Acquired in one of the most talked-about transactions in the entire National Hockey League this season, Jamie Drysdale was the first to be surprised to find himself in Philadelphia.
The Flyers didn't let Cutter Gauthier – even if he didn't want to play for the team – leave for a pittance and were lucky to sign the promising Anaheim Ducks defenseman.
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Although his career was marred by injuries, Drysdale had just begun his fourth season in California. He had his first appearance at the age of 18. It's normal for Monday's announcement to have caused some shock.
“At first there was a lot to think about. Everything was mixed up in my head. “I really didn’t see it coming,” he admitted at a press conference on Tuesday. […] I didn't know much about Philadelphia, but once I did, my phone exploded with messages from people all over the hockey world saying what a great place it was, a first-class organization.
The Torontonian is also not afraid of head coach John Tortorella, whose reputation is well established, nor the fact that he is always compared to Gauthier, a top prospect who would eventually lead the Philadelphia attack.
“I don’t know the other player very well, but I know he’s a good athlete coming out the other side,” Drysdale said simply when asked about the 19-year-old American.
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When it comes to injuries, the 21-year-old full-back has had a lot of bad luck so far. He was limited to eight games in the 2022-23 season due to shoulder surgery. In 2023, a lower body problem suffered in October forced him to miss around thirty games.
“I can play, that’s how I feel. I have to make sure I'm ready for the games but it's all good. It's nice to be back on the ice. I am ready to stay here as long as possible and play as many games as possible,” said the man who returned to the game on December 21st.
Drysdale should quickly lead one of the Flyers' power play units, he is a determined offensive defender. He will work to become more complete in Philadelphia.
“I'm a defenseman who moves the puck from one end of the ice to the other. I can also play more defensively, which is still a work in progress. I want to learn and have already spoken to the coaches here about it,” he explained.
In his career, the sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft has collected 45 points in 123 games. He could make his debut in his new jersey on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens.