The New York Islanders placed forward Julien Gauthier on waivers Friday, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The 26-year-old winger has five goals and four assists for nine points and 10:10 of ice time in 27 games this season. However, his ice time dippped in the last few games under new head coach Patrick Roy, dropping as low as 7:59 in their 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 25. He was a healthy scratch for the Islanders’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Jan. 27, their last game before the All-Star break.
Through five NHL seasons, Gauthier has 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points in 180 games played with the Islanders, Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes. In 188 career AHL games, Gauthier has 71 goals and 34 assists for 105 points with the Charlotte Checkers and the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Taken No. 21 overall by the Hurricanes in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Gauthier scored 41 goals in 54 games in his draft year with the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL. He was traded from the Hurricanes organization to the Rangers in exchange for defenseman Joey Keane in February 2020, spending time between the big club and the AHL’s Wolf Pack.
In February 2023, he was traded with a conditional draft pick to the Senators for forward Tyler Motte. As a free agent, he signed a two-year, $1.575 million contract with the Islanders last summer.
Internationally, he represented Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championships, earning a silver medal.
The Islanders are 20-17-12 with 52 points, fourth in the Metropolitan Division and six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings for the Eastern Conference Wild Spots.
Their next game is on the road when they face the Maple Leafs on Feb. 5.
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