Trade Grades: Cutter Gauthier To Anaheim, Jamie Drysdale To Philly

Trade Grades: Cutter Gauthier To Anaheim, Jamie Drysdale To Philly

Cutter Gauthier decided to pull a JD Drew and the Flyers promptly shipped him out of town. Will that prove to be a blessing in disguise or did Philadelphia completely botch this trade? Let’s talk about it and hand out some trade grades.

Flyers: Grade C-

On the surface, it’s hard to like the deal for the Flyers. It very may work out but it’s filled with risk. Prospects are prospects and maybe Gauthier won’t turn into anything. Still, to cash him in for an injury-prone offensive first defenseman feels like a huge swing that may go south in a hurry. 

Jame Drysdale likely will become the new power-play quarterback in Philadelphia. Something they tried to find in the Tony DeAngelo trade. Drysdale, 21, was the 6th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He’s not a good defender right now but he certainly has potential on the offensive side of the puck. 

Jamie Drysdale, acquired by PHI, is a young puck-moving offensive defenceman. It's difficult to get a real sense of his ability and potential give the combo of getting thrown into big minutes right away in ANA + injuries. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/cZuoCCzlAT

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 9, 2024

It’s really hard to ignore the injury concerns here. Drysdale played just 10 games this year and only eight the season before. Can they keep the guy healthy? What if health problems hinder his career? To give up a guy like Gauthier for a medical risk feels like a dangerous game to play. 

I guess the positive is that they also landed a second round pick. Another draft asset that hopefully turns into another impact player. The draft is also a total crapshoot and that pick may also turn into nothing. 

At the end of the day, this trade will come down to Gauthier. If Gauthier turns into a star, this trade will go down as a disaster even if Drysdale stays healthy. If Gauthier is just a regular NHL player, Phill likely salvaged this deal. 

This is the real problem. If Drysdale was as good as Jake Sanderson, wouldn’t we have seen him break out? Drysdale has positive offensive metrics but may never become a 200-foot player. Exactly the type of guy that John Tortorella doesn’t like. 

I’ll give the Flyers a C- because a lot is still unknown. Will Drysdale become a mainstay as the PP1? Can he stay healthy? If both turn into positives, Philly fans will live with this deal. If both turn into hard no’s, this deal is a big-time F. 

Will Keith Jones Thrive Overseeing The Flyers?

Ducks: B+

I love the deal for the Ducks. It’s really just a matter of what Gauthier will become as a player. After winning the MVP Award at the World Juniors, you certainly have to like his chances to become an impactful NHL player. If Gauthier becomes a lightning goal scorer, this trade was well worth it. The fact that we don’t know his true potential is why this trade isn’t a total A. 

GAUTHIER ON THE POWER PLAY! USA LEADS WITH THREE MINUTES TO GO!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/lbcQlmEHUq

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2024

Plus, the Ducks do give up a valuable asset here in Drysdale. However, the positive is that the Ducks already have his replacement in-house. Pavel Mintyukov has proven he’s the better player and should be getting the top PP role anyway. Mintyukov passes the eye test and deserves those top end minutes. He’s going to be a special player. 

I guess the Ducks felt that having this guy made Drysdale expendable. They might not be wrong… #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/KjjOGZ6gjz

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 9, 2024

With that in mind, making this trade feels like a no-brainer. Especially when you factor in that Drysdale very well may be a medical risk for the rest of his career. He’s 5-foot-11 and hasn’t figured out the defensive part of the game. To cash in that piece for a future stud makes all the sense in the world. Especially given that the Ducks are building a young core that Gauthier can build around. 

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