It’s been a busy summer for Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes, who has done his due diligence by signing young forward Ivan Demidov along with goaltender Jakub Dobes to multi-year contract extensions.
It’s an exciting time for fans of the Canadiens now that they have their core players all locked up under contract for the foreseeable future. Because those players all contributed heavily toward their recent success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it appears as though the sky is the limit for the Habs moving forward.
But what if Montreal could land an intriguing talent that recently scored 41 goals for his club and reportedly also turned down a massive extension?
The Montreal Canadiens Land Anaheim Ducks Forward Cutter Gauthier In A Proposed Multi-Player Trade
In recent days, reports emerged that Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier, who scored 41 goals in 2025-26, rejected a contract extension of $52 million over four years.
Gauthier, who is coming off a three-year deal with a salary cap hit of $950,000, remains an unsigned restricted free agent.
A recent trade scenario circulating on the roster-building tool PuckGM sees him land in Montreal in return for a handful of current players. In the deal, Gauthier is shipped to Montreal in return for Alex Newhook, Kaiden Guhle, and the signing rights to Alexander Zharovsky.
Additionally, the Habs would surrender their first round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft for Gauthier.
This proposed deal would also have to come with an extension for Gauthier, who remains unsigned.
According to Puck Pedia, the Canadiens have just under $10 million remaining in available salary cap space. The reported deal that Gauthier turned down from the Ducks was worth $13 million a season.
If Hughes were to pull the trigger on such a trade, he would have to decide on an appropriate number to offer Gauthier for his next contract. Is he worth a yearly salary in the range of $10-13 million per season after just one 41-goal campaign?
Regardless, if the Canadiens were to acquire Gauthier and sign him to a new contract, it would represent another bold move on the part of Hughes to improve his roster, and give them more help on the offensive side of the puck.
Cutter Gauthier Is A Former First Round Pick Of The Philadelphia Flyers
Gauthier was taken in the first round (fifth overall pick ) of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2022 NHL Draft, but ultimately never played a game for the franchise.
After playing two seasons for Boston College, Gauthier was traded to the Ducks in return for defenseman Jamie Drysdale as well as a draft selection. Reports then emerged that Gauthier had refused to play for the Flyers and even ignored their efforts to get in touch with him; he also skipped their summer Development Camp.
In his first full season with the Ducks in 2024-25, Gauthier scored 20 goals with 24 assists. But his offensive production took off in 2025-26, as he reached a career-high 41. goals scored along with 28 assists for 69 points.
He also added four goals and eight assists in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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