"That's something you definitely dream about ... being the number one pick," said Gauthier, a left wing with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team. "There's not been many talks with my name in there, but I definitely think I could be in the conversation, for sure."
The first round of the draft will be held July 7 at Bell Centre in Montreal. Rounds 2-7 will be July 8. The Montreal Canadiens have the No. 1 pick, the New Jersey Devils have the No. 2 pick and the Arizona Coyotes have the No. 3 pick.
Gauthier (6-foot-2, 189 pounds), No. 3 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2022 draft, has certainly opened some eyes this season with his strong play. He likens his style to a pair of NHL power forwards with the Winnipeg Jets.
"I like to model my game after Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois," Gauthier said. "Two big, bull power forwards with lots of skill who can change the game at any time. I also like to emulate Mark's leadership qualities."
RELATED: [2022 NHL Draft coverage]
Gauthier was one of six NHL Draft-eligible prospects made available at HarborCenter on Friday to provide some insight into their game during the NHL Scouting Combine.
Gauthier, who will attend Boston College in Hockey East next season, finished second among NTDP skaters with 34 goals this season. He had 65 points in 54 games.
His NTDP teammate, Logan Cooley, is No. 2 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. The 18-year-old (5-10, 174) was second on the NTDP with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games. The University of Minnesota-bound center scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and had 23 shots on goal in six games to help the United States finish second at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
"A guy that I like to watch is Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks); we're similar in height," Cooley said. "I think we're real skilled with the puck. A guy like him, watching the way he maneuvers through bigger defenders, that's what I tried to do."
Shane Wright (6-0, 191), a right-shot center with Kingston in the Ontario Hockey League, was eighth in the OHL with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 63 regular-season games. The projected No. 1 pick in the NHL draft is also No. 1 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.
"I like modeling myself after Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins)," Wright said. "He's someone who can do a lot of things right, a guy that can produce, and he's elite offensively. He can create a lot of goals and make plays offensively. He also plays a terrific game, can play in all different situations, and I think that's the type of player I see myself and a guy I like comparing myself to."
