never amount to anything. Just no vision or creativity to do much else then dump it on the Goalies chest

 

[WeThreeKings]

The responses here seem a little harsh given that Gauthier had 9 points in 6 games playing a position that isn't his natural one.

Well he's gonna be a winger at the next level so he better get used to it.

I was a bigger fan of Gauthier coming into the tournament. So I won't throw everything out but his go-to move being a low percentage wrister from near the point is not exactly encouraging.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

If he had anywhere near the IQ of someone like Boldy I would like him at the spot at #10 but I rather have someone like Kemell, Lambert, Nazar, Lekkerimaki. I wouldn't be absolutely pissed if we took Cutter but I have him a little lower right below Geekie. I like better skaters and high hockey IQ with how the NHL is going.

He plays very different than Boldy.

If Gauthier starts to realize how big he is, how fast and strong he is, and takes the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) approach then he can become a really solid top 6 power forward. Maybe Josh Anderson. Maybe better. Consistency in driving the net is key.

If he makes the switch to center then I think he plays lower in the lineup as the type of guy that’s a 2/3c tweener. Kind of like Charlie Coyle.

 

[57special]

I don't recall that comparison in his draft year. I remember some people saying that he had great IQ, but I also remember people saying he had below average IQ. He tried to make a lot of flashy plays with the puck, which is what I think lead to that.

Barzal was also criticized for being a puck hog, and holding onto the puck for too long, showing a lack of IQ.

I can't help but think that if a couple of Gauthier's shots had gone in instead of hitting iron yesterday, or if he had been facing a goalie who was average, then we would be praising him and his shot.

He'll go somewhere in the teens. Depends on if/when there is a run on Dmen, especially the CHL guys like Korchinski, Mateychuk, Pickering, and the like.

 

[tomd]

Well he's gonna be a winger at the next level so he better get used to it.

I was a bigger fan of Gauthier coming into the tournament. So I won't throw everything out but his go-to move being a low percentage wrister from near the point is not exactly encouraging.

Couple of points:
1. I'm not sure it's written in stone that he'll be used as a winger in the NHL. He has the speed and skillset to be a center at the next level.
2. I don't think any of the Team USA forwards actually helped their draft position in the U18 tournament outside of McGroarty. Scouts will take this tournament into consideration as they evaluate each prospect but it won't wipe out the body of work over the course of the entire season.

 

[My3Sons]

He plays very different than Boldy.

If Gauthier starts to realize how big he is, how fast and strong he is, and takes the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) approach then he can become a really solid top 6 power forward. Maybe Josh Anderson. Maybe better. Consistency in driving the net is key.

If he makes the switch to center then I think he plays lower in the lineup as the type of guy that’s a 2/3c tweener. Kind of like Charlie Coyle.

I may or may not agree with your player comparisons, but just so long as they are coming from a regular human bartender I am on board.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I may or may not agree with your player comparisons, but just so long as they are coming from a regular human bartender I am on board.

My point is, for him to make it as a successful NHLer rather than a run of the mill, big 3rd/4th line guy, he's got to be more physical and he's got to funnel the puck to the net more. He's still learning that part of the game, but if he does then we'll see him put up 25 goals a season.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Well he's gonna be a winger at the next level so he better get used to it.

I was a bigger fan of Gauthier coming into the tournament. So I won't throw everything out but his go-to move being a low percentage wrister from near the point is not exactly encouraging.

Why is he going to be a winger at the next level?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Why is he going to be a winger at the next level?

Centers are required to be puck transporters and to facilitate the play. Gauthier isn't really a play driver and he doesn't appear to have anything but average playmaking skills.

The only way I see him being a center at the next level is if he is being a support guy down the middle for a winger like Gaudreau/Marner who can control the game like a center does.

But it's better off if he is using his speed and size to get in on the forecheck first and he only really uses one half of the ice anyways, so putting him on the wing won't stop him from grabbing the puck off the wall and shooting it into traffic like he loves to do.

If I were to make a comparison, it would be Charlie Coyle. I don't think Coyle is an effective centerman at all but is a solid player on the wing.