Calgary Flames Draft Profile: Julien Gauthier

The Calgary Flames need a scoring winger, so is 2016 NHL Draft prospect Julien Gauthier a good fit with the club?

It is no secret that the Calgary Flames lack size and scoring punch on their roster.

It is also not a secret that they have a severe lack of right-shots on the team. Calgary can certainly move-up in the upcoming draft thanks to a draft lottery system which auctions off the first three picks with lotteries, meaning the Calgary Flames can pick anywhere from 1-3 or 5-8.

Should Calgary fall out of the top five in the draft, which is likely considering their luck, than the Calgary Flames draft selection instantly becomes tougher as they miss out on the best players available from the draft. One name the Flames are assuredly considering if this happens is Val-d’Or Foreurs winger Julien Gauthier.

Gauthier has the tantalizing combination of speed, skill, and lots of size. Standing at 6 foot 4 and weighing in at 225 pounds, Gauthier looks like he could be Johnny Gaudreau’s uncle rather than his junior by four years. Also noteworthy about Gauthier is that he shoots right, this is interesting because Gauthier would essentially check all the boxes that the Flames would want in a forward.

Size? Check.

Skill? Check.

Speed? Check.

Right-shot? Check.

More from Calgary Flames News

• Updates from Conroy: UFAs, main camp, captaincy, goaltending, prospects
• Flames captaincy updates and candidate rankings
• Camp Notes: Previewing Calgary Flames Prospects at the Young Stars Classic
• Could Flames goalie Dan Vladar be a trade option for the Avalanche?
• Roundup: Lindholm, Backlund, Hanifin Contract Updates

Despite the fact that Gauthier possesses so many sought after qualities, there are still question marks surrounding the young man, leaving a lot of draft pundits to rank Gauthier outside the top-ten and even the top-twenty. His size is certainly something that teams like in Gauthier, but it may actually be negatively affecting his draft rankings.

Some scouts believe that Gauthier is simply over-powering weaker and smaller defenders in the QMJHL, making some of his 57 points in 54 games a by-product of being the biggest kid around. Gauthier is also one of the oldest players available in this draft having turned eighteen in October of last year.

Julien has also struggled in the back-half of the season, as he put up nearly a goal per game pace in the QMJHL early on, but  ended up with  barely a point per game. The fact that he only put up 16 assists in 54 games leaves some scouts questioning his overall game and whether or not he can make plays instead of just finishing them. These question-marks could leave Gauthier just outside of the top-ten, but I certainly wouldn’t be suprsied if a team takes him in the 7-10 range of the 2016 NHL draft.

Gauthier has an undeniable skill-set that he showcases consistently. He protects the puck as well as anybody else available in the draft, and has a nose for the net, evidenced by his 41 goals this year. His speed is explosive once he gets going, but could work on his edges, and the finer points of his skating. His shot is heavy and accurate, but adjusting to the pro-game where you have less time and space to work with is something that he could struggle with.

I wouldn’t have Gauthier in the same conversation as some of the higher ranked players in the draft, especially a guy like Pierre-Luc Dubois who has put up more points, plays a more complete game, and has progressed more throughout the year. Calgary must be cautious with Gauthier as he has boom or bust potential labelled all over him, and looking at his size and scoring-touch might convince some that he is one of the best players available, but he is not.

Related Story: A Look At A Potential Draftee: Pierre-Luc Dubois

Players like Auston Matthews, Patrick Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Matthew Tkachuk are all players I would target instead of Gauthier as I feel they have less question marks surrounding them, and have really separated themselves from other players available in the draft.

Next: A Look At A Potential Draft Pick: Matthew Tkachuk

But if by some stroke of bad luck the hockey gods decide to punish the Flames and move them down into the 7-8 spot in this draft, than Gauthier is absolutely a good option for a Flames team that needs size and scoring on the wing. While Gauthier has a lot of question marks, a scoring power forward is something that every team craves, and the Flames desperately need and have missed since we traded Jarome Iginla

While Julien Gauthier certainly isn’t Jarome, he is an intriguing prospect, one that the Flames should consider if the top-tier of players are no longer available.