Cutter Gauthier shared that he is currently planning to sign his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks following the conclusion of Boston College’s season, per team reporter Derek Lee. This news comes after Gauthier’s sudden trade to Anaheim, with the Ducks sending Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick back to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Gauthier added that he feels Boston College has a good chance of winning the 2024 Beanpot and the NCAA championship. The Eagles currently rank on top of USCHO.com’s Men’s Ice Hockey Rankings, boasting a 13-3-1 record. They are tied with the University of Maine for the fewest losses of any top-20 team.
Gauthier has commanded the top center role with Boston College this season, scoring 23 points in his 17 appearances this year – a mark that’s ranked second on the team, behind New York Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault, who has 25 points. Gauthier earned the top role partway through his freshman year last season when he led the team in scoring with 37 points in 32 games. His goal-scoring has also been of note in college, with his 13 goals in 17 games ranked fourth in the NCAA in goals-per-game.
Other notes from around the league:
- If and when young centerman Filip Chytil is able to return from long-term injured reserve is likely to dictate how the New York Rangers approach the trade deadline, per NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. Rosen shares that the Rangers could certainly be an active team as the trade deadline approaches, but that Chytil’s $4.4375MM cap hit will severely limit the team’s ability to add talent should it be added back to their bill. Chytil has been out of action since November 2nd, missing 23 games. The 24-year-old recently returned to his home country of Czechia to continue recovering from what is believed to be a concussion. Chytil recorded 22 goals and 45 points in 74 games last season.
- Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson has been traded in the WHL, moving from the Brandon Wheat Kings to the Portland Winterhawks. In return, Brandon has received Nicholas Johnson, Rhett Ravndahl, two first-round picks, and a fifth-round pick. Johnson hasn’t played since December 10th, battling his way back from a lower-body injury. Danielson is one of only two players on the Brandon roster scoring at a point-per-game pace, managing 26 points in as many appearances. He led the team in scoring last year with 33 goals and 78 points in 68 games – a mark that was enough for Detroit to select him with the ninth-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He now moves to a Portland team that ranks second in the WHL’s Western Conference, with a 25-10-2 record.