Player Discussion Julien Gauthier

[Shesterkybomb]

Im all in on Gauthier. I see flashes of Kreider in him. Not as fast but he can still move and he is big. And he is not afraid to go towards the net. He has the hands. When you play like that, the goals will come. He is physically mature enough for his skills to pierce through at the NHL level.

Kreider-lite. Having those two coming down the wings is going to be a wet dream, possibly as soon as next season.

More like Pouliot than Kreider

 

[RGY]

More like Pouliot than Kreider

I guess time will tell. I will not criticize anyone for a comparison like this. Very well could be more like Pouliot, but sure hope not.

 

[Barnaby]

I like him at the price we paid. It was/is a fair roll of the dice.

But I will admit there’s part of that feels about Gauthier the way I did about Marcel Hossa and Josef Balej back in the day. In other words, I’ve never been quite as wowed by the overall package, or optimistic about the potential payoff, as some.

Talk about two names you don’t want associated with a new acquisition. I’d be very satisfied with a big strong 3rd line winger who can maybe put up 35-45 points. Anything extra is a bonus.

 

[Edge]

I liked what I saw of him in the limited viewing we got. He's fast, would go to the net, isn't creative with the puck in a passing sense but tries to attack the net instead of dinking around. The question to me is whether he's a guy who always looks like he's on the verge of getting it or not. He was doing the right things but does the skill that allowed him to be a good goal scorer in the AHL translate enough to the NHL

Yeah, I have similar questions. Sometimes I see a guy who looks like he could be a solid support guy in the NHL, other times I am left wondering what the various components amount to.

My concern with Gauthier is that he reminds me of a poker hand where it almost looks like you have something, but you don’t: An Ace, maybe a Queen and a 10. But you don’t have the other cards to make a straight, or the right combinations or colors to make a play for the pot.

 

[Raspewtin]

not sure this is adding anything new but Gauthier imo probably has to be a 15-15 support guy to be an NHLer. that's not bad and he can still improve but I look at him and it's almost like brady skjei at forward. his brain is slower than his body.

 

[RGY]

not sure this is adding anything new but Gauthier imo probably has to be a 15-15 support guy to be an NHLer. that's not bad and he can still improve but I look at him and it's almost like brady skjei at forward. his brain is slower than his body.

Thankfully wingers have less responsibility than defenseman, and certainly start out with the team’s puck possession in their own much less imo. Dont have any fancy stats to show who handles the puck more but its just logic. So in essence Gauthier will hurt us less than Skjei did.

I really would like to see what he can do with Panarin and Strome. But I dont think you see that switch in a playoff format.

 

[Kovalev27]

Imo this kid just needs real ice time. He’s got a ton of tools

I don’t see why you wouldn’t give him more mins

I see a more willing to go to the net to score Benny pouliot without the stupidity

really like him just don’t think we’re getting the most out of him playing him on a 4th line

 

[TominNC]

Let's at least give him a camp with the team before assigning him a spot lower in the lineup.

 

[Raspewtin]

where does he fit this coming season?

I thought he had a solid play-in series but Quinn was more interested in running PdG and McKegg than real upside. He absolutely has defensive deficiencies to work on but where will they slot him? It's weird cause I wouldn't have an issue with him basically anywhere from line 2 to line 4, I think it's a matter of what they want him to be as a player.

still maintain I want to see him molded into a Pouliot type.

 

[JimmyG89]

Would have him slotted on the 3rd line to open the season behind Buch and Kakko. PP2 minutes as well. Would be good to get an idea of who he is before Kravtsov is around for the longer term. I think there is a nice amount of upside to become a 20-20 guy that is valuable to a very good team.

 

[LeetchisGod]

He needs to be more physical. A guy with his size and speed should be a nightmare for defensemen on the forecheck.

 

[Daves a mess]

Being "pretty decent" at a lot of things is going to keep Julien's butt plastered on the 4th line next season. I'm fine with that but he needs to find an improving tool in that tool box.

Agree with Raspewtin. Not the first big guy with all the natural skills , but the brain can't process the NHL game fast enough to showcase them.

Next season is HUGE for this guys future as a Ranger. Maybe even a 30 game showcase to see if he's a keeper long term.

Love to see him kill it next year.

 

[RangersFan1994]

He needs to be more physical. A guy with his size and speed should be a nightmare for defensemen on the forecheck.

I feel he will learn this. He should be attached to Kreider and let Kredier help him get that in his game.

 

[True Blue]

Being "pretty decent" at a lot of things is going to keep Julien's butt plastered on the 4th line next season. I'm fine with that but he needs to find an improving tool in that tool box.

I think that he, like some other young players, are going to be facing an "up or out" scenario. The team has done a wonderful job of acquiring assets. That has really bolstered depth. And now, the pipeline is about to start to produce. Players like Gauthier & Howden need to start to show something or they will be passed. At the beginning that may well mean having their butt plastered to the 4th line, as you point out. Soon thereafter, that may well mean becoming throw ins in trades that are means to bolster the starting line up.

 

[will1066]

He and PDG, I still feel, can be solid fourth-liners.

 

[True Blue]

He and PDG, I still feel, can be solid fourth-liners.

I think that he can be, but also think that there is potential for much more. The latter, I feel is a fringe player, not long for the team.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Certainly Quinn needs to find him more than 9 mins a night.

He's useful in transition, similarly to Pouliot and Hagelin in the past as player who can move the puck across the neutral zone well and can retrieve dump-ins. He's also got good instincts as a goal scorer, he's got that kind of confidence to pounce on a half-step advantage on a turning defender and has a heavy, if not that quick, shot.

All that to me is a player who could be a useful piece of a middle six line. And particularly as a player who really could add a lot on the offensive-side of the game. It's tricky because he doesn't have the creativity or touch to be a top-six scoring threat. His contributions won't primarily be in his stat-line, which is why I'm not sure he'll be utilized correctly.

I think asking him to hit more or to try to turn him into a checker/pk-er would be a mistake. He's got a good attitude by all accounts, but it's ignoring his actual strengths and setting him up for failure because he doesn't have the awareness or the processing speed to know what to do with the puck once he's gotten it or how to anticipate his opponents as a five man unit.

I think playing with a Lafrienerre would be a great fit for him in that you've got a guy who can take control of the play in the offensive zone, directing his linemates and find them in great positions, as well as generating a lot out of chaos and scrambles which Gauthier should be able to make possible with his size and speed, and his shot first preference. But if I'm coaching Gauthier, I'm really trying to get him to see himself as a player who gets the puck into the attacking zone and frees it up for his linemates. I'd be more insistent on being stronger on his stick, improving his hand-eye to knock-down passes, and bearing down on the puck. Telling him to hit is a waste, he'll just be another Brett Howden IMO.

 

[True Blue]

Certainly Quinn needs to find him more than 9 mins a night.

He will certainly get his shot. If we ass-u-me that Fast is out, I think that there will be in competition in camp between Kakko and Gauthier as to who gets to play with Panarin and who plays on the third line.

 

[GAGLine]

I don't think we traded for him to be a 4th liner. Pending other moves, I think it currently slots on the 3rd line with Laf and Chytil. That could be a very interesting line, in a lot of ways.

 

[charliemurphy]

Would like to see a 3rd line of Laf-Chytil-Gauthier and see what kind of chemistry they have. I think both Chytil and Gauthier will feed off of Laf but so will everyone else, lol.

 

[charliemurphy]

I don't think we traded for him to be a 4th liner. Pending other moves, I think it currently slots on the 3rd line with Laf and Chytil. That could be a very interesting line, in a lot of ways.

Beat me to it by a few seconds, lol

 

[offdacrossbar]

love this kids game.

give him more ice.

hes someone we need to give legit shot

too much speed size and talent there to waste on 10 mins a game.

 

[OrlandK]

I fear the Pouliot comparison is an apt one. He seems highly touted based on his apparent skill set but I don't feel he has ever done much on ice (in the NHL). He will certainly get ample opportunity to succeed as every big guy who can skate does so hopefully he figures it out. Unlikely he will ever be very physical though - either it is your nature or it isn't.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

More like Pouliot than Kreider

Pouliot's skating wasn't far behind Kreider's.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

when they were good