Briere traded Gauthier, the 5th overall pick in the 2022 draft currently playing for Boston College, to the Anaheim Ducks for young defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick.
It has been revealed that Gauthier played a pivotal role in forcing Briere's hand, refusing to meet or negotiate with him or any members of the Philadelphia Flyers organization. This included a denied meeting request at the World Junior Hockey Championships.
More concerning is it looks like Gauthier just straight up flip-flopped on his desire to sign with the team that drafted him.
«He looked at us at the draft and told us that he was built to be a Flyer. Wanted to be a Flyer. A few months later, he told us that he didn't want to be a Flyer," Briere said.
At just 19 years old, Gauthier has been a standout player on the international stage, contributing significantly to Team USA's success in various tournaments. Notably, he played a key role in securing a gold medal for the United States at the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he not only co-led the tournament in points with an impressive 12 points but also served as an alternate captain. Gauthier's stellar performance earned him recognition as the Best Forward and a spot on the 2024 tournament All-Star Team. His pivotal contributions included scoring the game-winning goal in the third period of the Semifinal, propelling the U.S. to the gold medal game.
Selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, Gauthier demonstrated his scoring prowess at the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) U-18 team in the 2021-22 season, recording 34 goals and 31 assists for a total of 65 points in 54 games with a +33 rating. This performance placed him second in goals and fifth in points among team leaders. His earlier season with the USNTDP U-17 team in 2020-21 saw him tally 20 goals, 17 assists, and 37 points in 44 games. Gauthier's remarkable achievements make him a rising star in the hockey world.
POLL | ||
8 JANVIER | 356 ANSWERS MAJOR: Truth Behind The Trade Of Philadelphia Flyers Top Prospect Gauthier Is Sending Shockwaves Through The NHL What do you think of Gauthier's refusal to play in Philadelphia? | ||
His choice | 147 | 41.3 % |
Very disrespectful | 176 | 49.4 % |
I'm not sure | 33 | 9.3 % |
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