The Anaheim Ducks have swapped top prospects with the Philadelphia Flyers, buying and selling Jamie Drysdale and a second-round decide within the 2025 NHL Draft for ahead Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier is coming off a 2024 World Juniors efficiency that noticed him document two targets and 12 factors in seven video games.
This commerce comes out of the blue however could also be deeper rooted than followers anticipate, with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun sharing that Gauthier wouldn’t meet with the Flyers entrance workplace and that he advised the membership he didn’t wish to signal. This report was backed up by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, making it appear as if Philadelphia’s arm was twisted within the negotiations.
In sending away Gauthier, the Flyers ship away one of many league’s high prospects, with the 19-year-old scoring a blinding 23 factors in 17 video games as Boston School’s high heart. It’s a follow-up to his robust season final yr, which noticed him handle 37 factors in 32 video games. Gauthier was the No. 5 choice within the 2022 NHL Draft.
The price for Anaheim is undeniably steep, with the workforce transferring out a former No. 6 decide and a second-round decide. Drysdale’s season has, very like his early profession, been marked by underachievement, with the 21-year-old defenseman boasting simply 5 factors by means of 10 video games this season.
These junior yr struggles may very well be partly resulting from harm, with Drysdale lacking 29 video games thus far this season, battling a sequence of accidents that delayed his begin to the yr and earned him injured reserve placements.
Philadelphia will look to breathe new life into Drysdale, backed by a blue line that’s develop into extremely sturdy because of Sean Walker’s breakout season. In the meantime, Anaheim brings in a blinding younger heart that might function the predecessor to veteran Adam Henrique, who has discovered himself aside of commerce rumors with the commerce seadline approaching.
It’s a deal that works for either side at a look, although every participant could have the remainder of their careers to underline simply how silly of a commerce this will have been.
