The Philadelphia Flyers today announced the club 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, according to General Manager Daniel Briere.
Drysdale, 21 (4/8/02), was selected by the Ducks in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. He owns five points (1-4=5) in 10 games with Anaheim this season. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Toronto, Ontario, has 45 points (8-37=45) in 123 games in four seasons with the Ducks (2020-24). He missed majority of the 2022-23 campaign due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The right-shot blueliner set career highs in goals (4), assists (28) and points (32) in 81 games during the 2021-22 season. He ranked second among all NHL rookie defensemen in 2021-22 in points, assists, shots (137) and games while he became one of four rookie defensemen in Ducks history to record 30-or-more points. He tallied two points (1-1=2) in his NHL debut on March 18, 2021 vs. ARI. He became the third defenseman in NHL history to record multiple points in his NHL debut at age 18-or-younger while his first NHL goal marked only the fourth time in NHL history an 18-year-old scored a goal in his NHL debut.
Drysdale skated in two seasons with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and collected 87 points (16-71=87) in 112 career games (2018-20). He was named to the 2018-19 OHL First All-Rookie Team and to the 2019-20 OHL First Team All-Star. He has represented Canada at the 2020 (gold) and 2021 (silver) World Junior Championship and became the youngest defenseman since 2001 to appear in a World Junior Championship for Canada in 2020 (Jay Bouwmeester, 17 years, 3 months).
Gauthier was selected by the Flyers in the first round, fifth overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft and has yet to make his NHL debut. He has spent the last two seasons with Boston College (2022-24).
