With 14th Pick Boston Bruins May Get Chance at Big Right Wing Scoring Machine Julien Gauthier

Despite picking in the middle of the first round again at the upcoming June 24-25 NHL draft in Buffalo, the Bruins may just luck out and end up with an elite level prospect in the form of a 6’4”, 225-pound power forward who can score -- Julien Gauthier.

The 18-year old right-shooting Quebec City native is a scoring beast on the right wing who can do it all - skate, stickhandle, shoot, even be a threat on the penalty kill - and he scored 41 goals this season for Val-d’Or of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in just 54 games.

In fact that may be the only reason why Boston may have a shot at him with the 14^th pick. He was ranked 4^th on mid-term draft boards in January by both Central Scouting and ISS, but was injured by an illegal hit that kept him out for some games and slowed him down for a bit after a strong start. He finished the year dropping to a final ranking of 12^th among North American skaters by Central Scouting, and 21^st overall by ISS. Other prominent boards rank him anywhere from 10^th to 20^th, so the B’s may have a good chance at him.

He would fit Bruins President Cam Neely’s desire to find a right wing this offseason with size and passion who can also play. The B's are additionally searching for defense and backup goaltending, but already have a plethora of high-end blueline prospects and the potential in the July free agency period to further add to that mix. If Gauthier is still available at 14, he'd be a high value pick as a top player on the board while also filling a key need. “I’d like us to get a little bit heavier on the right side,” said Neely during a Bruins press conference April 20. “I think we need that element on the forward group.”

Gauthier would fit that bill and then some. He’s been playing ahead of his years in the QMJHL since he was 15, when he led all players his age in points with 29 and helped the Foreurs capture the league title. He followed that up with a 38-goal, 73-point campaign in 68 games in 2014-2015 before loading up with 41 goals, 57 points and a career-high +24 this season. He was also the only first year draft-eligible player selected to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Finland this season, where he contributed two assists. He received additional top-shelf international exposure playing in the Canada-Russia All-Star Junior Super Series, and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Top Prospects game.

“I think he’s probably one of the best athletes in Canada for his group of age, with the way he’s built. He's a power forward with hands.” 

 - Val-d'Or Foreurs coach Mario Durocher 

“Not many draft-eligible teenagers possess a type of overwhelming arsenal of characteristics like [Gauthier], who has literally dominated his age group within the CHL in each of the last three seasons,” according to The Draft Analyst. “Blessed with a solid build, good speed and a strikingly accurate shot, [he] validated his rightful place among the world’s elite amateurs a few years back. His stick is always in the right position, whether to receive a pass on the rush or in the slot. He uses his size and reach to his advantage beyond puck protection. He’s difficult to defend in front of the net because he can alter shots heading in a variety of directions. He keeps defenders further away from the net because he doesn’t have to be close to the cage to fight for rebounds.”

Gauthier possesses the rare qualities of having great size, and being a great skater, stickhandler and shooter with an excellent eye and drive for the net at the same time. He is also willing to learn and continue to grow, has a huge ceiling, and is close to being NHL-ready given his strength and maturity. “I think he’s probably one of the best athletes in Canada for his group of age with the way he’s built,” Val-d’Or coach Mario Durocher said on Sports and Moore in late January. “He’s a power forward with hands. He can score goals, he’s got good hands, he’s got a great shot, and he likes to shoot and he likes to score.”

According to Elite Prospects, Gauthier has drawn well-deserved comparisons to big NHL sniper Rick Nash with his “imposing frame, dazzling puck skills, and the drive to win. [He is] an explosive power forward who boasts an elite-level skill package, takes nothing for granted and plays with a hard-nosed work ethic. [His] willingness to play physical and win battles in his own end makes him a vital asset, stepping up at the game’s key moments. Exceptional skating ability allows him to stay with, if not ahead, of each unfolding play. Refined puckhandling skills allow him to maintain puck control at breakneck speeds. [He’s] a prolific scorer whose attitude and innate abilities will constantly propel him into dominance.”

The Bruins have got to like the size, skill and determination Gauthier brings, and with the need for an elite-level talent on the roster, if he’s still available at 14 the B’s would be wise to snap him up. him the best Quebec-raised power forward since Steve