PHILADELPHIA | “If he doesn't want us, we don't want him.” » John Tortorella responded with his usual color and candor to the fact that Cutter Gauthier refused to play for the Flyers.
Daniel Brière and the Flyers completed a major transaction during the Pittsburgh Penguins' visit to Wells Fargo. The Flyers traded one of their organization's jewels, Cutter Gauthier, to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 draft.
• Also read: OHL: Owen Beck is worth a lot on the market
• Also read: Jakob Pelletier will be deployed soon
Gauthier, the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, will therefore never have had the time to put on the Flyers uniform. But there is a very logical explanation behind it.
“We tried to convince him, but Cutter didn’t want to play in Philadelphia,” Brière explained after the first half of the game against the Penguins. He never gave the reasons for his decision. We would have liked to present our project to him, but he didn't want to talk to us. »
Brière and Keith Jones, the Flyers' president of hockey, traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden, over the holidays hoping to speak with Gauthier, but to no avail.
Gauthier contributed 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in 7 games to help the USA win the gold medal at the World Junior Championships.
“We knew his value was very high after the Junior World Championships,” admitted Brière. The Ducks found a way to speed up negotiations by offering Drysdale. We swap a left winger for a right-footed defender. At 21, Jamie is still very young and has a bright future ahead of him. This transaction makes a lot of sense for us. »
A need on the blue line
With several big prospects on the blue line in Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, Tristan Luneau, Olen Zellweger, Noah Warren and Tyson Hinds, the Ducks could sacrifice a young defenseman like Drysdale.
Drysdale, 21, was selected No. 6 overall in the 2020 draft.
“His head is spinning a little bit right now, and that's normal since he's making his first transaction,” Tortorella explained. We are very pleased to attract a mobile, intelligent and strong-character defender like Drysdale. We will give him every opportunity to succeed in Philadelphia. We needed reinforcements on the right flank of our defense. »