Philadelphia Flyers legend Eric Lindros knows a thing or two about demanding a trade. He, of course, refused to play for the Quebec Nordiques after being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Draft. Lindros ultimately ended up coming to Philadelphia and over 30 years later the Flyers found themselves on the other end of the stick.
Cutter Gauthier, the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, appeared to be excited about becoming a Philadelphia Flyer. He was the Flyers’ first top-five selection since Nolan Patrick in 2017 and just their second since James van Riemsdyk in 2007. Gauthier was — and is — an exciting prospect atop the Flyers’ pipeline. However, he reportedly made it clear to the Flyers after last season that he would not be playing in Philadelphia.
The Flyers did well to keep the Gauthier situation under wraps for over half a year before moving him to Anaheim for 2020 sixth-overall pick Jamie Drysdale and the Ducks’ second-round pick in 2025. It was a curious move, to say the least, as Gauthier was coming off a stellar performance at the World Junior Championships and Flyers fans were envisioning his wicked shot in Orange and Black.
However, things became more and more clear as more and more information became available. The true reason for Gauthier’s disdain for the Flyers may never be revealed, but whether it be John Tortorella’s coaching style, miscommunication with the front office, or anything in between, the top prospect was not going to play in Philadelphia.
All three members of the Flyers’ triumvirate — general manager Daniel Briere, president of hockey operations Keith Jones, and head coach John Tortorella — came out and were fully transparent about the situation. Gauthier did not want to be a Flyer and if you don’t want to be a Flyer, then you’re not going to be a Flyer (buy your shirt here).
But Lindros didn’t agree with that course of action from the Flyers front office.
“I would have focused on just saying, ‘We wanted Jamie Drysdale and we had to give up this player,’” Lindros said in an interview with The Hockey News over the weekend. “That’s how I would have dealt with it. I wouldn’t have publicized the situation. I would have just traded the kid.”
Lindros went on to make an analogy that I, personally, don’t quite understand.
“Think about how it was handled,” he said. “It’s like going to the bar when you’re younger and you ask a girl out. If she says, ‘No,’ you don’t go to your buddies and say ‘She shut me down.’ You know what I mean?”
Are you supposed to lie to your buddies and say that you weren’t interested after all? If you make it known that you’re going after a certain goal, whether that be in your personal life, career, relationships, or whatever, and you clearly don’t attain the result you expected, you’re just supposed to lie and hope it doesn’t affect you?
But I digress.
The way the Flyers handled the Gauthier situation falls perfectly in line with their philosophy in this New Era of Orange: Transparency.
The Flyers have been fully transparent about this being a rebuild and focusing on the long-term goal despite finding success this season. They sold at the trade deadline and were open about potentially moving some key pieces. Trying to cover up the Gauthier situation would’ve muddied the waters quite a bit.
There were reportedly up to 20 teams that the Flyers discussed the Gauthier situation with. It seems that it was decently known around the league that the Flyers were shopping the top prospect. If they traded him and then denied any issue with Gauthier, not only would it cause questions within the fanbase — why are you trading a top forward prospect after a great World Juniors tournament for a defenseman with injury history? — but it’d leave the Flyers exposed to other teams potentially leaking the fact that Gauthier demanded a trade.
The Flyers would then be caught with their pants down and the new transparent front office would lose almost all trust with the fanbase. And, at this point, that’s really what it’s all about.
After years of mediocrity, failed rebuilds, and whatever Chuck Fletcher was trying to do, the Flyers have a clear vision in front of them with Briere and Jones at the helm. They know what it’s like to play in Philadelphia and what Flyers fans want. Don’t spit in our faces and tell us it’s raining.
