Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering why the hockey world has exploded with talk about the Philadelphia Flyers and someone named Cutter Gauthier? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
It’s not often hockey teams trade away top prospects on a random weekday, even more so in the middle of the season. But that’s exactly what happened on Monday when the Philadelphia Flyers traded 19-year-old Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks in a stunning move.
If you’re not up to date on the Flyers’ prospect system or who Gauthier even is, we here at For The Win will give you everything you need to know about this trade that rocked the hockey world.
So, who is this Cutter Gauthier that everyone is talking about?
Gauthier is a 19-year-old hockey forward currently playing for Boston College in the NCAA. In 2022, he was drafted by the Flyers at No. 5 overall but has since played his last two seasons in the NCAA. In 47 games with Boston College since he began his career there, Gauthier has 28 goals and 58 points for the Eagles.
Pretty good for a college kid!
In the Flyers’ system, Gauthier was projected to be one of the team’s top prospects alongside the team’s 2023 first-round pick, Matvei Michkov, due to his scoring ability and offensive drive.
What was the trade the Flyers made on Monday?
The Flyers stunned hockey fans by trading Gauthier to the Ducks in exchange for 21-year-old defenseman Jamie Drysdale and Anaheim’s 2025 second-round pick.
TRADE ALERT: We have acquired defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Cutter Gauthier. https://t.co/sxQDDJRVtD
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 9, 2024
Drysdale isn’t a bad player by any means. He could fill out a hole in the Flyers’ defensive system should he pan out after being selected No. 6 overall in the 2020 NHL draft, but Gauthier’s star was no doubt rising after a stellar World Juniors performance and to many, it was a shock to see him traded away.
What did Gauthier do at the 2024 World Juniors?
Over the holidays, the 2024 World Juniors — the annual national under-20 ice hockey tournament — got underway. During the tournament, Gauthier had two goals and 12 total points for the United States, including a clutch game-winning goal that lifted Team USA over Finland in the semifinals.
Cutter. Gauthier. 🚨 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/v09HsZT2i4
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 4, 2024
For his incredible performance during the tournament, Gauthier was named the best forward at the 2024 World Juniors.
So, the Flyers had a great prospect and traded him away. Why?
According to multiple sources, including Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, Gauthier didn’t want to sign a deal with the Flyers despite being drafted by them.
Sources say Cutter Gauthier informed #Flyers organization he did not want to play in Philadelphia.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 9, 2024
Wait, that's allowed?
Yep! Under the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams only hold the rights to sign a college player they draft. That’s because the NCAA’s eligibility rules state that a player cannot sign a NHL contract or they lose their ability to play college hockey:
NCAA student-athletes are amateurs and cannot have played for a professional sports team prior to enrollment. In hockey, specifically, this means that anyone who signs a contract with or plays for a team in the Canadian Hockey League (OHL, QMJHL or WHL) forfeits their NCAA eligibility.
As such, college players are in a bit of a limbo state. The team that drafted them technically holds the rights to sign them, but the player does not have to sign, as they can play out their college career then become a free agent and sign with whichever team they wish.
It’s rare that a college player will invoke that right, but it has happened before with defenseman Adam Fox in 2019. Fox eventually signed with the New York Rangers after making a similar statement that he would not sign either with the Calgary Flames — who drafted him — or Carolina Hurricanes — who acquired his rights via trade.
Why did Gauthier not want to sign with the Flyers then?
That part is still a bit unclear. Social media has been running wild with theories as to why Gauthier ultimately didn’t want to sign with the Flyers, but nothing is clear cut as of now.
For starters, Gauthier grew up as a Pittsburgh Penguins fan and as the Flyers cross-state rival, fans wondered if his Western Pennsylvania allegiance played into it.
So… about that Penguins fandom, Cutter 🫢😅 pic.twitter.com/hc1kYOOW6o
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) January 9, 2024
A silly theory, but unlikely.
There’s also the Kevin Hayes connection from Boston College. Hayes used to play for the Flyers before being traded to the St. Louis Blues in June of last year. It was no secret that Hayes butted heads with Flyers head coach John Tortorella, with the forward’s time in Philadelphia ending on a sour note. Given that Hayes and Gauthier are friends based on their mutual Boston College connection, fans wondered if the former Flyer had anything to do with the 19-year-old’s decision.
This is not the case, as Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports reached out to Hayes, who said he has not said anything negative about Tortorella or the Flyers organization.
Also included: I reached out to Kevin Hayes regarding the rumor that he played a role in Gauthier souring on the Flyers, given their friendship & how his time w/PHI ended.
Hayes: "I have never said a negative thing about Torts or the organization to him in my life.” https://t.co/cQCPJmVRE2
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) January 9, 2024
Hayes also spoke to St. Louis media on Tuesday and vehemently denied the speculation.
On Tuesday, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported that this split between Gauthier and the Flyers could have been caused by the team’s refusal sign him for the end of the 2022-23 season, a move that would have put the team over the cap for the year.
What led to the #Flyers trading away their top prospect Cutter Gauthier? @FriedgeHNIC weighs in with @JeffMarek.
LIVE ⤵️
📺 https://t.co/SqK7M993Jz & @Sportsnet 360
📻 https://t.co/tEtiRUWyip pic.twitter.com/vDFBxg8Xcg— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) January 9, 2024
As for now, it seems we’ll have to wait for Gauthier himself to speak on the matter or for an insider to dig into the details as to why.
How has the Flyers organization handled Gauthier's departure?
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere and team president Keith Jones both spoke to the media after the Gauthier trade was announced. Briere said that after being drafted, Gauthier told the team he wanted to be a member of the Flyers. However, around May 2023, something happened and Gauthier changed his mind, skipping out on Flyers’ development camp that summer.
Daniel Briere: "He looked at us at the draft and told us he was built to be a Flyer, wanted to be a Flyer, and maybe a few months later told us that he didn't wanna be a Flyer, didn't wanna play for the #Flyers…
When we realized that they refused to talk to us, now it's been… pic.twitter.com/YROj3mWHSK
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) January 9, 2024
Danny Briere said issues with Cutter Gauthier not wanting to come to Philadelphia go back to end of World Championship in May. Also wouldn't talk to Flyers at World Juniors. Gauthier's outstanding play there helped get deal done. pic.twitter.com/v5PEVQaXdP
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) January 9, 2024
Gauthier reportedly also refused to meet or communicate with the Flyers during this time. Briere and Jones both reportedly went to Sweden during the World Juniors to talk to Gauthier, but were denied by the forward and his camp.
#Flyers engaged upwards of 18-20 teams that Cutter Gauthier would sign with over the last weeks.
GM Danny Briere and president Keith Jones both traveled to Sweden to see Gauthier at #WorldJuniors to try and attempt to get everything back on rails, before pulling trigger today.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 9, 2024
Gauther also reportedly declined to meet with two other members of the Flyers organization, Patrick Sharp and John LeClair.
https://t.co/wzR1T4rJPF pic.twitter.com/xCLdon1qTG
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) January 9, 2024
As for the Flyers themselves, it seems as if Gauthier’s refusal to sign with the team ruffled some feathers amongst current players.
Sanheim said that Gauthier not attending Dev Camp was noticed by the team members last summer. Players happy that someone who wants to be here is coming.
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) January 9, 2024
And, of course, Tortorella and his masterful way with words had quite the quote after the Flyers’ 4-1 loss to the Penguins on Monday night amidst all the chaos.
lol
lmao
“I don’t know Cutter from a hole in the wall” – Torts pic.twitter.com/npgi5feXJq
— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) January 9, 2024
