Drafting Cutter Gauthier adds action behind the Flyers’ ‘hard to play against’ refrain

MONTRÉAL — Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher smirked at the Bell Centre lectern near the end of the first round of the NHL draft when he was reminded, again, of the long-term aspiration he has set forth over and over again for his team. Be harder to play against.

In the midst of the Flyers’ dismal 2021-22 season after the firing of coach Alain Vigneault, Fletcher lamented the lackluster play of his team, emphasizing that the Flyers needed to improve their physicality, their defense, their pressure, and their attack. That progress never came on a consistent basis, and the Flyers finished the season with the fourth-worst record in the league.

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On Thursday night, Fletcher attempted to address that “hard to play against” deficiency by drafting 6-foot-2, 189-pound U.S. National Team Development Program center/left winger Cutter Gauthier with the fifth overall pick. Just by taking a glance at his big frame and his impressive combine fitness testing results, it’s easy to understand why the Flyers are keen on Gauthier and his upside. According to Fletcher, Gauthier said he thinks he can get even stronger.

“He skates well,” Fletcher said. “He can hit. He works. He’s a big man that can control the puck down low in the offensive zone and hold on to the puck. He can hold off defenders with his size and strength, so I think he allows you to play a puck-possession type of game. He has the size and physicality. He’s somebody that ... he can play power play, play penalty kill. He was really used in all situations on an excellent under-18 team. There’s certainly a lot to work with there.”

However, Gauthier isn’t just a gifted athlete. The 18-year-old from Scottsdale, Ariz., stood out in his draft year with his rocket of a shot, notching 34 goals and 31 assists in 54 games for the NTDP.

In addition to his offensive proficiency, Gauthier understands the importance of being aggressive on the forecheck and sound play away from the puck. That should be music to new head coach John Tortorella’s ears.

“I think I’m the complete package,” Gauthier said. “I think that defensive side of the game is a big part of my game as well. Just taking control of the defensive zone, whether you’re playing the wing and being married to your defenseman or helping out the defenseman down low. I think it plays a big role in winning hockey and I don’t think you’re going to get to the next level if you’re lazy on defense.”

Gauthier also brings an attractive sense of versatility to the Flyers’ forward pipeline. With the NTDP, he played left wing alongside the Arizona Coyotes’ No. 3 overall pick, Logan Cooley, as well as center. Fletcher said he aspires to see Gauthier play center at the NHL level, but he values his versatility at either position.

If Gauthier can master the ins and outs of the center position at the NHL level, he will be an especially welcome addition to the Flyers. Injuries to key players up the middle last season — namely, Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes — exposed just how organizationally thin the Flyers were at center as they struggled to find adequate in-house replacements.

“I displayed my message to the Philadelphia Flyers that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win,” Gauthier said. “If that’s on the wing, if that’s [at] center, I’m willing to do whatever. So I’m excited to be a center or left wing in the near future.”

But just a week before Fletcher selected Gauthier at No. 5, he acknowledged that teams such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche that make it deep into the playoffs boast high-end talent, a quality the Flyers currently lack. That high-end talent can be packaged in “big or competitive or speedy” frames.

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Gauthier checks each of those boxes in terms of prototype, but it’s now up to him to prove if he can develop into the high-end, top-line talent that the organization so desperately needs. The operating word is develop — Gauthier has a long way to go to prove he’s capable of becoming a polished professional. But instead of going for a safe pick, Fletcher took a welcome swing here on Gauthier and his potential in the Flyers’ aggressive retooling.

“It’s an upside play,” Fletcher said. “I think he’s a good player and everybody has a backup game, I guess you would call it. But he certainly, his upside, the way he shoots the puck, the way he drives with the puck, size, strength, he brings so many attributes that every team could use, including ours.”

Next season, Gauthier will head to Boston College for his first year — and if everything goes according to his own plan, his only year — of college hockey. There, he will primarily play center, getting more reps at a position his new NHL team hopes he can fill down the road.

Regardless of Gauthier’s ideal time frame for his own NHL debut, Fletcher isn’t rushing to see his newest addition make the jump to the professional level any time soon.

“There’s no rush for us,” Fletcher said. “Again, he has some physical attributes. Maybe we could put him on the team and see what he can do. But I think he’s best served by climbing another step.”

Beyond the on-ice traits that attracted the Flyers to Gauthier, Fletcher was struck by his confidence, his energy, and his compassion for his teammates. That sense of confidence grew out of climbing the ranks of Arizona youth hockey, making the move to Michigan with his family at age 10, and excelling with the under-17 and under-18 U.S. teams.

Now, Gauthier will be tasked with maintaining that confidence as he continues to develop into the dynamic power forward that the Flyers are gambling on his becoming.

“I think just through all the hard work I put in,” Gauthier said, “there’s nothing I would’ve left on the table. I worked my butt off to get to where I am today, doing all the little things to get here. I’m super excited for this moment and I’m super confident as well.”

If the selection of Gauthier and the Flyers’ aggressive retooling goes according to Fletcher’s plan, that “hard to play against” desire could become a reality sooner rather than later. At the very least, Thursday was a start.