Don’t look for a Cutter Gauthier reunion in Philadelphia.
That’s the read coming out of Anthony Di Marco’s appearance on TSN Radio in Montreal on Monday, where the discussion turned to whether Flyers GM Danny Briere might try to force Anaheim’s hand again. Di Marco didn’t see that going anywhere.
“Hey guys, look, it takes two to tango to sign an offer sheet, and Cutter Gauthier refused to play for the Philadelphia Flyers. So I can’t imagine that he would have any interest in an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers if Danny Briere chucked it his way.
But look, I mean, from a Flyers standpoint, I think they took their shot. They chucked a grenade across the continent at the Anaheim Ducks and really put them in a financial pickle, and they still have a lot of work to do before the regular season gets underway here.
Cutter Gauthier and Adam Fantilli are Waiting to be Paid
To your point, Cutter Gauthier is still a pending RFA, but I think the Flyers are going into the season with the roster they have, which is disappointing for sure. But I mean, if there was any RFA still unsigned that Danny Briere would take a shot at? I think it would be Adam Fantilli.
But even in saying that, back when I spoke to my sources, going back almost two months at this point, because it has all been cottage season for these guys, I don’t think that’s something that’s in the cards. They don’t want to fire a shot across the bow at Columbus, and we have to remember that Danny Briere’s son is a video coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets. So there is a personal part to play in this as well.”
There’s one important wrinkle to clear up, though: Gauthier isn’t eligible for an offer sheet, so that route is off the table. Still, the bigger point stands - if he were eligible, it’s hard to picture Philadelphia making that move after how things went down.
For now, Gauthier’s price tag keeps climbing, and Anaheim has work to do. Reports say he turned down a four-year deal with a $13 million AAV, and his camp is believed to be looking for $15 million on an AAV after what Leo Carlsson got from the Flyers in an offer sheet.
That leaves the Ducks in a tight spot, especially with training camp approaching and money still needing to be moved around.
As for Philadelphia, the sense is that they’ve already made their statement. After matching the offer sheet and getting Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras signed, the Flyers appear set to move forward with the group they have. The next step is internal growth, and then, eventually, another addition when they’re ready to contend.
In Other News...
Flyers Quietly Took A Chance On A Young Scorer With Something To Prove
The Flyers added a little lottery-ticket intrigue to their forward depth by signing Danila Klimovich, a young winger who became available after Vancouver chose not to give him a qualifying offer. Philadelphia is betting on upside here, not immediate help, but there is at least a clear reason for the interest: Rick Tocchet already knows Klimovich from his time with the Canucks, and that familiarity can matter when a club is looking for players who might still have another level to reach.
Klimovich arrives in Philadelphia with some unfinished business and a track record that suggests there is more there than a standard organizational depth add. He has not yet played in the NHL, but he has been a productive scorer in the AHL and the Flyers are open to the idea that he can eventually grow into a useful depth forward at the top level. For a team always looking to find value without spending big, that is the kind of swing worth making. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Quietly Settled Two Final Roster Questions Before Camp
The Flyers have wrapped up their offseason business by bringing back two more players who help fill out the organizational picture heading into training camp. Defenseman Hunter McDonald and forward Nolan Foote were both re-signed, giving Philadelphia a cleaner look at the bottom of the depth chart and leaving fewer loose ends for the front office as summer turns to September.
McDonalds return gives the Flyers another young blue-line option to keep developing, while Foote adds a forward with some versatility to the mix. These are not splashy moves, but they matter at this stage of the calendar, when teams want as much certainty as possible before camp battles begin and every roster spot gets scrutinized. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Face A Cutter Gauthier Standoff Fans Can No Longer Ignore
The Flyers have already made their presence felt around the league this offseason, and not just through the roster they are trying to build in Philadelphia. Their offer sheet attempt on Leon Carlsson helped jolt the NHL salary market, creating ripple effects far beyond one negotiation and adding another layer of pressure on teams trying to sort out their own business. For a club that has spent plenty of time looking for a clearer path forward, the willingness to get aggressive was a meaningful signal.
It also adds some outside perspective to the Ducks' Cutter Gauthier situation, where a reported contract offer has been turned aside and the noise around the two sides has only grown. Anaheim now has to manage a young player whose next step is no longer feeling routine, and Flyers fans will recognize the wider point here: when one team pushes hard to improve, it can unsettle a lot of the league at once. For Philadelphia, the broader message is simple enough. The market is changing, and the teams trying to keep up are not all in the same spot. [Read more 🡒]