Gauthier says trade from Flyers to Ducks is ‘personal matter’

Cutter Gauthier said Wednesday that not wanting to play for the Philadelphia Flyers is a personal decision, but he wouldn’t go into details.

Gauthier, who was the No. 5 pick by Philadelphia in the 2022 NHL Draft, was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft after Gauthier expressed an unwillingness to play for the Flyers as early as last May, according to Philadelphia general manager Daniel Briere.

Gauthier, who turns 20 on Jan. 19, was named the best forward at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, when he had 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in seven games to help the United States win the gold medal.

In the latest episode of the Ducks’ “Light the Lamp” podcast, Gauthier said forward Kevin Hayes, who was traded by the Flyers to the St. Louis Blues on June 27, 2023, did not persuade Gauthier to seek a move elsewhere, contrary to opinions shared on another podcast earlier in the week.

"It's kind of tough to talk about,” Gauthier said. “I'd like to announce that it's a personal matter between myself and my family and my agent, Kurt (Overhardt). I did see one thing going around the internet that I would like to specifically address about the rumors about Kevin Hayes, and I would like to especially say that he had zero, zero conflict with anything that had to do with the trade, and seeing that stuff is pretty ruthless from what people are saying to that, but Kevin Hayes had nothing to do with the situation at hand.

“I can't really talk too much about it. I’m going to keep it to myself and my family and my agent."

Hayes signed a seven-year contract with the Flyers on June 18, 2019, and played four seasons for them before being traded.

“We were hoping that at some point he would change his mind,” Briere said of Gauthier. “He had already changed his mind. He looked at us at the draft and told us he was built to be a Flyer, wanted to be a Flyer, and then a few maybe months later told us that he didn't want to be a Flyer, didn't want to play for the Flyers. So, in our mind at first, we said we have to protect him because if he changes his mind again and it's out there that he doesn't want to play, it's going to be tough for him to put the uniform on. But when we realized that they refuse to talk to us now, it's been months, he didn't want to be a Flyer, didn't want to be in Philadelphia, it was time to make it happen.”

Gauthier said Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek told him the Ducks are happy to have him. The Boston College sophomore, who has 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 17 games, is ready to assist them whenever the time comes.

"[Verbeek] called me right after the trade happened and just welcomed me to the organization, told me how thrilled he was,” Gauthier said. “He said he's been out to Boston a handful of times watching me a month prior, just kind of to see what I'm all about and I'm just super excited to get things going. He mentioned that it's a little bit of a younger team, but also has a lot of experience as well and he's ready to turn things around and get things going. I can't wait to be part of the rebuild here and keep it going.

"… I would say I'm a very trustworthy person and I'd do anything to help the team win, whether it's blocking a shot, winning a face-off, scoring a big goal. I'm all for the team. That's one thing I want the guys in Anaheim to know is I'll do anything to win and do whatever it takes to help the team win and my brothers as well."