Cutter Gauthier's Sophomore NHL Season Is Anything But A Slump As Ducks Fly High

It's mid-March, and the Anaheim Ducks sit atop the Pacific Division. And if you want a glimpse into the good vibes surrounding the team, you just have to observe the camaraderie between veteran Chris Kreider and young gun Cutter Gauthier.

As the pair come into the visitors' room in Toronto, they're giving each other the gears about the just-finished morning skate and certain missed opportunities during drills.

"It was a 2-on-0, and I looked him off," Gauthier said. "He was a little rattled about that."

Despite the fact the 34-year-old Kreider and the 22-year-old Gauthier have been on the same team for less than a full season, they're clearly having fun while also talking about their craft. And with Gauthier leading the Ducks in scoring, he has impressed his veteran mate.

"He's got an unbelievable shot," Kreider said. "He knows to get to the areas where you score goals, he creates space for himself and his teammates, and he's a very good skater, too. He has a nose for the net."

While the sophomore slump has ensnared even some of the best to play the game, Gauthier's second full season in the NHL has been anything but. He has already clinched his first 30-goal season (he's at 32 and counting) and is on pace to crest 70 points when all is said and done, a big improvement from the 20 goals and 44 points he put up as a rookie. 

"It's just getting comfortable, getting confidence every week and getting to know the guys even more," Gauthier said. "Your first year in the league, every road game is your first time playing there, and you don't really know what to expect in that city. Having a year under your belt, you feel more comfortable playing your game."

Notably, Gauthier is also playing more than three minutes per night more under coach Joel Quenneville than he did when Greg Cronin was behind the bench last year.

"I didn't know his coaching style coming into the year," Gauthier said of Quenneville. "I asked a couple guys, and they all had nothing but great things to say. Playing under him for the past five, six months, it's clearly evident he's all for young guys creating plays. He's done a really good job getting buy-in from our team to get wins, whether they're pretty wins or ugly wins."

While Gauthier's internal expectations for this year's Anaheim squad were high – he says the team is right where they believed they should be this season – the Ducks have certainly bested most outside prognostications.

GM Pat Verbeek has put together a club that has youthful exuberance and veteran savvy. Anaheim's top three scorers are all 22 and under, with Gauthier, Leo Carlsson and rookie Beckett Sennecke leading the way. But veterans such as Kreider, Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas have been just as important to the team's success, both on the ice and off it.

"It's great," Gauthier said. "We have a good veteran corps in the locker room, and they're so open to any questions we have. Chris has been a 50-goal scorer in the NHL, and it's fun picking his brain."

Given the way Gauthier has lit the lamp as a sophomore, it's not crazy to think he could put 50 goals in a season himself in the near future. Anaheim has the talent surrounding him to help in that quest, and he certainly has the skills to make it happen. In the meantime, the Ducks are focused on getting back into the playoffs for the first time in eight years – and they've put themselves in a great position to do so.

"We're striving to be a playoff team and eventually a Stanley Cup contender," Gauthier said. "We took a great step over the summer, coming into this season with a fresh mind, ready to come back to work and with everyone buying into the same goal. This is the hardest stretch coming up, so we have to keep our heads up and keep working."

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