Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Quebec native Julien Gauthier is changing addresses and will attempt to revive his career within the St. Louis Blues organization.
It’s fair to say the Pointe-aux-Trembles native has never truly managed to establish himself consistently in the NHL so far.
On Tuesday morning, the New York Islanders announced they had sent the forward to Missouri in exchange for Matt Luff. This transaction primarily impacts the American Hockey League for now.
“The New York Islanders have acquired Matt Luff from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Julien Gauthier.”
Gauthier will join the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate, to prove he still belongs in the NHL. At 28 years old, time is starting to run out for the former Carolina Hurricanes first-round pick.
Let’s be honest, his stint within the Islanders organization won’t go down in history. This season, he has recorded 5 goals and 2 assists in 14 appearances with the Bridgeport Islanders.
In the NHL, his offensive impact has remained limited, with just 41 points in 181 career games. That’s modest production for a player with his size and speed.
Over the past two seasons, he has played only one NHL game. That’s far from the expectations placed on him when he was drafted in 2016.
Julien Gauthier gets fresh opportunity with Blues organization
On the other side, the Islanders acquire Matt Luff, who had been on an excellent run in Springfield. Luff has 39 points in 42 AHL games this season, very efficient production.
Luff also appeared in 5 games with the Blues this winter, registering one assist. He provides New York with a valuable depth option in case of injuries.
This marks the first NHL trade since the end of the Olympic roster freeze. The market is slowly starting to move again for teams seeking reinforcements.
For Julien Gauthier, this may be a final opportunity to become a full-time NHL regular. Let’s hope the chemistry develops quickly with his new teammates in Springfield.
Let’s be honest, the competition will be fierce to crack the Blues’ lineup before the end of the season. But with his speed, he can still surprise if execution is there.
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New York Islanders trade Julien Gauthier to St. Louis Blues ahead of Canadiens game
Will Julien Gauthier play more than 10 games with the Blues?