Besides the mammoth blueliner, Samuel Morin, the Rimouski Oceanic have, they also are in possession of a hulking center in Frederik Gauthier. He stands 6’5″, but is a very proficient skater with quick acceleration and agility. He uses his size along the boards to control the puck and work hard along the boards.
Frederik Gauthier THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 4/26/1995
Place of birth: Laval, Quebec
Ht: 6’5″ Wt: 209 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: C/W
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2013
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2013): 10
Other Rankings:
THW Warm Room Rankings (April): 17
ISS (May): 18
Craig Button: 22
Consensus aggregate of several services (NHL Numbers): 18
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 8
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[NHL 2013 Draft Guide – The Next Ones Draft Headquarters: Your quintessential draft resource]
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Besides the mammoth blueliner, Samuel Morin, the Rimouski Oceanic also are in possession of a hulking center in Frederik Gauthier. He stands 6’5″, but is a very proficient skater with quick acceleration and agility. He uses his size along the boards to control the puck and work hard along the boards.
With that size, his shot definitely packs a punch. Gauthier has a quick release and his wrist shots are strong and accurate. He likes taking chances and being creative with the puck, but his game is better suited in the dirty areas where he can play to his advantages.
There was a bit of a question mark with Gauthier coming into the QMJHL as a rookie, but he’s been able to quiet his critics with stellar play and an almost point-per-game total in his first year.
He is difficult to knock off the puck and even more difficult to knock down. His defensive play is just as paramount as his offensive arsenal. He plays a simple defensive game, takes very few penalties, and is difficult to beat one-on-one. The long reach helps his pokecheck, but there are more facets to his defensive game.
Gauthier has a knack for being in the right spot to break up a play and never quits on his shifts. His two-way ability is what has consistently kept his name high in the rankings, and it’s likely that’s where he will be picked come June 30, 2013.
Where Will He End Up In June:
The consensus is he will be selected somewhere between 15th-23rd overall. He’s been in that position almost the entire season.
Scout’s Honor:
“Gauthier experienced an up-and-down campaign. He showed significant flashes, but also lapsed offensively for long stretches. He measures at 6’5″, 214 pounds, has some offensive talent, and shows advanced play for his age. He is an above-average skater, well above-average for a player his size, as he has a real easiness to his stride. He exerts little effort in his pushoffs, and he picks up speed very well. He is very agile, given his size. He had good offensive numbers this season, despite lining up against the opposition’s best players and taking a lot of defensive zone draws. He has a good amount of offensive hockey sense, but sometimes he is too conservative and would be better served by letting his creativity show. His pure offensive upside is a question mark. He also can be a gentle giant at times. He will engage, and I would not describe his play as soft, but he will not throw his body around, and he is not the meanest of players. Despite his frame, he does need to get stronger, and he could stand to shoot a tad more as well.”
Corey Pronman – Hockey Prospectus
“Humongous and well skilled two-way centre in the Jordan Staal mould. Good puckhandler who distributes it well. Moves well for a big man-child and does good work in traffic. Doesn’t have a naturally nasty disposition, but don’t get him angry or he’ll turn mean in a hurry. Will use his size to win battles. Very defensively aware and responsible; cuts off passing lanes and understands positioning. Strong hockey sense in all three zones. Quick release on his shot.“
Statistics:
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
Is Frederik Gauthier the next Keith Primeau? (Flyers Faithful)
International Tournaments:
Gauthier has played in 12 games for Team Canada, in which he has 2 goals and 5 assists.
ETA:
2-3 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 2/5 Reward: 5/5
NHL Potential:
Top 6 two-way forward capable of playing in any situation
Strengths:
Shot release
Wrist shot power
Defensive play
Puck control
Board play
Crashes the net
Skating
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Increase physical play
Fill out his body
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 6/10 Defensive: 7/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– As was mentioned, the two players you can compare Gauthier to most are Jordan Staal and Sean Couturier. Another player I think he resembles a lot is Mikko Koivu.
– Hall of Fame comparison: Joe Mullen
Video(s):
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
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