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

[LesCanadiens]

This didn't set any precedent. It's happened so many times over like 40 years that I'm surprised some of you survived it.

Players dictating where they want to play isn't new and the league somehow survived.

It's fortunate that most prospects have integrity and do not pull this crap. But I'd hate to be the team this happens to. And they should find a way to not let it happen before it happens more and more. Like Ottawa with Berard, Philly with Gauthier, Fox with the Flames and Hayes with the Hawks. Again it's not about "surviving" anything. If you're OK with this scenario, your choice. I'm not and that's my choice.

They should find a way to make it almost impossible for players to hold the team that drafted them hostage. It's their league. And ultimately the fans are the customers. Fans and the teams shouldn't be held hostage like that by insolent little ungrateful punks. The players have lots of freedom after the draft. They're lucky enough to be making millions for playing a game. It's the owners that take the big risks.

 

[lwvs84]

These same fans complaining/sending death threats should turn that energy toward changing the 4 year then UFA rule. Even if it's providing compensation (requires a pick based on where the player was selected to sign them). Maybe if enough fans make noise about it, the NHL will change the rule (doubtful, I know).

We don't know what the actual reason is that he didn't want to sign. If it was because Pens were his favorite team, that's a character issue. If it's because the Flyers wouldn't sign him because they wanted to save $90k and that cost him money short and long term, I get that more. He's 19 years old and probably hasn't had a lot of money of his own... whatever that contract would have given him right now would be a lot for him (and probably for his family), and would potentially make him more money in the future. Cutter has only said there are "multiple red flags" while the organization, as unbiased in this as they are, have been throwing him under the bus. But we know PR departments and organizations are stand up people that always give neutral view on what is happening, right?

 

[Static]

It's fortunate that most prospects have integrity and do not pull this crap. But I'd hate to be the team this happens to. And they should find a way to not let it happen before it happens more and more. Like Ottawa with Berard, Philly with Gauthier, Fox with the Flames and Hayes with the Hawks. Again it's not about "surviving" anything. If you're OK with this scenario, your choice. I'm not and that's my choice.

They should find a way to make it almost impossible for players to hold the team that drafted them hostage. It's their league. And ultimately the fans are the customers. Fans and the teams shouldn't be held hostage like that by insolent little ungrateful punks. The players have lots of freedom after the draft. They're lucky enough to be making millions for playing a game. It's the owners that take the big risks.

This is such a weird way of thinking about this. It doesn't matter if either of us are "ok" with it, these are the rules and they are being played by human beings, not robots.

Players are afforded very, very little leverage in this league. When one decides to effectively utilize what little they have to improve his life, what business is it of mine? What right do I have to complain? Grow up.

This is a hobby, a distraction for us. This is their life. A little bit different stakes.

 

[Kalv]

It's fortunate that most prospects have integrity and do not pull this crap. But I'd hate to be the team this happens to. And they should find a way to not let it happen before it happens more and more. Like Ottawa with Berard, Philly with Gauthier, Fox with the Flames and Hayes with the Hawks. Again it's not about "surviving" anything. If you're OK with this scenario, your choice. I'm not and that's my choice.

They should find a way to make it almost impossible for players to hold the team that drafted them hostage. It's their league. And ultimately the fans are the customers. Fans and the teams shouldn't be held hostage like that by insolent little ungrateful punks. The players have lots of freedom after the draft. They're lucky enough to be making millions for playing a game. It's the owners that take the big risks.

And Schultz and Thrun for Anaheim.
Flyers did more than well geting Drysdale and a high 2nd.

Would be nice to actually talk about Gauthiers play in this thread instead of all the crying. If he was as bad as some Flyers fans say, why do they care? They got Drysdale

 

[cheesymc]

Perhaps at the time he was drafted, he felt differently about the Flyers and changed his mind due to whatever reason.

I understand losing a top prospect sucks, but it's not like Flyers got nothing here, which would've happened if he just stayed in college and led them on like Schultz did to Ducks.

It seems to me that Gauthier was very fair to Flyers management by staying quiet. Allowed Flyers to get a good haul.

Welcome to the club of teams that have been f***ed by college hockey loophole. Just understand, what you got is massive compared to what usually happens.

Objectively, Cutter did a huge solid for the Flyers. He could have made it extremely difficult to trade him so the return that Philly received was massive. A young high end RHD PLUS high pick from an unproven prospect? From the sound of it, the best offer received was the 10th overall from the Blues last year. It would have been significantly less now if Cutter threatened to not sign with the new team. Instead, he stayed quiet to help facilitate the move and now the new team takes on that risk.

Unfortunately, the Flyers organization (GM, coach, players, etc.) and media turned around and threw him under the bus like a terrible reaction from a breakup. They could have just said that they wanted to be better now, wanted a young talented RHD, get into the playoffs, and focus on the talent and assets that they received. Done. Instead, Philly communicated that Cutter didn't want to play for the Flyers AND for the city of Philly to make it more of a personal attack on the city and fans. The Ducks weren't so nasty when Schultz walked, nor other teams when their top prospects wanted out. They kept their frustration within the organization and gave out little information. So when the Flyers said that they wanted to "protect" their players it was a load of BS because Cutter has received death threats and will have to deal with this fallout for the long run.

Players like Schultz, Fox, Wheeler, etc. wanted to play of their childhood favorite teams or for potentially other trivial reasons, but none of them got this type of hate and it is barely even mentioned after a few years. The Flyers was the pissed off ex- that wanted to know their shortcomings and Cutter wouldn't tell them, but Cutter holds the cards to disclose that insight... and some breakups will just remain unexplained. Maybe their reactions to this trade will show the impression that Cutter felt was serious enough to demand a trade.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

The NHL is a business and the stakeholders in that business are the teams. They're the shareholders, per se. So sure, if they don't want to follow the terms setout by that business, they can go rot in some insignificant European or Russian league. The problem is, that teams can't afford to finish at the bottom, draft a player and let that player rot. This is clearly the reason these punks do what they do. It's dirty af. And the owners of the NHL (the team owners) should push to have it closed. Thankfully most prospects are honored to have been chosen and know that they haven't proved dick yet, and go up to the podium happy to be picked by ANY NHL team. And once they've fulfilled their ELC, then they can make a different decision if they wish. That is fair for all involved. Or the players can create their own league and make their own rules. Let's see how good that would work out (see WHA).

Should be all the same contracts like they are now and the players get to chose the team they want.

 

[LesCanadiens]

Should be all the same contracts like they are now and the players get to chose the team they want.

Then you can say goodbye to around 90% of the teams. And therefore the NHL. Seriously dude...doesn't work. Teams need to have protection. They're the ones providing the greatest league in the world and paying the million dollar contracts. It has to be fair. And every team in the league should have equal opportunity to the pool of players available without this nonsense from self-entitled, prima-donna's.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Then you can say goodbye to around 90% of the teams. And therefore the NHL. Seriously dude...doesn't work. Teams need to have protection. They're the ones providing the greatest league in the world and paying the million dollar contracts. It has to be fair. And every team in the league should have equal opportunity to the pool of players available without this nonsense from self-entitled, prima-donna's.

Five top centers aren’t going to all choose the same team. It would keep teams from tanking. Would keep teams from stupid deals for contracts.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

This thread is hilarious

 

[FiveTacos]

They should find a way to make it almost impossible for players to hold the team that drafted them hostage.

Yeah good luck negotiating that in a CBA.

As it stands now a player sacrifices a lot to "hold a team hostage" as you put it. They're giving up multiple years in which they could be making money, plus pushing back the time before they are done with their ELC.

A CHL guy can re-enter the draft, but no guarantees there. College guys have to ride it out into their early 20s, by which time some of their peers are already moving onto their 2nd contracts.

So it's not free, because for good players that choice means giving up millions in career earnings. Someone willing to do that, they must really want out for some reason.

 

[BB79]

Stop making up first names, people.

I thought Cutter Gauthier was the name of a Coast Guard vessel

Kind of a premaddona refusing to play for the Flyers if you ask me

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

So glad he decided to stiff the flyers. Of all the organizations I’m glad it happened to them the most. One mans trash is another’s treasure

 

[Nabrules]

As a Flyers fan CG is a very good prospect who has first line potential And there’s no doubt about it.

that won’t stop Flyers nation from forever hating him

 

[Kalv]

As a Flyers fan CG is a very good prospect who has first line potential And there’s no doubt about it.

that won’t stop Flyers nation from forever hating him

That is ok and understandable - as long as not assaulting a teenager. But some of the worst of their (yours?) fanbase have been really acting like primadonnas. There has been A LOT of them

I know Flyers have a lot of great people in the fanbase but as always – the most braindead are the loudest.

 

[Raistlin]

1G (14) 1A so far tonight. Kid keeps trucking.

 

[RedWingzz]

the league should kick off next season with Anaheim visiting Philly

 

[RememberTheName]

https://x.com/FlyersNation/status/1745974105487098282?s=20

Stay classy Flyers fans.

 

[LesCanadiens]

Yeah good luck negotiating that in a CBA.

As it stands now a player sacrifices a lot to "hold a team hostage" as you put it. They're giving up multiple years in which they could be making money, plus pushing back the time before they are done with their ELC.

A CHL guy can re-enter the draft, but no guarantees there. College guys have to ride it out into their early 20s, by which time some of their peers are already moving onto their 2nd contracts.

So it's not free, because for good players that choice means giving up millions in career earnings. Someone willing to do that, they must really want out for some reason.

You're right. It's likely not ever going to happen. Still doesn't make it right. And they should change it to 4 years no NHL for you if you pull this crap. But they won't.

 

[TheOrganist]

Objectively, Cutter did a huge solid for the Flyers. He could have made it extremely difficult to trade him so the return that Philly received was massive. A young high end RHD PLUS high pick from an unproven prospect? From the sound of it, the best offer received was the 10th overall from the Blues last year. It would have been significantly less now if Cutter threatened to not sign with the new team. Instead, he stayed quiet to help facilitate the move and now the new team takes on that risk.

Unfortunately, the Flyers organization (GM, coach, players, etc.) and media turned around and threw him under the bus like a terrible reaction from a breakup. They could have just said that they wanted to be better now, wanted a young talented RHD, get into the playoffs, and focus on the talent and assets that they received. Done. Instead, Philly communicated that Cutter didn't want to play for the Flyers AND for the city of Philly to make it more of a personal attack on the city and fans. The Ducks weren't so nasty when Schultz walked, nor other teams when their top prospects wanted out. They kept their frustration within the organization and gave out little information. So when the Flyers said that they wanted to "protect" their players it was a load of BS because Cutter has received death threats and will have to deal with this fallout for the long run.

Players like Schultz, Fox, Wheeler, etc. wanted to play of their childhood favorite teams or for potentially other trivial reasons, but none of them got this type of hate and it is barely even mentioned after a few years. The Flyers was the pissed off ex- that wanted to know their shortcomings and Cutter wouldn't tell them, but Cutter holds the cards to disclose that insight... and some breakups will just remain unexplained. Maybe their reactions to this trade will show the impression that Cutter felt was serious enough to demand a trade.

Who reported the nugget about the Blues offering the 10th overall at the ‘23 draft for Gauthier out of curiosity?

 

[JohnnyDrama]

Honestly flyers fans are embarrassing themselves with how much this continues to drag on, he was a dick get over it lol you got a great player in the deal which is more than a lot of other teams in this situation have gotten. It’s like the cringy ex who can’t move on

 

[LuGBuG]

100%. Lindros was a punk and so is Gauthier...IMO, of course. Karma got Eric. Let's hope it does Gauthier too. If one believes in that kind of thing...

What was the karma Eric got that you want Gauthier to receive?

 

[cheesymc]

Who reported the nugget about the Blues offering the 10th overall at the ‘23 draft for Gauthier out of curiosity?

It’s mentioned by a few reports but you can look up Brandon J. Sommermann on Twitter. A Flyers writer.

 

[FiveTacos]

You're right. It's likely not ever going to happen. Still doesn't make it right. And they should change it to 4 years no NHL for you if you pull this crap. But they won't.

They won't because it's not 1940 and players have rights. And even when they exercise those rights it comes at a significant cost to that player financially. Apparently that's not enough. Maybe their first born too?

I'm not sure a league where the players have zero power and greedy owners have all of it is going to be the utopian league that you think it'd be.

 

[FLYguy3911]

It’s mentioned by a few reports but you can look up Brandon J. Sommermann on Twitter. A Flyers writer.

He's not a credible source. Just a wannabe insider.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I don't think Flyer fans know about the Justin Schultz situation. Ducks found a gem in the 2nd round in BCHL prospect, college bound D Schultz. Schultz told the Ducks he would sign with them after his junior year in college. Schultz kept his mouth shut and let the time expire to be signed by the Ducks in order to become a UFA. Ducks got nothing with the devious ploy Schultz did.

The crying about losing a top prospect from the NCAA to a Ducks' fan seems like a waste of time. It's already happened to us twice in the past 11 years. First time was D Schultz in 2012 and we got nothing. Second time was last year with D Thrun, but he told us he didn't want to sign with us near the end of his college season and we were able to fortunately trade him for a 3rd round pick.

The Flyers front office already knew for about a year that Cutter didn't want to be Flyer. There's confirmation the Flyers tried to trade Cutter at the last draft for the 5th overall pick, owned by MTL. MTL said no.



Because Cutter told the Philly org he wanted out early in his collegiate career, GM Briere was able to hold a sweepstakes for Cutter's rights - especially after a great showing at the WJC-20. The Flyers received an NHL top-pairing RD with elite speed AND a 2025 second round pick from the Ducks. Drysdale just signed a 3-year extension worth $2.3 mil AAV for the next three seasons. Drysdale had no say on "not being traded" by the Ducks, btw. Also, the Ducks are still in rebuild mode and that 2025 second round pick will probably be in the top half of the 2nd round.

Let's hope the complaints about wanting out of the org stops in this prospects thread. There's a the Flyers forum thread that will gladly welcome complaints specifically about Cutter wanting out of Philly.

===============

From a Ducks' perspective, we're acquiring a Flyers prospect with high potential. I dunno how high, but the Athletic's Pronman ranked the best NHL players and prospects under age 23 this past August, before the season started. Rankings are subjective with each respective org, but using Pronman is the closest we get to some objectivity.

• U23 NHL players and prospects ranking
  • Tier 2: Elite NHL player
    • 5. RW Michkov (Flyers)
  • Tier 3: Bubble elite to NHL All-Star
    • 7. C Zegras (Ducks)
  • Tier 4: NHL All-Star
    • 10. C Leo Carlsson (Ducks)
    • 15. C Mason McTavish (Ducks)
  • Tier 6: Top of the lineup player
    • 34. D Drysdale (Ducks)
    • 38. C Cutter Gauthier (Flyers)
  • Tier 7: Bubble Top to Middle of the lineup player
    • 59. D Zellweger (Ducks)
    • 61. D Mintyukov (Ducks)

With half the 2023-24 season done, the rankings are probably different now. Drysdale missed almost all of last season, which is why he was dinged down to 34th ranking. With Drysdale playing two games for the Flyers already, he's got 2 assists, +1 rating, and averaging about 21:00 ATOI. He's doing this at the NHL level today at age 21. Flyers fans are witnessing this at the NHL level today.

Ducks fans are still scrambling to find out what exactly do we have in Cutter. After reading up on his season this year at BC and the WJC on this thread, the consensus appears to be big PF with elite speed and great shot, but doesn't crash the net and trouble playmaking. Plus side is he wins FO's, which led to immediate points at the WJC. Also, playing center might not be Cutter's strong suit in the NHL.

In Anaheim, Cutter won't be playing as a top-6 center. (See list above.) That will help alleviate concerns about playmaking skills. With his huge size, I do worry that he doesn't crash the net and would prefer to shoot from afar - based on the reporting on this thread before he was traded to Anaheim.