Photo Credit: NHL.com
Cutter Gauthier was once hailed as a sniper in Philadelphia, and one that the Flyers haven’t had since Jeff Carter. Gauthier with his size was being compared with the likes of John LeClair, a former Flyer great. That was then, and this is now. Gauthier was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks before the Flyers played the Pittsburgh Penguins, in exchange for Jamie Drysdale a top Right-Handed defenseman that can skate with the best of them.
The trade couldn’t have worked out better for the orange and black, as Drysdale has fit in just fine in Philly, “From the second I got on the ice, seeing the crowd. It was a pretty unbelievable environment and a really fun spot to play in. Hell of a first game to be a part of,” Drysdale said.
Drysdale hails from Toronto, Ontario and is just 21-years-old. Yes you read that right just 21-years-old. He was selected by the Ducks in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. Drysdale has five points (1g,4a) in 10 games played with Anaheim this season. The 5’11, 185 pound defenseman has 45 points (8g,37a) in 123 games in four seasons with the Ducks (2020-24). He missed majority of the 2022-23 season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, “I think I’m just a puck-moving D-man,” Drysdale said. “I can move really well up the ice. I’ve already talked to the coaches here and picking up some stuff. I’m exciting to learn more.”
John Tortorella elaborated, “He has a lot to learn, positioning time and space. He’s been banged up a lot. Understanding angles, understanding checking forward, we have a lot of work to do there, we expected that with a 21 year old, but he has up-side with his skating, escape.”
That’s the good thing, even with how well he has performed in his brief stint as a Flyer. He still has a lot to learn. John Tortorella said that he believes he can be a rover in the future, so Drysdale has to keep on learning to make that possible.
One thing is for certain, Drysdale is fitting in just fine with his new teammates, as the photo above is a depiction from a trip to Mexico during the All-Star break.
A young Defenseman in Drysdale is a very good skater. Actually, that’s his top asset to his game. He can transition out of the zone and up the ice with the best of them, mainly due to his speed. He hits the neutral zone with speed, and when that happens he’s hard to stop. Drysdale can rush the puck up the ice, while making plays. He uses his skating and puck handling skills, to become strong in transition. Drysdale has a good hockey IQ and sees the ice well, thus he’s able to make the right place and passes two is open teammates. That is what makes him elusive on the Power Play, he always seems to find the open man.
His bread and butter is the Power Play, as the Flyers will finally now have a quarterback on the top Power Play unit immediately. He’s an excellent skater, keeps pucks in at the blue line, and makes the right plays with the man advantage. If not for injuries he may have close to 100 points as a defenseman in the NHL for his career at this point.
“I think what’s going to give this group of jolt is he is a high character kid too,” John Tortorella said following the Pittsburgh game yesterday. “
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
