Frédérik Gauthier

[darrylsittler27]

Zero chance.

At 17th pick, you get projects and there is no way this kid cracks a vet lineup. Get back to me when he is 21/22.

 

[Big John Stud]

For which player Fred or Nylander ??

I think they have a chance to be there in two years.

Unless Nonis pulls off Phaneuf for Thorton!

 

[Durrr]

For which player Fred or Nylander ??

I think they have a chance to be there in two years.

Unless Nonis pulls off Phaneuf for Thorton!

Ew.

 

[Durrr]

At 17th pick, you get projects and there is no way this kid cracks a vet lineup. Get back to me when he is 21/22.

Ryan O'Rielly was the 31st overall and he cracked the lineup at 19, hows that going?

 

[Fogelhund]

Ryan O'Rielly was the 31st overall and he cracked the lineup at 19, hows that going?

Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Gauthier is a big kid, but not really physically mature and really needs some time to grow into his body. I wouldn't rush him. His time will come.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Gauthier is a big kid, but not really physically mature and really needs some time to grow into his body. I wouldn't rush him. His time will come.

He is 6'5" 217 lbs lol, how much bigger do you think he's gonna get?

 

[crump]

Love this shot. To think he might even add an inch. He is a man amongst boys at this point. People do physically mature at 20/21 as well. Kind of like a Great Dane growing into their paws.

 

[ULF_55]

Don't bother with Interactif and Gauthier. Gauthier was on Interactif s*** list from day one, and he's never backed down on a chance to put him in the mud. He'll never concede anything, and he basically labelled him a wasted pick the second it happened. The guy basically said the dropoff was at 20, then said we should have traded back because of guys behind Gauthier looking real good.

Gauthier is a fine pick who's developing. He's played fantastically in the 2014 calendar year and he's got lots of time to develop properly. He's a fine prospect.

Many people here (assuming we're all people) loved the Schenn pick.

Others didn't and the same thing happened, defense of the pick without waiver by some with the "future captain" and "eraser" and all that jazz.

That's what makes this site so enjoyable, you don't have to love everything management does because management makes mistakes. The 5 year rebuild might be complete when Gauthier is the Leafs 3rd. line center.

I liked the Gauthier pick, but I expect he'll improve a great deal and that if he doesn't he'll be a bust.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Don't bother with Interactif and Gauthier. Gauthier was on Interactif s*** list from day one, and he's never backed down on a chance to put him in the mud. He'll never concede anything, and he basically labelled him a wasted pick the second it happened. The guy basically said the dropoff was at 20, then said we should have traded back because of guys behind Gauthier looking real good.

Gauthier is a fine pick who's developing. He's played fantastically in the 2014 calendar year and he's got lots of time to develop properly. He's a fine prospect.

Is that label for all that posted in this thread that expect more from the Gauthier pick than a Jamie Mcclement, as I did say I would be ok with a Hanzal. Or is that label just reserved for me? Why not discuss the merits of my post? I don't see why you have to always make it personal when some opine we expect more from Gauthier, and why me all the time when others here have stated the same thing I have.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

What's going on with this guy?

I remember he was touted as a high-end 3rd line defensive center at best.

I'd imagine guys like that take a while to develop otherwise they'd be hyped as top-6 potential which I don't remember hearing about Gauthier.

 

[LeafSteel]

I liked the pick then, and I still like it now.

Gauthier could turn into a very solid defensive centre, and brings size that is desperately needed.

Anyone writing him off is premature in doing so. He is only going to get better.

BB

 

[Nithoniniel]

I'll admit, I had thought and hoped that Gauthier would have shown more offensive upside by now. The upcoming season will be very important for him.

Either way, he's shaping up into a third line center that is incredibly defensively responsible and a possession player. A lot of people mention Hanzal, I'd like to mention Stoll. He centers a third line that LA uses a lot to turn defense into offense, using defensive skills to get the puck, get it into the offensive zone and then use superb forechecking (most notably their way of interrupting all available passing lanes) to keep the puck there. I see in Gauthier the ability to do this as well. That's a very useful player even if he doesn't pick up a lot of points. And I wouldn't rule out the possibility of offensive production just yet either.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I'll admit, I had thought and hoped that Gauthier would have shown more offensive upside by now. The upcoming season will be very important for him.

Either way, he's shaping up into a third line center that is incredibly defensively responsible and a possession player. A lot of people mention Hanzal, I'd like to mention Stoll. He centers a third line that LA uses a lot to turn defense into offense, using defensive skills to get the puck, get it into the offensive zone and then use superb forechecking (most notably their way of interrupting all available passing lanes) to keep the puck there. I see in Gauthier the ability to do this as well. That's a very useful player even if he doesn't pick up a lot of points. And I wouldn't rule out the possibility of offensive production just yet either.

I think Gauthier is a lightening rod, just due to the fact Mantha, Lazar and Rychel were all picked around him. You can throw in Burakowsky a very promising fwd.

It's not the player, but the pick, at 21 should we be picking 3C upside or do we shoot higher?

 

[leafers]

I think Gauthier is a lightening rod, just due to the fact Mantha, Lazar and Rychel were all picked around him. You can throw in Burakowsky a very promising fwd.

It's not the player, but the pick, at 21 should we be picking 3C upside or do we shoot higher?

He does have higher upside than 3c.
You shoot for impact and not what line he will center down the road.
He might have more impact as a 3c than som other 2c.

 

[Nithoniniel]

He does have higher upside than 3c.
You shoot for impact and not what line he will center down the road.
He might have more impact as a 3c than som other 2c.

Exactly.

Impact is what you want. An elite #3C, which Gauthier can be, has a tremendous impact and worth.

 

[Pholus]

He is 6'5" 217 lbs lol, how much bigger do you think he's gonna get?

I think when people say he can still get 'bigger', they mean stronger (ie more muscle mass), not that he could still grow an inch or two.

 

[ponder]

The last twenty 21st overall picks:

2014 - Kasperi Kapanen
2013 - Frederik Gauthier
2012 - Mark Jankowski
2011 - Stefan Noesen
2010 - Riley Sheahan
2009 - John Moore
2008 - Anton Gustafsson
2007 - Riley Nash
2006 - Bob Sanguinetti
2005 - Tuukka Rask
2004 - Wojtek Wolski
2003 - Mark Stuart
2002 - Anton Babchuk
2001 - Colby Armstrong
2000 - Anton Volchenkov
1999 - Nick Boynton
1998 - Mathieu Biron
1997 - Mika Noronen
1996 - Marco Sturm
1995 - Sean Brown

a) It did take quite a number of years for most of them to reach the NHL, if they made it at all

b) Once you get to this part of the draft, the good NHLers are few and far between. Rask is a stud, Volchenkov was a very good defensive dman in his day, but the next best player in this list is . . . Marco Sturm? Some see McClement or Steckel as Gauthier's downside, but these two are actually above average for a 21st overall pick

c) I think his downside is a career AHLer, his mid range a Steckel level player, and his upside a Gaustad level player. I can't see him being as good as Hanzal, Hanzal was a full time NHLer putting up 35 points in 72 games at 21, I think Gauthier would be lucky to have that as his best NHL season, period. Hanzal is well on his way to becoming a very good 2C in the NHL, I really don't see that upside with Gauthier

 

[Ace88*]

Just because Hanzal was in the league at 21 and having success doesn't mean that he as a player isn't a good barometer for Gauthier. I expect him to be ready for the show around age 22/23. Who cares what age Hanzal did it at? That doesn't mean Gauthier can't or won't pan out to be a similar player.

 

[leafers]

Exactly.

Impact is what you want. An elite #3C, which Gauthier can be, has a tremendous impact and worth.

His defensive game alone will make him a very valuable asset and his offence will come along too. He played midget 2 seasons ago, he is only getting his feet wet at this level. Smart kid and when you're nominated as one of the best forwards in the league as a rookie you know there is a solid foundation to build on.

Patience will pay huge dividends with this kid.

 

[ponder]

Just because Hanzal was in the league at 21 and having success doesn't mean that he as a player isn't a good barometer for Gauthier. I expect him to be ready for the show around age 22/23. Who cares what age Hanzal did it at? That doesn't mean Gauthier can't or won't pan out to be a similar player.

Hanzal is a physical beast, one of the best defensive centres in the league, and is becoming pretty good offensively too - last season he put up 40 points in 65 games. He's already a pretty good 2C, and is IMO well on his way to becoming a very good 2C. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I just don't see this upside in Gauthier, at all. He's not even close to being a dominant player in the Q, just a fairly good one. When a player stands out this little in the Q, even post-draft, they rarely become impact offensive players in the NHL.

I hope I'm wrong, if Gauthier turns into Hanzal he'd be an absolutely MASSIVE steal, but I just don't see it. I'll be very happy if he can become a Gaustad type. I think a lot of people in this thread are underrating Hanzal, and overrating Gauthier, with these comparisons.

 

[theIceWookie]

Hanzal is a physical beast, one of the best defensive centres in the league, and is becoming pretty good offensively too - last season he put up 40 points in 65 games. He's already a pretty good 2C, and is IMO well on his way to becoming a very good 2C. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I just don't see this upside in Gauthier, at all. He's not even close to being a dominant player in the Q, just a fairly good one. When a player stands out this little in the Q, even post-draft, they rarely become impact offensive players in the NHL.

I hope I'm wrong, if Gauthier turns into Hanzal he'd be an absolutely MASSIVE steal, but I just don't see it. I'll be very happy if he can become a Gaustad type. I think a lot of people in this thread are underrating Hanzal, and overrating Gauthier, with these comparisons.

Hanzal's 27. He's had years to develop into what he is today. Took him a long time. And he's kind of getting overrated in these parts. He had a negative GF/GA per 60 differential this past seasom, had a -9 rating (second worst on the team), had a negative Corsi Rel rating, and had a higher offensive zone rate then Kadri (barely but still), and has had his injury issues. He also doesn't get the defensive duties people think he does, those lay primarily with Chipchura and Vermette. In 2012-2013 he had an even higher offensive zone start rate (north of 60 percent...).

Also Hanzal's first post draft season is REMARKABLY similar to Gauthier's. After leaving the Czech premier league he went to the USHL and only posted a PPG in 19 games, and didn't even get 5 goals (scoring at a lower rate per game than Gauthier did in the Q). Considering the USHL is generally considered to be a league that isn't as comeptitive as any of teh CHL leagues, it's pretty intriguing to see that Hanzal also struggled in his first post draft season. The year after he moved to the WHL and posted half decent numbers, then moved to the NHL. If Gauthier puts up 1.4 PPG this season then the similarities will continue between the two.

Hanzal is a good player, and a player I'd love to have on the Leafs but he's not the player people keep making him out to be. And he's easily a player that Gauthier has potential to be.

People are not giving Gauthier enough credit here. He was very good in the 2014 calendar year and I expect to see that trend to continue.

 

[Ace88*]

You have to remember, Hanzal was drafted for the offense he displayed in his home country, not the beastly defence he has today which was almost non-existent when he was 18-20 (and is largely an effect of Dave Tippett). In fact, Hanzal was basically the same-ish prospect as Gauthier except their offense and defense were the opposite.

 

[Mess]

You have to remember, Hanzal was drafted for the offense he displayed in his home country, not the beastly defence he has today which was almost non-existent when he was 18-20 (and is largely an effect of Dave Tippett). In fact, Hanzal was basically the same-ish prospect as Gauthier except their offense and defense were the opposite.

Offensive ability is a gift based on talent, while defense and positioning can be taught and learned.

Lots of examples of high scoring junior players evolving into elite defensive players at the NHL level. Seldom do low scoring junior players that are solid defensively become elite NHL offensive players as they move up.

Generally offensive totals decline as you advance up the ranks for most players except those that were already elite players coming in.

So Gauthier seems to be heading for a shutdown role in the pros based on his trajectory offensively as a junior.

 

[topched]

I think Gauthier is a lightening rod, just due to the fact Mantha, Lazar and Rychel were all picked around him. You can throw in Burakowsky a very promising fwd.

It's not the player, but the pick, at 21 should we be picking 3C upside or do we shoot higher?

I'll be honest though, even if he was someone else's prospect, for the Leafs current system... Id probably take Gauthier over everyone but Mantha at this stage. (And if were getting specific he wasn't available at #21 anyways)

Gauthier is the youngest of that group, I believe he could play a bottom 6 role in the NHL this season and be fine. He's staying in the Q to develop the rest of his game and raise his ceiling, which obviously makes sense.

As for the other guys on that list I think they're just as big ?s as Gauthier and I don't know if they could play the NHL game today. They're all tweeners at this point, not sure whether they will score enough to be top 6 forwards or whether they'll have a complete enough game off the puck to be a bottom 6/pk player.

That's just my opinion... And I'm sure it could change for better/worse after this year

 

[darrylsittler27]

Picking at 21.

You dont get that much to pick from anymore. Sure one team picks a Subban right after you. Wow, if this team ever does get good we wont being seeing much high end talent with the expansion coming. Gauthier isn't a bust yet, just not a success either.