Flyers nab Cutter Gauthier 5th overall

The Philadelphia Flyers selected Cutter Gauthier with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Cutter Gauthier

Position: Left wing/Center
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 200 lbs
Age: 18
Club: U.S. National Team Development Program (U18)
Nationality: American

GP	G	A	P
54	34	31	65

(Stats source: EliteProspects.com)

Lauded for his quick shot and goal-scoring ability, Gauthier swiftly rose up the draft rankings as he continued to grow and impress with the U.S. National Team Development Program. He ranked second among U.S. under-18 skaters in goals and fifth in points.

Though he played mostly on the wing this season, he was able to slot in as a center when needed, and he excelled. Gauthier is committed to play at Boston College in 2022-23, and the team plans to use him as a center.

The budding two-way power forward turned heads at the NHL Scouting Combine in early June after finishing first in the infamously tough Wingate test, which is a 30-second sprint on a stationary bike that replicates a shift for a skater.

Gauthier has also shone on the international stage. He logged three goals and six assists in six games to help the United States capture a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championship.

NHL Central Scouting slotted Gauthier sixth among North American skaters in its midterm rankings, and he rose three places to finish third in its final release. The Athletic's Corey Pronman listed his shot as the third-best in the draft class. His father, Sean Gauthier, is a former professional goaltender who was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1991. He played in one NHL game as a member of the San Jose Sharks.

What they're saying

"Gauthier has the tools that can make you easily envision him in the NHL. ... With his size and speed, he can overpower opponents to force turnovers or in how he attacks the net, and it makes him an asset on the PK," Pronman wrote in late May. "Gauthier can create with his skating and skill, but his main offensive weapon is his shot."

"His greatest strength is his catch-and-release. He can sling it. ... He's a favorite among scouts for the ready-made projectability of his tools and his ability to put the puck in the net," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote.

Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino also praised Gauthier for his release, adding that he's "hard to push off the play in the trenches."

Tap here to watch some of Gauthier's highlights.

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