Inside Cutter Gauthier's Benching During Ducks Win over Utah
Ducks Rookie Cutter Gauthier only saw three shifts in the final 30 minutes of the Ducks 5-4 OT win over Utah on Wednesday.
Inside Cutter Gauthier's Benching During Ducks Win over UtahCutter Gauthier is now four games into his NHL career. After a promising NHL debut in April, the 2024-25 season hasn't gotten off to the smoothest of starts for the 20-year-old rookie forward.
Entering the season, Gauthier was considered one of the frontrunners to win the Calder Trophy.
Through three games in 2024-25, Gauthier has been held without a point while playing on the team's listed top line alongside Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn, averaging 13:59 TOI and receiving ample power play time (9:12 TOI) on the team's perceived top unit.
Though he's shown flashes of the positive on-ice impact he can have on the Ducks' roster (instant offense, shot creation, transition prowess, etc.), he's seemingly having a difficult time adjusting to the skill and tenacity of NHL defenders.
Just over halfway through the Ducks' 5-4 OT win over the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday night, Gauthier remained on the bench for the last 8:38 of the second period. He returned to his spot in the lineup for two shifts to start the third period (including 1:45 on the power play) and was on the bench for the final 14:39 of the game as the Ducks mounted their comeback effort.
"He was struggling a bit," Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said after the game. "A 20-year-old kid, it’s his (fourth) game in the league. As a coach, you’re trying to change a little bit of chemistry. I stuck (Vatrano) out there for a little bit, and then I went with McGinn in the third period. Brock’s been around a while; he’s a 30-year-old guy. He kills penalties, and I think he’s going to be able to make some plays under pressure, and Cutter’s going to learn that over the course of the season. Sometimes, it’s good to learn by watching (too).”
Gauthier played 12:49 against Utah on just 12 shifts, an average of 1:04 minutes per shift.
This was in large part due to his line's (his, in particular) inability to advance pucks and connect second passes on the breakout, leading to them being hemmed in the defensive zone for extended periods.
Gauthier had trouble finding his supporting forwards on the breakout or advancing pucks past the defensive blueline. He wasn't particularly effective on the forecheck or disruptive defensively, struggled to find ice or options with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, and displayed less-than-stellar puck management.
These aren't uncommon occurrences for young players so early in their careers. In a tight game with a struggling rookie, Cronin decided to make an adjustment to give his team what he thought was the best chance to win.
Ducks' star forward Trevor Zegras experienced something similar nearly a year ago (10-24-23) in Columbus when he was on the bench for the entire third period and overtime in the Ducks' 3-2 OT win over the Blue Jackets.
“He’s an amazing player. He has one of the best releases I've seen, probably one of the best on the team," Zegras told Derek Lee of The Hockey News. "It's a hard league to play in, and especially with where we're at as a team, it’s just about managing the game a little bit.
"We’ve only played three games (so far)," Zegras continued. "Obviously, he played one at the end of the season last year. I have no doubts that he's going to be an amazing player for our team.
It’s just all about keeping your head high in those moments and cheering for your teammates and knowing that his time will come. He’s an amazing teammate, he’s an amazing player, and we all love him here, so it's all good.”
Gauthier will look to recalibrate and bounce back on Friday evening as the Ducks take on the winless Colorado Avalanche in Denver.