How a healthy lineup could stunt Julien Gauthier’s growth

In an abridged 56-game season amidst the young cornerstones of the New York Rangers finding their footing, experience has never been more imperative.

The irony is that while assembling this surge of premier draft picks and prospects in the last three years, it has resulted in lineup competition that is hindering the high-potential yet unprioritized talents’ development. Julien Gauthier is case in point.

When Gauthier arrived in February 2020 in exchange for AHL defenseman, Joey Keane, his game reflected spurts of brilliance. Often compared to Chris Kreider, his 6’4” frame and explosive speed allows him to create opportunity. It was clear that with the nurturing, the then 22-year-old Quebec native could be an exciting low-cost addition to GM Jeff Gorton’s grand project.

Fast forward 13 months later, Gauthier has to earn every varsity appearance. With the number one overall pick in Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko in the limelight—accompanied by Filip Chytil’s emergence as a viable second line center—Gauthier is not the most important young prospect. Add in the summer signings of bottom-six forward ‘plug-and-plays’ in Kevin Rooney and Colin Blackwell—along with Phil Di Giuseppe’s steady contributions—and all of the sudden there’s a glut.

Did I mention Vitali Kravtsov’s arrival yet? The 21-year-old 2018 9th overall pick is confirmed to return to North American once the KHL playoffs conclude. Kratsov has been raising eyebrows as of late with highlight reel plays. He’s amassed 24 points on the season for Chelyabinsk Traktor and it looks as if he’s taking form to what Rangers scouts imagined.

With Artemi Panarin currently absent, Gauthier is barely in the lineup. Once he returns, add Kravtsov, and Gauthier is unquestionably sitting in the press box. It is going to cause Head Coach David Quinn some headaches—especially considering how much he juggles the lineup under regular circumstances. But, it’s not necessarily a bad problem to have.

The Rangers recent injury woes have allowed some breathing room for Gauthier to continue showcasing himself. And he’s taken it and run with it. With Chytil’s return, Gauthier has forged a promising chemistry on his line. The goal they connected for in the 6-3 defeat of New Jersey on Saturday was a perfect display of how they complement one another. Gauthier drives the net; Chytil finishes.

Gauthier only has four points through 17 games this season, but he’s noticeable. He’s become more responsible in the defensive zone while mustering those sparks of offensive opportunity. While this growth is encouraging, it’s unnerving to think it could be interrupted soon.

Of course, Gorton could always strike a deal at the April 12 deadline to alleviate this congestion. But, in the meantime, the Rangers are about to have a former first-rounder who has dominated at every level, in street clothes after emphasizing how they sought to acquire youth and skill in their formal letter three years ago. That said, there are some tough decisions ahead.

The issue is that when you have a surplus of top-six potential prospects on the active roster, someone is going to lose out. Priorities have to be made. The best thing Quinn can do is be extra diligent in evaluating who will dress in the bottom six every day, once the Rangers are at full strength. As this new era is hatching right before our eyes, the margin for error has never been slimmer.