The Philadelphia Flyers have a special player in the fifth-overall selection of the 2022 NHL Draft, Cutter Gauthier. In what is likely his final collegiate season in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), he has been nearly unstoppable. By the time he is ready to come over to the NHL and play for the Flyers, his game could be polished enough to be a difference-maker right out of the gate.
Gauthier’s NCAA Accolades
In his first season with the Boston College Eagles, Gauthier accumulated 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points in just 32 games. For one of the younger players in college hockey, he ranked pretty highly. Among sophomores and freshmen that played 10 or more games, he ranked sixth in points per game. In the same group of players, he ranked fourth in goals per game. He led Boston College in goals, tied the mark for most assists, and finished with the most points on the team.
Highly successful as a teenager, he made the decision to recommit to Boston College instead of coming to the NHL to play for the Flyers in 2023-24. Playing for an Eagles team that was set to be one of the most stacked collegiate rosters in the country, he has not disappointed to this point.
After having losing record in 2022-23, the Eagles are off to a thrilling 9-2-1 start in their first 12 games. With each member of the top line for the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) from 2022-23 committing to Boston College as freshmen, it could have been easy for Gauthier to be overshadowed by the skill throughout the lineup, but he has not let the immense level of young talent overtake him as being the best player on the team. In fact, it might be even more obvious that he is the best his school has to offer.
Through 12 games, Gauthier is second in the NCAA in goals with 11, and first among players at or before their sophomore season. His 15 points are tied for 21st in the country, and he is coming off a Player of the Week selection for his conference. Tied for the lead in power play goals with six, he has been almost impossible to stop in open space. He has been one of the best players in NCAA hockey as a whole, not just in his conference. He is showing that his skill level might be NHL ready.
Why Gauthier’s Game is Special
Gauthier is clearly a special player based on his stats alone, but his actual on-ice play is incredible to watch. He is one of those players that can create space for himself, always being open and having a chance to strike. When he has the puck on his stick, players have to flock right to him or otherwise he has a good chance of capitalizing.
Much like another Flyers’ prospect in Matvei Michkov, Gauthier cannot be left open. A major reason why he is so deadly on the power play is because he is always taking advantage of space and time. He’s a fantastic shooter who will make you pay for a mistake.
While it is much easier to display this talent at the NCAA level than it is at Michkov’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) level or the NHL level — where both Michkov and Gauthier hope to be — Gauthier’s traits likely will not vanish. He is almost always the center of attention, making him a gem in the Flyers’ organization.
Gauthier’s relentlessness is another thing that makes him a special prospect. There are shifts where he will get two, three, sometimes even four good looks at the net. The Flyers have had some great prospects over the years, but his offensive prowess is something they have not seen in a while.
Related: Flyers Prospects Report: NCAA D1 Players
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Gauthier’s shot gets all the hype, but he is also a very solid transitional player. Part of the reason for this is because he has one of the best releases in college hockey and has more space to move up the ice and decide what to do with the puck because defences tend to respect him a bit more than other players. The skill gap between the NHL level and college level will require some adjusting, as all areas of offence will become more challenging. With that being said, he is just 19 years old with room to evolve his game when it needs to. He is exhibiting the traits of a star in the making.
What Gauthier Can Bring to the Flyers
Luckily for the Flyers, Gauthier is excelling in some of the areas where they struggle. Most notably, their power play has been a disappointment even with them recently getting it back on track. They have done a good job at times of creating some space and finding some open players, but have not capitalized often when that happens. 21-year-old Tyson Foerster was expected to be one of the players to take this leap, but he has been better suited in a forechecking role on the man advantage rather than be the one always shooting the puck from the right wall. With a clear need for a player to slot there, Gauthier can almost instantly make a difference if he is granted an opportunity in the future.
Schematically, the Flyers have commonly run a 1-2-2 this season under head coach John Tortorella. Heavy on forechecking and preaching defense, this sort of system can shelter some skilled players and make it hard for them to be involved. With the Flyers lacking an abundance of elite talent on their current roster, it makes sense why they run it.
With that being said, Gauthier can be a player that actually benefits from this sort of scheme. Designed to force turnovers and create space in transition, he can use his elite shot to his advantage. Players like Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Cam Atkinson have come across many goals this season, with their strong suits being their ability to capitalize in transition and in open space. In theory, Gauthier should be another player who does well with space in the neutral and offensive zones in the NHL. The Flyers have had issues at times with finishing on open looks, so he could be a big addition to the team right away.
Gauthier has a chance to play with the Flyers as soon as this season, but it would have to be by the time his collegiate season ends. If he does get a stint with the Flyers in 2023-24, how he slots in the lineup will be exciting to see. He has the talent to be successful in the NHL and also has the tools to adapt to the professional level and find his game rather quickly.