3. Power-play impact
Gauthier leads the NHL in power-play goals (10) this season and has scored eight power-play goals over his past six games. The Ducks lead the NHL in power-play percentage (38.5) this season and have been thriving from high-danger zones; Anaheim ranks second in high-danger goals (38) behind the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (39).
Gauthier’s goal-scoring success has come mostly on an even-strength line with fellow young standout Beckett Sennecke (nine high-danger goals; tied with Draisaitl for NHL lead this season) and on the first power play with Sennecke and Leo Carlsson (17 power-play points; second in NHL behind Connor McDavid’s 19). Veteran forward Mikael Granlund, who also plays on Gauthier’s line and the first power play, has scored four high-danger goals (91st percentile among forwards).
Granlund, Carlsson and Sennecke have each been on the ice for 22 power-play goals this season, tied with each other for the most in the League. Jackson LaCombe (21) and Gauthier (20) make the Ducks the only team in the NHL to have five skaters on the ice for at least 20 PPG this season.
NHL EDGE IQ insights 📊: Over Gauthier’s past six games (since Oct. 29), he leads or co-leads the NHL in scoring chances (29), power-play scoring chances (13; tied with Brady Tkachuk), scoring chances on offensive zone plays (21) and perimeter scoring chances (14). Scoring chances are shot attempts with a Projected Goal Rate (“PGR”) greater than 5.0 percent.