Cutter Gauthier helped the United States win gold in the recent World Hockey Championship held in Sweden.
But Philadelphia Flyers fans eager to watch him play in the NHL were disappointed on Monday, as the Flyers announced they traded him to the Anaheim Ducks.
The Flyers got defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round draft pick in return, and it didn’t take long until the Flyers explained what had just happened.
It’s not often an organization trades such a promising prospect, but as it turned out, Gauthier had informed the Flyers he no longer wanted to play for them.
“He looked at us at the draft and told us he was built to be a Flyer, wanted to be a Flyer, and maybe a few months later told us that he didn’t want to be a Flyer,” said general manager Daniel Briere.
No other player had more than Gauthier’s 12 points in the recent JWC, and he’s scored 13 goals with 10 assists over 17 games with Boston College this season.
Gauthier has previously stated, in various interviews following the 2023 NHL draft, where he was selected fifth overall, that he grew up supporting the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flyers’ rivals.
He’s also stated that Sidney Crosby was his idol growing up.
When Flyers head coach John Tortorella was asked about Gauthier’s disinterest, he shortly said, ’Then, we don’t want you.’
He also fired a savage shot at Gauthier. ”I don’t know Cutter from a hole in the wall. I’m not too interested in talking about him. I’d rather talk about Jamie. He’s the guy that’s coming here.”
Tortorella went viral with his hilarious burn, with everyone finding it absolutely hilarious. You never know what you’ll get from Torts, but this time, he made the whole world of hockey laugh out loud.
