Making the transition to the top level of collegiate hockey is never a simple thing to do, but junior Gabe Gauthier made it look so easy in a graceful manner.
Before coming to play for the Pioneers, Gauthier earned numerous accolades during his three-year stint with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League. Some of these honors include Rookie of the Year, the Don Nichols Sr. Memorial Award for his involvement in the community and team co-MVP in his final season.
Gauthier compiled over 230 points with the Chiefs and also helped lead the 2001 U.S. U-17 team to a gold medal.
While one would think such awards and prestige would go to his head, this is far from the truth. In fact, according to Pioneers Head Coach George Gwozdecky, these honors have given Gauthier the type of attitude that has helped propel the team back to national prominence.
“Gabe is extremely unselfish,” said Gwozdecky, “and a team player that brings energy everywhere, both on and off the ice. He is truly a leader for us and always puts the team’s success over his own individual achievement.”
In his first season with the Pioneers, Gauthier had eight goals and eight assists, playing in all 41 games. And by season’s end, he was named the Barry Sharp Memorial Award winner, awarded to DU’s top individual freshman.
Gauthier exploded onto the hockey scene his sophomore season leading the team in scoring with 18 goals and 25 assists and more notably, scoring the game-winning goal in the national championship game versus the University of Maine.
Gwozdecky said, “Gabe has become the guy we look to for big plays in big games, and he’s just been a terrific player for us the last year and a half.”
Already this season, Gauthier is well on his way to top last season’s totals and again leads the team in points with 14 goals and 20 assists. Gauthier attributes much of his success this season to the team and his off-season training regimen.
“My line mates are really helping me out a lot this season,” said Gauthier. “Other than that, I worked really hard over the summer in order to achieve my personal goal that I come into each season with, to simply get better every year.”
Although Gauthier has gone undrafted by an NHL franchise and was overlooked for the U.S. World Juniors team, he takes these things in stride, concentrating only on the Pioneers’ current season.
“I don’t take those types of things too seriously,” said Gauthier. “I just try to focus on the current season, going out and sweeping teams each weekend.”
Gauthier’s constantly improving play and dominance in the collegiate ranks have not gone unnoticed recently though as he is currently being considered for the Hobey Baker Award, collegiate hockey’s equivalent to college football’s Heisman Trophy.
“It’s a great honor for him,” said Gwozdecky, “and a nomination that I think he is certainly deserving of. He works very hard on the ice, in the classroom, as well as in the community.”
As of this past weekend, Gauthier ranks within the 20th percentile of vote-getters of the 142 nominees on the Hobey Baker website where fans can help in deciding the Top 10 finalists for the award. This is certainly a standing that will have NHL scouts starting to lift an eyebrow and take notice of Gauthier’s successes.
To help Gauthier, the only nominee from DU, advance to the next round of the Hobey Baker ballot, visit www.hobeybaker.com where you can vote for him once a day until Sunday, March 6, when all the votes will be finalized.
As for Gauthier, he does hope to one day play in the NHL and perhaps move into the broadcasting booth.
If his current accomplishments and performance say anything though, it’s that whatever he decides to do, he is sure to make people sit up and take notice.
