Lightning draft Ethan Gauthier 37th overall
The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Ethan Gauthier with the 37th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Ethan Gauthier
Position: Right wing
Height: 5-foot-11.5
Weight: 183 lbs
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
Club: Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
Nationality: 🇨🇦
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 16th among North American skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherbrooke | 66 | 30 | 39 |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 5 | 6 | 1 |
Gauthier, who was selected first overall in the 2021 QMJHL draft, is the top-ranked prospect out of that league's weak draft class. His father, Denis, played for the Arizona Coyotes, while his cousin is Ottawa Senators forward Julien Gauthier.
The prospect is an average-sized offensive winger, but, like his defensive defenseman father, he has an acumen for the physical side of the game.
Gauthier played on a fantastic Sherbrooke Phoenix squad, though the team lost in the QMJHL semifinals to the Halifax Mooseheads this year. His role diminished slightly after the trade deadline, but Gauthier still scored 30 goals and 69 points in 66 regular-season games before tallying 11 points in as many playoff contests.
Those results put Gauthier third among draft-eligible QMJHLers in regular-season scoring rate and total playoff points, behind defenseman Etienne Morin and forward Mathieu Cataford in both categories.
Gauthier represented Canada once internationally, at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He led the tournament with six goals en route to the gold medal.
Gauthier will return to the QMJHL next season with the Drummondville Voltigeurs after being traded in June.
What they're saying
"He's a versatile, hardworking player who excels in pretty much every facet of the game, gets to the middle of the ice, and makes plays around the net through skill and timing," wrote The Athletic's Scott Wheeler. "He's going to be an NHLer - I think the bigger question is whether he's going to be more of a middle-six or a top-six one."
"He has a good shot, moves well, and clearly has the one-on-one skill to get by defenders and make plays in tight," FloHockey's Chris Peters wrote. "He's closer to average in the size department but still doesn't shy away from contact and getting aggressive."
"Gauthier has very good skill and offensive IQ," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "He's quite physical and can be nasty to play against, which you love to see from a smaller player."
Click here to watch Gauthier's highlights.