Philadelphia Flyers acquire Cutter Gauthier from Anaheim in exchange for Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft

In return for forward Cutter Gauthier, the Philadelphia Flyers received defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Anaheim Ducks.

General Manager Daniel Briere of the Philadelphia Flyers announced today that the team has acquired defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Cutter Gauthier.

The Ducks selected Drysdale, 21, (4/8/02), sixth overall in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Throughout his ten games with Anaheim this season, he has five points (1-4=5). The 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Toronto, Ontario, has played in 123 games throughout four seasons (2020–24) with the Ducks, scoring 45 points (8–37=45). The majority of the 2022–2023 season was missed by him because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

In 81 games during the 2021–22 season, the right-shot blueliner recorded career highs in goals (4), assists (28) and points (32). In terms of points, assists, shots (137), and games played in 2021–22, he finished second among all rookie defensemen in the NHL. He also became one of just four rookie defensemen in Ducks history to record 30 or more points in a game.

On March 18, 2021, he made his NHL debut against ARI and recorded two points (1-1=2). His first NHL goal was only the fourth in NHL history for an 18-year-old to score a goal in his NHL debut. He also became the third defenseman in NHL history to record multiple points in his debut at age 18 or younger.

During his two seasons as a skater, Drysdale scored 87 points (16-71=87) in 112 career games for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) (2018–20). He was selected to the OHL First Team All-Star 2019–20 and the OHL First All-Rookie Team 2018–19. In 2020, Jay Bouwmeester, then 17 years and 3 months old, became the youngest defenseman to compete for Canada in a World Junior Championship since 2001. He represented Canada in the gold and silver divisions of the 2020 World Junior Championship.

Having not yet made his NHL debut, Gauthier was chosen by the Flyers with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft. Boston College has been his home team for the past two seasons (2022–24).