Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier leaves game with upper-body injury

The Anaheim Ducks have gotten off to a strong start to their season, but are now facing the prospect of losing one of their top young forwards.

Anaheim winger Cutter Gauthier suffered an upper-body injury that forced him to leave Saturday’s road game against the Calgary Flames. The Ducks have confirmed that Gauthier will not return to the game.

The exact cause of Gauthier’s injury is unclear, but he left the game in the first period.

Gauthier, 22, had two goals and two assists for four points in four games coming into Saturday. Last season, he broke out with 41 goals and 28 assists for 69 points in 76 games.

Selected fifth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Gauthier was traded to Anaheim in January of 2024 in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick. Gautheir had reportedly refused to sign his entry-level deal with the Flyers, compelling Philadelphia to deal him.

After two strong seasons with Boston College, including his final collegiate campaign of 2023-24 in which he notched 38 goals and 27 assists for 65 points to finish second behind Boston College teammate and current San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith in NCAA scoring, Gauthier joined the Ducks full time in the 2024-25 season. That year, he put up 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points in all 82 regular season games, finishing fifth in voting for the Calder Trophy.

Gauthier, who had been a restricted free agent this past offseason, signed a six-year, $81 million contract with Anaheim in September. He, along with forwards Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, and defenseman Jackson LaCombe, make up a talented young core for an ascendant Ducks team.

After Saturday’s game in Calgary, Anaheim will host the Flames on Tuesday for the second leg of a home-and-home set.