Evaluating Jamie Drysdale as the Return for Cutter Gauthier
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired Jamie Drysdale and a future 2nd-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks in a blockbuster deal for Cutter Gauthier. The drama surrounding Gauthier has dominated the news, but what are the Flyers getting in Drysdale?
Jamie Drysdale
The Ducks selected Drysdale with the 6th-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He is a smooth skater who can generate offense off the rush. The Flyers hope he can develop into a top-pair defenseman and a power-play quarterback as a key part of their organizational rebuild.
Drysdale spoke about his strengths as a player when he met with the Philadelphia media.
“I think I’m just a puck-moving dman who can move really well up the ice, up and down. I think I can definitely play defense too. I think it’s definitely a work in progress, and that’s what I want to learn. I’ve already been talking with coaches here and picking up on some stuff.” -Jamie Drysdale
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound defenseman performed well offensively in his only full NHL season in 2021-22. He scored four goals and added 28 assists in a second-pair role averaging 19:53 of ice time.
Drysdale struggled to suppress opposing offense, allowing 2.72 expected goals against (xGA) per 60 minutes of ice time. The rate ranked in the 16th percentile of NHL defensemen who played over 600 minutes for the season. The struggles are not uncommon for rookie defensemen, especially on teams without great defensive structure.
He also finished second among Anaheim defensemen in power-play ice time in 2021-22. The unit finished 14th in the NHL with a 21.9% success rate.
A torn labrum limited him to eight games in 2022-23, and Drysdale has missed most of 2023-24 with a lower-body injury. He returned to the lineup for the Ducks on Dec. 21, and Danny Briere spoke confidently about Drysdale’s health moving forward.
Danny Briere talked about Jamie Drysdale as the return package to the Flyers in the Cutter Gauthier blockbuster pic.twitter.com/f7yfr6bibS
— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) January 9, 2024
Fit with the Flyers
John Tortorella has established himself as a commanding voice within the organization during his tenure as the head coach. However, Brad Shaw has quietly done an impressive job on the staff molding the Philadelphia defensemen.
Will Drysdale become the next success project? The young defenseman’s skill set aligns with an aggressive style in transition that has guided the Flyers during the first half in 2023-24.
“We’ve heard great things about him as far as his character. Aggressive up ice, a good offensive player… The part for me as I watch the tape, I just don’t think he’s up the ice enough offensively. The first time I see him face to face, that’s what I’m going to tell him. I want to see him get going that way and help us offensively. We’ll teach him the defensive part of it.” -John Tortorella
Challenges from Tortorella, Shaw, and the Flyers staff have pushed defensemen to improve since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Rasmus Ristolainen has developed a much more responsible defensive game the past two seasons. Nick Seeler has gone from a fringe NHL player to a reliable lineup regular.
Sean Walker and Travis Sanheim have started 2023-24 with some of the best hockey of their respective careers. Drysdale now faces the opportunity to adapt to a new system early in his career.
“He’s the best in the business, as far as teaching, as far as I’m concerned… I have full confidence in Brad Shaw in handling this kid and going over the things that we need to go over at the proper time.” -John Tortorella
The Flyers finished 32nd on the power play in 2022-23, and they’ve posted an even worse rate with the man advantage this season. Drysdale hopes to improve a unit that hasn’t finished higher than 14th in the NHL since Joe Mullen left the staff after the 2016-17 season. He’ll try to avoid a tendency for firing low-percentage shots from the point and focus more on working as a distributor.
Trade Evaluation, Gauthier Drama
Losing a prospect who was supposed to be a foundational piece of the rebuild sent shockwaves through the fan base. The off-ice drama will drive the narrative of the trade, and Jamie Drysdale will face constant comparisons to Cutter Gauthier throughout his Flyers career.
Danny Briere set the expectation for Drysdale as a top-pair defenseman. An inexperienced raw talent probably isn’t ready to fulfill that expectation right away. However, Tortorella pointed out that the acquisition came at the perfect time during the rebuild.
Drysdale will have the opportunity to develop into the role without immense pressure for the Flyers to make the playoffs. He also affords the Flyers the opportunity to move Sean Walker, who isn’t as good of a fit with another offensive-minded, right-handed defenseman ready to play toward the top of the lineup.
Briere managed difficult circumstances well. He flipped Gauthier for a package that should be considered equal value and addressed a position of need. The rookie general manager spoke on 97.5 The Fanatic about how Gauthier’s value reached its height after the World Juniors and how Anaheim “upped the ante” by including the 2nd-round pick in the trade package.
The organization’s ability to keep the situation out of the public eye also reflects well on the operation of a new leadership group. They had discussed trades involving Gauthier since before the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, but the controlled approach helped the Flyers maintain their trade leverage.
Briere resolved a situation that was already in place when the new front office took shape. The Flyers now gain an immediately impactful roster piece for the current season in exchange for an NCAA prospect. Briere continues to earn the respect of the fan base with a more effective approach than they saw with the previous regime under Chuck Fletcher.
97.5 The Fanatic, the flagship radio partner of the Philadelphia Flyers, provides news, analysis, and outlook on the 2023-24 season.
6 Philadelphia Flyers Retired Numbers & 1 More That Deserves It
Bernie Parent #1
“Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent.”
Countless drivers in Philadelphia during the 1970s read the iconic bumper sticker about the future Hall of Fame goaltender. Parent accumulated Hall of Fame numbers over 13 NHL seasons, 10 of which included stints with the Flyers.
The real mark of his legacy came in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. He won the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL after both regular seasons. His 47 wins in 1973-74 stood as a league record until 2007.
Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP for each of the only two Stanley Cups in franchise history after both of his Venzina seasons. The famed Broad Street Bullies built their reputation on intimidation and grit, but they never would’ve sniffed a Stanley Cup without Bernie Parent between the pipes.
Mark Howe #2
Mark Howe played six seasons in the WHA to begin his professional career and didn’t make his debut with the Flyers until age 27. However, he established himself as the indisputable best defenseman in franchise history.
He still holds franchise records for goals, assists, points, shorthanded goals, and plus/minus rating among defensemen. Most of the blueliners behind him in the major statistical categories played more games with the Flyers. Howe published a book cleverly named Gordie Howe’s Son in 2013.
Eric Lindros #88
The Flyers made arguably the biggest splash in NHL history when they acquired the rights to Eric Lindros in 1992 after some lengthy drama. He was supposed to be the next Wayne Gretzky, and his dynamic skill and intimidating power didn’t disappoint when he was on the ice. He won the Hart Trophy after the shortened 1994-95 season and helped the Flyers to an appearance in the 1997 Stanley Cup Final.
Concussions derailed the career of arguably the most talented hockey player ever to lace up the skates. He struggled to stay healthy in a stretch that infamously ended with a devastating hit from Scott Stevens in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final.
He ranks sixth in franchise history in scoring, but his 1.36 points per game average blows every other Flyers skater out of the water. The organization has properly moved on from disagreements with one of their all-time greats whose number has hung in the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center since 2018.
Claude Giroux #28
The Flyers were in Stanley Cup contention when Claude Giroux broke into the NHL. The crafty forward developed into the organizational centerpiece, but the team dragged through a forgettable era in franchise history during his captaincy.
Giroux is second in Flyers history in points, games played, and assists trailing only the legendary Bobby Clarke. He played on teams that won six total playoff series and recorded 73 postseason points, including an overtime goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. He has finished fourth or higher in Hart Trophy voting three times during his tenure in Philadelphia.
The Flyers will someday retire the number of one of their all-time greats who unfortunately never broke through with a Stanley Cup.
