Flyers trade Cutter Gauthier, expressed desire to not play in Philadelphia
Eric Bolte/USA TODAY Ssports
An unexpected trade broke in the middle of the first period of the Flyers game against the Penguins.
The Flyers traded their 2022 fifth-overall first-round pick, Cutter Gauthier, to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick because Gauthier “did not want to play in Philadelphia.”
This is something that no one expected, it happened so quickly and without any prior speculation.
The Flyers’ management didn’t have any choice but to trade him in that scenario. Flyers general manager Danny Briere, who spoke during the first intermission, said the Flyers knew about Gauthier not wanting to play here around the Worlds last year. They kept it quiet in case he changed his mind and to protect him. They never got an answer as to why he changed his mind on Philadelphia.
Drysdale is a young defenseman of 21 years old who can already play in the NHL. He has 5 points in 10 games this season with Anaheim and 45 points in 123 games in the NHL. The main question is: Could be a top Flyers defenseman in the future? That is what the Flyers will have to do, they will have to develop him and do everything they can to be a real solid first-pair defenseman for the future.
Briere said that they were targeting a player at a “premium position” for Gauthier — either a center or defenseman, preferably a right-handed defenseman. They believe in Drysdale, they have a first-pair defenseman for years to come. Briere expressed confidence that the Flyers can get him there.
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