Anaheim Ducks acquire Cutter Gauthier from Philadelphia Flyers for Jamie Drysdale, second-round pick
The Anaheim Ducks have acquired top prospect Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in 2025.
TRADE: We have acquired left wing Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Details ➡️ https://t.co/xmxnFyqCxE pic.twitter.com/ScvLaOVCBx
The trade comes as a complete shock to the hockey world as trades like these are rare and usually do not happen during the season.
Ducks’ general manager Pat Verbeek has no regrets about dealing one highly-touted player for another, “This is a trade we felt we needed to make as a player with Cutter’s dynamic skill set are not available often,” he said in a team release. “We see Cutter as a long-term, high-end player who produces in big moments. We also want to thank Jamie for his four years in Anaheim. It is a difficult trade to make as he has a great future in front of him both on and off the ice.”
Gauthier was a fifth-overall pick of the Flyers in the 2022 NHL Draft and is currently playing for Boston College. As one of the highest-picked players in the draft, it was a bit surprising that the team didn’t sign him to an entry-level contract right away. In 17 games this year with Boston College, he has 13 goals and 23 points. He ranks second on the team in scoring, behind only New York Rangers’ prospect Gabe Perreault.
Drysdale was a sixth-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and has significantly more experience than Gauthier. He made the jump to the NHL soon after being drafted, during the 2020-21 season. Things seemed to be going well for the talented defenseman as he played a full season (81 games) in 2021-22 and put up an impressive 32 points on the rebuilding Ducks.
Unfortunately, Drysdale has had a rough last couple of seasons, only playing 18 total games in that span. The hope is that he’ll be able to regain his health and his confidence in Philadelphia.
The Ducks added a valuable draft pick to the deal to make up for the value difference between the two players. Gauthier is younger, was drafted higher, and has a healthier track record than Drysdale but both are tracking to become productive players in the NHL for a long time.