Blockbuster: Flyers Trade Cutter Gauthier to Ducks for Jamie Drysdale, Draft Pick

Just minutes into Monday night’s game between the Flyers and Penguins, the Flyers dropped massive trade news. 

Cutter Gauthier, the team’s first round pick at fifth overall in 2021, was sent to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick.

According to multiple reports, Gauthier would not meet with the Flyers at World Juniors when management went for a visit this past week. Having informed the team that he would not be signing and did not want to play in Philadelphia, GM Danny Briere acted now, making the best of the situation.

Drysdale, 21, was the sixth overall pick by the Ducks in 2020. The 5’11”, 185-pound right-handed defenseman debuted for the Ducks in the 2020-21 season, playing in 24 games with three goals and eight points. He played in 81 games for the Ducks in the 2021-22 season, scoring four goals and adding 28 assists for 34 points. 

Drysdale only played in eight games last season and recorded no points before suffering a season-ending injury. This season, he has battled injury again, but has a goal and five points in 10 games.

Gauthier, meanwhile, just completed a successful gold-medal run at World Juniors, where he tied for the tournament lead with 12 points. Gauthier has also been among the nation’s best in goal-scoring in the NCAA with Boston College.

More coming…

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.