Ahead of Philly Return, Cutter Gauthier is Thriving in Anaheim

Not many prospects can accumulate haters before they even take a stride on NHL ice, but Cutter Gauthier has never been fearful of a little backlash.

He trash-talked his opponent on national TV before the national title game. He went from being “built to be a Flyer” to being destined for anywhere but Philly, leading to his being traded to Anaheim before the afterglow of his stirring performance at the 2023-24 World Juniors diminished.

Two years on, he is prospering in Orange County. He paces the Ducks with 19 goals and a commensurate number of assists. He was even a fringe candidate for Team USA at the upcoming Olympics and, in a contract year, has solidified himself as part of the Ducks’ blossoming nucleus.

Ahead of the flock’s trip east, which will pit them against the Flyers in its second game on Tuesday, Gauthier made time for an exclusive interview with R.org.

Interview with Cutter Gauthier

– First off, how do you feel you progressed in your first full season in the NHL under Greg Cronin and how have you continued to move forward this season playing for Joel Quenneville?

– Last year was my first year in the league, and it was a really good learning year. It was my first time going to all these different buildings and going on the road. I wasn’t really too sure what to expect in an NHL lifestyle. By the end of the year, I felt really comfortable with the group of guys we had, and obviously knowing that going into the summer and having a really strong summer, and knowing what to expect coming into this year. And so far, so good.

– Of course, the Team USA roster was just announced. It was a very competitive selection process, even established stars like Adam Fox and Jason Robertson missed the cut. I know that even as a younger guy you were excited to be in the mix. Does not making this roster motivate you for the future, especially with the NHL committed to the next couple tournaments?

– Yeah. Yeah, definitely. It was a goal of mine going into the season. I’ve represented my country a handful of times, on every single level except the Olympics. It would have been a huge honor. But it’s just, you know, a chip on the shoulder. I’ll try to get better, and then try to make the next team.

– Your dad was a goalie. Let me ask you, when did you start scoring on him consistently? Who were the other people or entities in your upbringing and the early part of your career that were really influential for you?

– The main one was my dad, who obviously got me into hockey at a young age. He played goalie, and he’d always run goalie clinics out in Scottsdale. I was a young guy just shooting on goalies and trying to find ways to score. That really helped my game as a young fella. The Coyotes organization and Honey Baked, the youth hockey programs, did a great job developing me and giving me the opportunity to play my game and perform. It was a great childhood that really helped me get to where I am.

– You’ve got a big road trip coming up, and I know last year, a big date circled on your calendar was the trip to Philly. I’ve worked Stanley Cup Final series, World Series, you name it, and never seen fans take control of a game like the Flyers crowd did last year. How do you tune that or otherwise prepare for it, now that it’s around the corner again?

– I mean, now we’ve played there before, so it’s nothing new. I know what to expect going into it. And, you know, first we’ve got Washington, so that’s the main focus as we move forward, and we do pre-scouts to get ready to go. That’s a big game. And, yeah, when we play Philly, it’ll be a good game. They’ve got a good team this year, and it’ll be an exciting atmosphere.

– I know you’ve declined repeatedly to discuss the reason for the rift in Philly, if it was about specific incidents or more general disagreement, but how are you finding life on the West Coast and the situation here?

– I believe everything happens for a reason. I’m super happy with the Anaheim Ducks and everything they’ve done for me. They’re the team that traded for me and believed in my ability to play this league. They’ve been nothing but first-class, treating me with respect and giving me the opportunity to grow my game in the National Hockey League.

– Heading into the road trip, you guys had won just two of your last 11 games. You fired out of the starting blocks and had that seven-game win streak early, but haven’t had much linear progress since. Where do you think things are flagging a little, and what positive signs do you see that they could get back up to that early-season level?

– We came out super strong at the start of the year, just playing our game, and things were going our way. We were getting a lot of good bounces. The last 10 or 11 games haven’t gone our way. You know, it’s not always going to be highs throughout the season. It’s a long season, 82 games, and you just can’t get too low, or can’t get too high when things are going good or when things are going bad. So, you gotta find the good in it and keep coming to the rink every single day and trying to get better and focus on the things that we didn’t do as well the last game, and try to get the win next game.

– Before the season, Mason McTavish signed his extension deep into training camp, and then Jackson LaCombe re-upped for a max term with a franchise record sum starting next season. You, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger are all pending restricted free agents. Has there been any discussions between you, your agent Kurt Overhardt, and Ducks GM Pat Verbeek yet?

– You know, nothing. Not, not yet. It’s a long season. There’s a lot of hockey to play. I’ve only played, you know, a year and a half in the league so far. I still have a lot to prove, you know. I’m just trying to do everything I can to help this team win and make the playoffs this year.