Photo Credit: Eric Bolte/USA Today Images
On Friday, July 15, during Flyers’ Development Camp, we were granted a one-on-one with the new top prospect in the Flyers’ organization. Cutter Gauthier, drafted fifth overall on July 7, was nice enough to answer a few questions about how his life has changed since that Thursday night two weeks ago. Gauthier has some roots in the area but is not highly familiar with the City of Philadelphia. Before too long, that will be the city he calls home.
You rose up a lot of draft boards late, was there anything you did, or did you expect to always go in that range?
“Yeah, I definitely jumped up a lot. I think it shows my hard work has paid off. I think I’m a complete package and I think that showed over the past couple of years at the program. I think that it’s got a lot of NHL traits and is something that can play in the NHL one day. People see me play and the way I play. They see my tenacity and it definitely shot me up some boards for sure.”
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Where does your confidence come from?
“I think just the passion of the game. Just how hard I’ve worked to get where I am today. On draft night, I said I slept like a baby because there was nothing else I could’ve done to get to where I was. Day in and day out I’m doing whatever it takes to get to the next level. I think it just grows the confidence knowing that you’re working harder than someone else and you’re playing the game the right way. Just over the course of my life, growing the passion of playing hockey, confidence followed along, so it’s a good thing to have.”
You’re looked at as a guy who likes to shoot the puck but in the future would you like to develop more of a playmaking side as well?
“Yeah, I like to make the right play. No matter what the situation is. If it’s a shot or if it’s a pass, I’m making the right play. If I had to choose one or the other, I’m definitely going to take a shot, it’s something I’ve worked on a lot over the last couple of years, acquiring a hard shot with accuracy. So I’m going to take the shot if it’s open, but if there’s a play to be made, I’m going to make it for a teammate.”
In regards to your release, is there anything in practice you work on habitually or not, just to get it where it is now?
“I’ve been watching a lot of Auston Matthews clips of how deceptive and accurate it is. I’ve been watching the little things he does, whether it’s baiting the defenseman’s stick to go one then shooting the other way, kind of just picking apart his game. I try to apply it to mine. I think it’s paid off a lot so far.”
How would you describe a successful first year with the Flyers?
“How would I describe that? Just trying to help the team every single day to win. Bringing my winning mentality and winning mindset and overall just being a good guy outside the rink. If your teammates don’t like you, it’s not going to be a good start. Building a good rapport with the guys, having good relationships with the coaches, and doing whatever it takes to help the team win. If the numbers come, that’s a good thing but I’m more worried about helping the team win.”
Does being labeled “high-end talent” put any additional pressure on you?
“I’m sure lots of guys may view that as pressure. It’s just something I’ve acquired over the last few years of playing. Just being confident in my game and having high-end skill is just how I play the game. So I wouldn’t say it’s too much pressure, I just do what I can to help the team win and help my linemates get better. So I wouldn’t say it’s too much pressure, just more love of the game.”
If you weren’t a pro hockey player, what would you be doing?
“Probably in the sports industry. Probably either golf or football. I played lots of football growing up so football or golf, for sure.”
