How often, in your professional life, have you ever come across a situation when one party just backed out of an understanding, completely out of the blue, and apparently refused to say why, and even meet, over months?

Hayes was just an example.

Flyers not so subtly painted the kid as an erratic, temperamental, entitled brat. Then backed it with a chorus of not so subtle ra ra stuff. How dare he! We don't want him in that case!

I read in this a carefully coordinated campaign. Multiple voices, all suddenly saying the same kinda thing.

It is entirely possible Flyers are indeed the lesser to blame, but I simply do not buy what they are saying. It makes no sense.
- PT21

It happens that for whatever reason, someone just cuts off all communication to further their goals, avoid confrontation or being held accountable.

In this case, I can’t see how the flyers would directly lie to the media and the fans. They would know they’d get caught. I don’t think they’re making this up.

The things I miss about Hayes I hope I see it next week...

1) Somehow always finding a way to be involved in an offsides
2) Great puck possession for over 30 seconds just to lose it at the blue line and causing a breakaway
- Glak18

Offside!

Based upon the available information, this is my assessment:
CG probably headed off to BC under the assumption that he would turn pro after he was done with the college season.
Whether Flyer management, namely Fletcher, implicitly expressed this to CG or his agent is not known.
Come Spring 2023, and Fletcher is no longer GM. The Flyers indicate that they believe CG should stay in school for another year. It could be because the team realizes it is not going to compete for a couple years and would rather let him develop and push the entry contract off an additional year.
CG sees this as forfeiting a year of compensation and delaying getting to RFA/UFA by two years. Also, possibly, that the Flyers went back on their word.
No doubt, the center vs wing stuff and buddy Hayes' view of Torts and being traded are part of the puzzle, too. Although, they're probably smaller pieces.

If Drysdale can become a 1st pair guy, this could be a really good trade. Call me in three years.
- GeorgeBailey

This is exactly it. I don’t fault players wanting to get closer to rfa/ufa status. Especially when they know they are better than the schmucks in the league like ND and brink. The kids want to be here and be coached. The organizations want control over the player contractually

Jonesy seemed rattled:

“If you don’t wanna be a flyer you’re not gonna be”
- anti-lame

I guess…

There is always two sides. The flyers went through a regime change. Fletcher could have presented and agreed with the path Cutter wanted to take in his career at the time he interviewed the kid before drafting him. Then Danny and KJ came to him with a different plan. A plan that would have him spend time in LHV if he wanted to leave school early. No promises on a roster spot.
- Just5

very valid reasons and a possible scenario.

Offside!
- roenick97

remember when they had him on the kill here? that was brilliant.

Did you hear what Torts said about Drysdale last night, that we wants him to get up on the offense more? We'll teach the kid how to play defense, but right we want him to jump up into the offense. Sure doesn't sound like Torts will hold the kid back.
- jd250

DeAngelo

Does anyone know if Cutter has any physically disabled relatives? Could the whole Carson Briere wheelchair incident be a factor? It appears that the timelines match up. That happened March of 23, and he notified the flyers he would not play for them after returning from the WC in the beginning of May. Could that incident and the orgs handling of it caused him to pledge not to play?

Not that having relatives who are disabled is a requirement to be disgusted by the situation, but it does harden ones resolve against those who could be perceived to foster that type of behavior.

It happens that for whatever reason, someone just cuts off all communication to further their goals, avoid confrontation or being held accountable.

In this case, I can’t see how the flyers would directly lie to the media and the fans. They would know they’d get caught. I don’t think they’re making this up.
- Hextall271

have you ever heard of an agent/advisor cutting off all communication? maybe for a short period of tine sure. Overall I dont recall any.

It happens that for whatever reason, someone just cuts off all communication to further their goals, avoid confrontation or being held accountable.

In this case, I can’t see how the flyers would directly lie to the media and the fans. They would know they’d get caught. I don’t think they’re making this up.
- Hextall271

I am not talking about love lives. I specifically said professional life. Is this how the Canadian Navy works? No wonder other G20 countries are assasinating your citizens on Canadian soil.

Joking!! 😜

Less facetiously, I don't think they are lying. I do think however they are spinning. Choosing to embellish part of the story, without full context.

remember when they had him on the kill here? that was brilliant.
- 26912 PP1

You mean when he had 4 SHGs in 19-20 when the Flyers had the 6th best Net PK%?

agree w most of this but i think if a player wants to come out of college he does that. i dont think the flyers stop him. they might try to talk him out of it, but i dont see that as the issue here. if he wanted to play here in Oct he would have been here
- 26912 PP1

Not to be argumentative, but if the Flyers wanted to wait, the only leverage that CG had was to run out the clock the way Hayes and Fox did and become a FA.

Apparently, he is close to Hayes. And, Hayes has decent relations with Danny and Jonesy and reached out himself to say he was not involved. Maybe have Hayes be sort of an informal intermediary?

Look, I simply don't buy that Flyers have no idea whatsoever about the causes. That would be twilight zone stuff. Maybe they don't want to say it. Which makes me think it is more than center/wing. More likely coach or perhaps even a loss of faith about direction of franchise.

But believe me, by this time, they have a very good idea why.

Incidentally, Ducks have announced CG as LW. Jokes on Cutter if playing center was his goal.
- PT21

A player that is signed to a contract with another NHL team can't get involved in any way, informal or formal with a player who is the draft property of another team.

Does anyone know if Cutter has any physically disabled relatives? Could the whole Carson Briere wheelchair incident be a factor? It appears that the timelines match up. That happened March of 23, and he notified the flyers he would not play for them after returning from the WC in the beginning of May. Could that incident and the orgs handling of it caused him to pledge not to play?

Not that having relatives who are disabled is a requirement to be disgusted by the situation, but it does harden ones resolve against those who could be perceived to foster that type of behavior.
- jxt216

Holy god. We're crossing into the realm of insane speculation now..

I am not talking about love lives. I specifically said professional life. Is this how the Canadian Navy works? No wonder other G20 countries are assasinating your citizens on Canadian soil.

Joking!! 😜

Less facetiously, I don't think they are lying. I do think however they are spinning. Choosing to embellish part of the story, without full context.
- PT21

I've actually seen it in my professional career yes. Someone simply ghosting to avoid conflict or being held accountable. The stuff you see..

Would he be a more coveted player around the league at 6’3 200? All else being equal

Yea or no. No spew
- Just5

What if he was 6'3 200 and couldn't play? Since were dealing in hypotheticals apparently.

Yea or no No spew.

Back in his draft year elite prospects had this to say about him.
“He's a brilliant skater, capable of quarterbacking a power play with ease and generating results both ways through the neutral zone. More of a playmaker than a shooter, Drysdale is adaptable first and foremost. He's going to make the best decision regardless, no matter the situation. He's the only defenceman in this year's draft with clear No. 1 defenceman upside.” This kid can be the real deal number one defenseman for us for many years to come.
- wcorvette

Even if he doesn’t become a mythical #1, the Flyers could have locked down the right handed defense position for a long time with him, Bonk and to lesser extent Sotheran. Plus it allows them to trade Walker and still attempt to compete for a playoff spot.

have you ever heard of an agent/advisor cutting off all communication? maybe for a short period of tine sure. Overall I dont recall any.
- hello it's me 2050

I'd have to look. Maybe in heated contract negotiations or arbitration, but it should never go this far.

The Flyers are 25th in the league and falling in G/PG. They're PP is the worst in the league. Now it's not all coaching. The Flyers biggest issue is and remains high level talent. Did you watch the game last night? How by design the Pens move within the offensive zone to create misdirection and deception. How they move the puck with purpose and design. How other teams create speed on breakouts in the neutral zone with set plays, regroups and post ups. Everything the Flyers get, has to come from extreme hard work and a lot of individual play. Take away the SH goals and the Flyers are even worse offensively just in terms of 5 on 5 and PP goal scoring. This team is badly in need of getting an assistant in here with an offensive mind. Rocky Thompson is inept.
- MJL

You are naive to think that what you point out here is coaching .. its not! The reason why the Penguins do what they do is because of the talent and chemistry between Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Guentzel.

Now with that said, I agree with you that Rocky Thompson has not done a good job with the PP, though it has been showing signs of improving lately. The biggest problem I see is more on the players inability to one time shots on net accurately. they take too long to settle the puck and fire it on net, and by that time the goalie and the defense have recovered.

Holy god. We're crossing into the realm of insane speculation now..
- Hextall271

This is total speculation. I'm not saying it has any merit. Just looking for something that might balance out Cutters actions in a relatable way.

I'd have to look. Maybe in heated contract negotiations or arbitration, but it should never go this far.
- Hextall271

agree shouldn't get this far as there is def more to this story. We are getting the flyers version.

I hope cutter did tell them why he doesn't want to be here and they use that to improve moving forward.

Just have a hard time buying the agent "Ghosted" them. Cutter sure I can buy that though that is why he has an agent, to do the talking.

You are naive to think that what you point out here is coaching .. its not! The reason why the Penguins do what they do is because of the talent and chemistry between Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Guentzel.

Now with that said, I agree with you that Rocky Thompson has not done a good job with the PP, though it has been showing signs of improving lately. The biggest problem I see is more on the players inability to one time shots on net accurately. they take too long to settle the puck and fire it on net, and by that time the goalie and the defense have recovered.
- jd250

Drysdale should improve the powerplay. Hopefully drastically.

I've actually seen it in my professional career yes. Someone simply ghosting to avoid conflict or being held accountable. The stuff you see..
- Hextall271

Then you haven't, because in your own words, it is not out of the blue and you have a reason why they are behaving the way they are.

There is always two sides. The flyers went through a regime change. Fletcher could have presented and agreed with the path Cutter wanted to take in his career at the time he interviewed the kid before drafting him. Then Danny and KJ came to him with a different plan. A plan that would have him spend time in LHV if he wanted to leave school early. No promises on a roster spot.
- Just5

I don’t think this makes Cutter look any better than what we do know of the situation already. He’s a kid that was drafted by the Flyers and lucky to be in any organization’s plans.

How often, in your professional life, have you ever come across a situation when one party just backed out of an understanding, completely out of the blue, and apparently refused to say why, and even meet, over months?

Hayes was just an example.

Flyers not so subtly painted the kid as an erratic, temperamental, entitled brat. Then backed it with a chorus of not so subtle ra ra stuff. How dare he! We don't want him in that case!

I read in this a carefully coordinated campaign. Multiple voices, all suddenly saying the same kinda thing.

It is entirely possible Flyers are indeed the lesser to blame, but I simply do not buy what they are saying. It makes no sense.
- PT21

It's the NHL, not a professional setting in the corporate world that we might experience. There wasn't any understanding. An understanding would've been, we talked to Gauthier we agreed he is going to sign with us as soon as his NCAA season is finished. They didn't suddenly paint him as anything. They simply said he didn't want to play here and he wouldn't talk to us about it.

What was the reason for why Briere, Jones and Hilferty all spoke to the media? It's because they traded the player. They were all involved in this. In the agreement to move him and all were aware of why. Why wouldn't they all have the same message? It wasn't some coordinated conspiracy to disparage the kid. It was explaining to their fan base why they traded Gautheir.