In the second period of the defeat in Monday’s overtime for the Flyers, Julien Gauthier gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead with a beautiful backhander after a strong boost to the net. Less than three minutes later, however, the 23-year-old was called up for a high penalty, and the subsequent power play allowed Philadelphia to tie the game in the final 20 minutes.
After the Rangers regained the lead at the start of the third, Gauthier committed another penalty on his third overnight trip to the box. This opened the door for the Flyers to send the game into overtime and ultimately steal two points from the Rangers.
Gauthier’s difficult performance on Monday was a microcosm of his 37-game NHL career. There have been flashes of what the 1.80m and £ 227 man is capable of, while other occurrences have left him as a healthy scratch seven times this season.
He went from being a notable top scorer at the junior and AHL levels to being an inconsistent skater with six hits in the NHL, which is not an unusual occurrence during the transition of a minor player.
Gauthier brings aggression to the Rangers’ attack, but is often overshadowed by careless mistakes and a clear unfamiliarity with the NHL game. He is one of the few Rangers who can go to the net using his large body and ability to maintain possession of the disc.
But Gauthier is still learning how to be reliable on both ends of the ice. And it won’t get better unless he gets the reps he needs.
“Being a top scorer is also like having a scoring role,” said Gauthier after training on Tuesday, as Rangers prepared for Wednesday’s rematch with Flyers at the Garden. “Right now, [I have] a different function, I am adding something to my game. I’m playing more physically, being better defensively, like a 200-foot game. I really try to work on my overall game, but to score goals you have to play for a lot of minutes, and now that’s not my role.
“I’m just trying to focus on playing the right way and doing the right things, and things are going to happen eventually. I have always been a top scorer in my life. When I see a hole in the net or an opportunity to enter the attack, I am always in favor. “
Coach David Quinn said he likes the direction Gauthier is taking, but that the Quebec native has yet to find a balance between “doing the things he has done well and minimizing mistakes”. As Gauthier continues to learn the NHL game, Quinn believes he has a bright future.
After five games at the end of January in which he was scratched, Gauthier’s time in normal clothes has dwindled. He was left out of the lineup on February 18, then played 10 consecutive matches until he was crossed out again for Artemi Panarin’s return to the lineup on Saturday in Boston.
“It is not easy, it is not fun to have [the possibility of being scratched] on the back of your head, ”said Gauthier. “You sure think about it because it happened a few times. Unfortunately, it’s out of my control. My only responsibility is to be ready every day to play on the rink and, hopefully, I will be on a regular basis soon. “