Potentially lost in the discussion among the flurry of Flyers transactions this week, Philadelphia rewarded an undrafted center from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with his first NHL call-up. Jacob Gaucher, 23, is a 6-foot-3 center who has contributed 27 points in 44 games this season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, which is tied for second on the team. His windy route to the NHL might be unconventional, but his perseverance has earned him a shot on the biggest stage in hockey in Philadelphia.
ECHL – Reading Royals
After going undrafted in the annual NHL selection process, Gaucher signed a minor league contract with Philly and landed in Reading, PA, with the Reading Royals of the ECHL for his rookie pro campaign in 2022-23. Gaucher finished third on the team with 61 points in his rookie season and added six goals and 12 points in 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games for Reading. His play earned him another minor-league contract and a move to Lehigh Valley in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season.
AHL – Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Over the last two seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Gaucher has continued to impress Flyers management in over 100 AHL contests. The center played 59 games at the AHL level last year with unimpressive numbers – eight goals and eight assists. More importantly, Gaucher proved to the Phantoms’ coaching staff that he could be a trusted player at a higher level of hockey. “I didn’t know what he was doing here because we had so many guys in front of him,” Phantom coach Ian Laperriere said last season. “I even felt he should have gone to Reading but thank God he didn’t becuase, he was a big part of what we did towards the end of the year.”
Gaucher has exploded with the extra responsibility this season for the Phantoms. As of his call-up on 02/01/25, Gaucher leads Lehigh Valley in goals (14) and is tied for second in points (27). The increased output led to Flyers GM Daniel Briere extending an NHL entry-level contract to the forward less than eight weeks ago.
Earlier this season, Gaucher scored one of the most fun goals a hockey player can net. His shorthanded tally triggered the flying frenzy of 10,869 stuffed animals to the frozen floor of the PPL center in the second period of a 3-2 OT loss for Lehigh Valley.
NHL – Philadelphia Flyers
In the aftermath of the Morgan Frost trade to Calgary, Philadelphia immediately needs an extra player at the center position. This led to the call-up and expected NHL debut for Jacob Gaucher tomorrow afternoon in Colorado.
“We’re excited about Jake Gaucher,” Briere said on Saturday morning. “This is really a wonderful story. He was never drafted, we signed him on an AHL deal, and he played for Reading in the ECHL… really played big-time minutes (and) scored a big goal in the playoffs for Lehigh Valley. He’s just proved to be one of our better players in the first half of the season in Lehigh Valley. He’s a big center who just keeps getting better.”
The goal the Flyers GM mentioned was a game-winning overtime goal that advanced the Phantoms to the second round of the postseason. No big deal! “It was amazing,” Gaucher said. “I almost blacked out there. It was an amazing reaction from my teammates and the fans, and it was such a great moment.”
According to the Briere, Gaucher is expected to make his NHL debut tomorrow afternoon when the Flyers visit the Colorado Avalanche in Denver with a 3 pm EST start time. If Gaucher can impress John Tortorella’s staff the way he has every other coaching staff he’s encountered since entering pro hockey, the 23-year-old winger could become a name you’ll be hearing in the Flyers lineup frequently over the next few seasons.
Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
