Photo Credit: Zack Hill
It was a scene of happiness as Cutter Gauthier was still on the board when it came time for the Flyers to make their selection with the fifth overall pick and Jasmine Martinez (Who is affiliated with the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation) stated, “The Philadelphia Flyers have (Proudly) selected Cutter Gauthier.” Most Flyers fans went crazy in Montreal and “Let’s Go Flyers” chants could be heard at the Bell Centre. It really sent chills down your spine, and the people that live throughout the Delaware Valley in particular were going crazy I’m sure.
The Flyers needed a big bodied Center with a booming shot, so enter Gauthier. He plays a 200ft game, and is an excellent penalty killer. There were weeks of speculation over who the Flyers would take with the fifth overall pick, in particular. It was either going to be David Jiricek, Joakim Kemell, or Matthew Savoie. Moreover, the Flyers faithful started hearing the possibility of the orange and black trading the pick for an immediate NHL player. This led to a ton of trade speculation, with rumors swirling left and right. We can finally put that all to rest now, as we don a new era of Flyers hockey.
Gauthier is a solid skater, has a great pair of hands, and could be reminiscent of Chris Kreider. He stands at 6’3, weighs 201 pounds, and is a gifted Winger/Center that can fly and score with the best of them.
The young, slick gifted power forward in Gauthier plays a solid two-way game. He can use some seasoning with playing down the middle, but that can come in time as he’s an NHL caliber player at the moment. Gauthier plays in all situations the coaching staff asks of him, and he plays with an aggressive edge. Moreover, Gauthier possessed one of the best shots at his position in the draft in my opinion, as he tallied 19 goals for the USNDTP Junior team, and his vision really ranks off the charts. Gauthier’s passing is just crisp tape to tape, and he has a knack for the net. This pick in Gauthier is a high valued one, and one that will pay huge dividends in the future.
Hopefully, the Flyers will benefit from a gifted player in Gauthier, as he has the potential to be a cornerstone of the franchise. This selection was a great start to the draft for the Flyers, who are enduring an ”Aggressive Retool” according to Fletcher. The proud orange-clad fans deserve this selection. They have supported the Flyers through the thick and thin, and it’s time the fans start reaping some of the benefits.
