Cutter Gauthier's shoot-first mentality will serve him well now and in the future

The Anaheim Ducks prospect has the tools that will grant him success at the NHL level

The game of ice hockey, when boiled down, is a simple game to understand. Whoever scores the most goals at the end of the game wins. 

In an era where we are starting to see goal-scoring rise again in the NHL (the 2023-24 NHL season currently sees an average of 3.11 goals per game), those who can put the puck in the back of the net will only become more valuable to their teams. 

Thanks to his shoot-first mentality, Cutter Gauthier has the makings of one of those players in the future. 

Many Anaheim Ducks fans were upset to part with a fan favourite in Jamie Drysdale but getting Gauthier back in the trade should continue to excite them. 

One of the ways in which Gauthier is so dangerous with the puck on his stick is the myriad of different ways in which he can beat a goalie. 

Whether it is from below the goal line, above the face-off dot or directly in the slot, Gauthier has proven he can beat a goalie even when given little time and space to maneuver. 

An example of this came in the semifinal of the 2024 World Juniors semifinal against Finland where Gauthier's goal with 3:13 left in the third period was the goal that sent the U.S. to the gold medal game.

What makes this sequence impressive is between Gauthier receiving the pass and the puck ending up in the back of the net, all he does is take one step towards the net before firing his shot. In that little time, he was able to identify the open shooting lane, adjust the angle of his release to not get it blocked by the defender while also generating an impressive amount of torque in his release before the goalie even knew what was going on.

Gauthier's shoot-first mindset also shone through on the stats-sheet this season. In the 39 games Gauthier has suited up for the Eagles, he has had 25 games where he has registered five or more shots during the course of a game, with an astounding high of 11 coming back in October against Long Island University.   

That is not to say that Gauthier hasn't had moments where he has forced a shot when passing was the better option but for his coaches, those decisions are ones they can live with. 

As the Frozen Four quickly approaches, Boston College is a serious threat to win the national championship. With many dangerous options amidst their forward core, it should be no surprise to see Gauthier amongst the leaders on the scoresheet if they do go the distance.

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