Gauthier completed his final junior season with numbers that were just okay. You would have hoped for more, but he did pick up his pace toward the end of the year. His skating has improved, and that development has improved his overall game, allowing him to be effective in all areas. He is now heading to Syracuse to play for the Crunch. How quickly he adapts to the pro game will determine how soon we can expect him to make the jump to the NHL. He is at least one year away, most likely two. Gauthier still has the tools to become a middle-six forward; time will tell whether he trends downward toward a bottom-six role or maintains or builds on his current trajectory.

Making it onto Canada’s WJC squad that lost to Latvia and then was bounced in the Quarterfinals against Czechia. Gauthier had an okay showing, he was not horrible but not great either. Gauthier’s stagnation in the QMHJL is starting to be concerning. He is playing on one of the best QMHJL teams in the Voltigeurs yet he is struggling to develop his play since he was drafted two seasons ago. His ceiling as a top-six player looks to be fading but the floor as bottom-six is still there. He is very likely to spend next season in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch and that will be a key time for Gauthier to prove his abilities.

Gauthier, who signed his entry level contract, looks set to remain with the Voltiguers in the QMJHL for this season. Leading his team in points, Gauthier is a capable playmaker and sniper who is a threat with the puck anywhere on the ice. A standout feature for the 6-foot-0 forward is his willingness to throw his body around. Gauthier’s greatest skill is his offensive instincts, always finding the open areas in the slot with well timed movement and quick shots. Notable weakness is his defensive play. While he will throw his body around he can get lost in his own zone which won’t work in the NHL. Gauthier possesses average to above average puck skills. He will need to improve defensively as his offensive skills can’t make up for his defensive shortcomings. With another season in the QMJHL and likely a season in the AHL, there will be plenty of time for him to work on his game. So far Gauthier is on track to make the top-six. If he can work on his defense he will have a safe floor as a bottom-six player.

Gauthier was selected 37th overall by the Lightning.

For an average-sized winger, Gauthier’s physicality really stands out. He is both adept at and unafraid of throwing his weight around on the forecheck, while also displaying an impressive ability to stay in the play rather than chase hits. Most of his shots occur in the slot, which he manages by timing his offensive movement to perfection. A push-off here, a curl-up-and-funnel-down play there, and Gauthier has his stick up between the dots, ready to one-time it at a moment’s notice. He displays intelligence in almost every offensive scenario, but his puck skills being average or slightly above-average across the board, as well as his lack of defensive consistency, make him more of a late first-rounder. In Gauthier, you’re getting a player with all the physical tools and mental habits to become an NHLer, but who lacks true star power. An ideal pick for a contender with its fair share of stars already.