Flyers Trade Top Prospect Cutter Gauthier to Ducks for Jamie Drysdale, NHL Draft Pick

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The Philadelphia Flyers have traded top prospect Cutter Gauthier for Anaheim Ducks defensemen Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the team announced Monday.

According to the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Gauthier, a 19-year old forward, informed the Flyers that he did not want to play in Philadelphia. Gauthier is currently in his second season at Boston College, where he has 13 goals and 10 assists in 17 games this year. He helped America win gold just a few days ago at the World Junior Hockey Championship, scoring two goals and picking up 10 assists in seven games.

Drysdale, who is in his fourth season with the Ducks, has scored one goal and has four assists this season. He was drafted by Anaheim with the sixth overall pick in 2020.

The Flyers currently sit in third in the Metropolitan Division at 20-13-6 and are looking for the addition on defense to aid them heading into the second half of the season. The Ducks have struggled this season, sitting in seventh place in the Pacific Division at 13-25-1.

By trading for the fifth pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Ducks are planning for the future by picking up a piece that could aid their offense for years to come. That plan was made easier by Gauthier telling the front office he didn’t want to play for the Flyers.

The move to trade one young star in Drysdale for a promising prospect in Gauthier could be one that will have a huge impact for years to come.