The Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim Ducks completed a trade involving two top prospects on Monday night. Jamie Drysdale takes charge of Pennsylvania while Cutter Gauthier joins the Californian organization.
In addition to Drysdale, the Flyers also get a 2025 second-round pick.
The Ducks’ sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft, the right-handed defenseman has five points in 10 games since the start of the campaign.
By letting the 21-year-old go, however, general manager Pat Verbeek is securing the services of another very promising player. Cutter Gauthier won the gold medal with Team USA at the most recent World Junior Hockey Championship. The center was among the most productive players of the tournament with 12 points in seven games.
PHOTO ADAM IHSE/TT, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cutter Gauthier during the World Junior Hockey Championship
The fifth pick in the 2022 draft is currently developing at Boston College, where he has collected 23 points in 17 games since the start of the season.
In a somewhat impromptu press briefing Monday evening, Flyers general manager Daniel Brière explained that during the draft, “ [Gauthier] looked at us and told us he was built to be a Flyers player and he wanted to play for the Flyers. And maybe a few months later he told us he didn’t want to be a member of the Flyers anymore. »
According to Elliotte Friedman, it would have been extremely difficult for the Flyers staff to meet Gauthier during the WJC, proof of his intentions. Indeed, Brière confirmed that the 19-year-old “refused to speak for months. And so it was time to act. »
And why did the American change his mind? “We don’t know,” Brière replied. We never got a response. »
Drysdale’s name joins a nice bank of prospects on the Philadelphia side, including Matvei Michkov, Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey.
“When Drysdale’s name was called [dans les discussions], we knew he was a special player. And we know that this level of player does not come back often. »