Film Room: Ethan Gauthier's skill will make for a valuable first-round pick

Ethan Gauthier's is best felt in the silence of the scouting room. 

Early in the season the EP Rinkside scouting room is a melting pot of conflicting opinions. We confront our views on each prospect with the goal of arriving at a consensus, eventually forming our first draft list in early December. 

Gauthier didn't need a debate, we believed right away. 

It didn’t take the right-winger long to show what he’s all about this season.  At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where two of our scouts were in attendance, he imposed himself physically, drove the net, and launched pucks past goalies. While some of his teammates flashed more impressive individual skill, few were as effective.

“Gauthier has been the straw that stirred the drink on Canada’s top line,” wrote our crossover scout J.D. Burke in a report.