Nathan Gaucher

{{Infobox Ice Hockey Player

| name = Nathan Gaucher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|11|06}}

| birth_place = Longueuil, Quebec, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 207

| position = Centre

| shoots = Right

| league = NHL

| team = Anaheim Ducks

| prospect_team = San Diego Gulls

| prospect_league = AHL

| draft = 22nd overall

| draft_year = 2022

| draft_team = Anaheim Ducks

| career_start = 2023

}}

Nathan Gaucher (born November 6, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 22nd overall by the Ducks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.{{cite web|title=Nathan Gaucher|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/340644/nathan-gaucher|publisher=Elite Prospects|accessdate=2022-07-07}}{{cite web|title=Anaheim Ducks Draft Nathan Gaucher 22nd Overall|author=Stanovich, Austin|accessdate=2022-07-07|date=7 July 2022|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/anaheim-ducks-draft-nathan-gaucher-22nd-overall/|publisher=The Hockey Writers}}

Playing career

Gaucher played with Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois in the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League (QMAAA) before he was selected 8th overall in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Remparts.

In his draft-eligible season with the Remparts in 2021–22, Gaucher, was awarded the Michael Bossy Trophy as the QMJHL's Best Professional Prospect after scoring 31 goals and 26 assists for 57 points in 66 games.{{cite web| url = https://theqmjhl.ca/video/tanya-bossy-and-her-daughters-announce-the-2022-kubota-top-prospect | title = Tanya Bossy and her daughters announce 2022 Kubota top prospect | publisher = QMJHL | date = May 16, 2022 | accessdate = May 16, 2022}} Ranked a mid-first round draft selection leading into the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by NHL Central Scouting Bureau, Gaucher was selected 22nd overall by the Anaheim Ducks on July 7, 2022.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/ducks-select-center-gaucher-with-22nd-overall-pick/c-334860928 | title = Ducks select center Gaucher with 22nd overall pick | publisher = Anaheim Ducks | date = July 7, 2022 | accessdate = July 7, 2022}} Later that month, Gaucher was signed to his first NHL contract by the Ducks agreeing to a three-year, entry-level contract on July 29, 2022.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/ducks-sign-first-round-pick-gaucher-to-three-year-entry-level-contract/c-335130448 | title = Ducks sign first-round pick Gaucher to a three-year, entry-level contract | publisher = Anaheim Ducks | date = July 29, 2022 | accessdate = July 29, 2022}}

Gaucher appeared in only 44 games for the Remparts in the 2022–23 season, but distinguished himself as a defensive forward with 22 goals and 24 assists, a 59.4% success rate at face-offs, and a plus–minus rating of +35, one of the best in the league. At the conclusion of the season he was awarded the Guy Carbonneau Trophy as the league's best defensive forward.{{cite web|url= https://theqmjhl.ca/article/a-remparts-forward-wins-the-guy-carbonneau-trophy |title= A Remparts forward wins the Guy-Carbonneau Trophy |publisher= QMJHL |date= April 21, 2023 | accessdate= April 21, 2023}} The Remparts finished first in the regular season, earning the Jean Rougeau Trophy.

Gaucher managed 7 goals and 9 assists in 18 playoff games as the Remparts advanced to the QMJHL Finals and won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy, the franchise's first league championship in 47 years.{{cite web |title=Petes, Thunderbirds, Blazers, Remparts set to battle for Memorial Cup |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/petes-thunderbirds-blazers-remparts-set-to-battle-for-memorial-cup/ |website=Sportsnet |date= May 25, 2023 |access-date= May 25, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Ferrari |first1=Tony |title=Quebec Remparts beat Halifax Mooseheads to win QMJHL Championship |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/quebec-remparts-beat-halifax-mooseheads-to-win-qmjhl-championship |magazine=The Hockey News |date=May 21, 2023 |access-date=May 25, 2023}} As QMJHL champions, the Remparts were the league's representatives at the 2023 Memorial Cup in Kamloops, playing against the host Blazers, the Peterborough Petes, and the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Remparts ultimately defeated the Thunderbirds in the Memorial Cup final, taking the championship for the third time in team history.{{Cite web|title=Québec Remparts cap off impressive season by winning 2023 Memorial Cup|url=https://chl.ca/article/quebec-remparts-cap-off-impressive-season-winning-2023-memorial-cup|publisher=Canadian Hockey League|access-date=June 5, 2023|date=June 5, 2023}}

International play

{{MedalCountry|{{ihj|CAN}}}}

Gaucher was named to Team Canada for the COVID-delayed 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, winning gold.{{cite web|title=Canada defeats Finland in OT thriller for gold at world juniors in Edmonton|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/2022-world-juniors-medal-roundup-august-20-1.6557445|last=Sandor|first=Steven|website=CBC Sports|access-date=August 22, 2022|date=August 20, 2022}}

On December 12, 2022, Gaucher was named to Team Canada to compete at the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. During the tournament he recorded one goal and three assists in seven games and won a gold medal.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2023-world-junior-championship-rosters/c-338699372 |title=2023 World Junior Championship rosters |website=NHL.com |first=Adam |last=Kimelman |date=December 12, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2022}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \| Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \| Playoffs
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM
2018–19 \| Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois \| QMAAA \| 42	18	15	33	48 \| 6	4	2	6	4
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2019–20 \| Quebec Remparts \| QMJHL \| 59	13	11	24	24 \| —	—	—	—	—
2020–21 \| Quebec Remparts \| QMJHL \| 30	14	17	31	22 \| 6	1	3	4	4
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2021–22 \| Quebec Remparts \| QMJHL \| 66	31	26	57	74 \| 12	3	6	9	12
2022–23 \| Quebec Remparts \| QMJHL \| 44	22	24	46	67 \| 18	7	9	16	20
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2023–24 \| San Diego Gulls \| AHL \| 72	10	15	25	68 \| —	—	—	—	—
2024–25 \| San Diego Gulls \| AHL \| 56	8	11	19	79 \| —	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" \| AHL totals ! 128 !! 18 !! 26 !! 44 !! 147 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! —