Are the Carolina Hurricanes Underutilizing Julien Gauthier?

Carolina Hurricanes’ forward, Julien Gauthier, hasn’t seen consistent ice time since his recent call-up. What are the reasons for it, and could the team be more effective in deploying him?

The Carolina Hurricanes are underutilizing a certain right-winger that I feel can be an x-factor when deployed correctly. Julien Gauthier has played a grand total of 10:56 across 21 shifts since his re-call and I have a simple question that I’ll subsequently attempt to answer. Why?

Gauthier had himself a killer preseason, and was rewarded by being sent back to the Charlotte Checkers. Granted, it wasn’t his fault that the Carolina Hurricanes added so much depth over the summer resulting in few spots. He made a compelling case but it just wasn’t enough out of the gate.

Everything I’m pondering right now is purely speculative since I can’t read minds. But what’s the point of calling up a guy like Gauthier if he’s only going to see the ice for four minutes and some change with bottom-six line mates?

Obviously, Gauthier’s ascent in the lineup is being stalled. I imagine that Coach Brind’Amour’s reluctance to play him is directly tied to the three minor penalties in four games. Gauthier has always struck me as an aggressive player, but to me, these penalties scream over-aggressive and stemming from a heightened sense of urgency.

Again, this is a dart throw, but it looks like his limited opportunities during this call-up are at least partially to blame for the six PIMs.

I think the most perplexing aspect of his recent games is that he has been noticeable, in good ways, when he’s seen the ice. Look no further than his burning Tyler Myers in Vancouver to earn a partial breakaway. That burst of speed was phenomenal, and his shot was equally dangerous. Jacob Markstrom had other ideas though, and there’s nothing Gauthier could’ve done better on that play.

Furthermore, he’s been able to drive possession at even strength. He has managed to turn his 71.4% offensive zone starts into a 53.8% CF% at even strength, which is respectable.

This isn’t meant to be insulting, and I am very familiar with how guys like Brock McGinn and Jordan Martinook fit into the lineup. But, an average of 5:56 TOI alongside career 4th-liners isn’t going to help Gauthier reach the tipping point of becoming a full-time NHL player.

Gauthier needs to be on the ice with other impact players. I’ve scribbled down multiple ideas over the weeks, but here’s what I’m currently sitting on. I’d like to see Gauthier alongside Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal. I mean, just try it.

The reasoning is that Svechinkov will produce no matter where you put him. I can envision Gauthier and Svechnikov playing well off each other below the goal line and off the rush. Staal is included because I’m speculating that another reason Gauthier isn’t seeing consistent ice time is that his play away from the puck still needs a little more seasoning.

In addition to this line being heavy and having scoring potential, there’s also the chance that Gauthier could passively pick up on some of the little things that Staal contributes each shift.

With as much work as Gauthier does around the net, I would love to see him on the ice with the defenders that are more adept at getting the puck to the net like Dougie Hamilton and Jake Gardiner. It’s just logical to have at least one shooting defenseman on the ice at the same time as your net-front power forward.

I feel it’s almost too cliché to say Gauthier just needs to focus on what’s in his control. Especially considering that he only has anywhere from 4-7 minutes to focus on such things. I’d imagine he has the remainder of this road trip to continue to build a case for himself, but it’s going to be the details of his game that push him into NHL-regular territory as opposed to the bigger picture of his skillset.

I fully believe Gauthier can be a difference maker for the Carolina Hurricanes if given steady ice time. We’ve seen he has it in him. We just have to hope he and the coaching staff can work out any kinks so that he’ll be set up for success.

Question for CC Readers: What is your take on Julien Gauthier’s current stint with the Carolina Hurricanes? Is it he, the coaching staff, or both that could be doing more?