WBS PENGUINS: Gauthier makes jump to full-time AHL goaltender

WILKES-BARRE — Player development in hockey isn’t a straight line from point A to point B.

It varies from person to person for a multitude of reasons in and out of the player’s control.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender Taylor Gauthier, 25, is in his fifth year with the Penguins organization after re-signing a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Pittsburgh this summer.

“This is the place that I want to be. I want to be a part of this organization,” Gauthier said at the end of September. “They’ve done so much and taken so much time and dedication into developing me into the goaltender and person that I am, so it was an easy decision to re-sign here.”

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas all but ensured in his end-of-season media availability this summer that the AHL Penguins’ backup spot alongside Joel Blomqvist in Wilkes-Barre would be Gauthier’s if he wanted it. So, it came as no surprise when the Penguins announced Gauthier’s re-signing this offseason.

“We have a lot of confidence in Taylor, and I think he has earned that, as well. There’s been excellent progression there,” said Dubas, crediting then-Penguins goalie coach Kain Tisi and the Penguins development staff for their work with Gauthier over the past few seasons.

Gauthier first turned pro with the Penguins during the 2022-23 season, splitting time between the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the ECHL with Wheeling — putting up modest numbers at the pro level for a rookie with an 8-3-6 record with the AHL Penguins in 20 appearances.

However, he spent the past three years primarily in the ECHL, where he honed his craft amidst a period of time where the Penguins’ organizational depth — combined with NHL goaltenders like Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic making conditioning stint appearances in Wilkes-Barre — limited Gauthier’s opportunities for a promotion to the AHL.

Instead, Gauthier became one of the top goaltenders in the ECHL — rewriting the Wheeling Nailers record book this past season as the franchise’s all-time wins leader — culminating with a dominant campaign where he went 21-9-5 in the regular season with a 2.09 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and three shutouts.

“I think I’ve done everything I could to try and get myself to the next level,” said Gauthier, who credited those in Wheeling who made his experience enjoyable. “I felt like I was ready to make that jump, and I feel great. I feel confident going into this year.”

With Pittsburgh moving on from veteran goaltender Stuart Skinner this offseason and Sergei Murashov earning the promotion to Pittsburgh alongside Arturs Silovs after a strong season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Gauthier entered the season with a full-time roster spot in the AHL for the first time in his career as part of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s duo in net with Blomqvist.

After spending the last five years primarily in the ECHL, Gauthier is eager to prove he belongs at the next level.

“I feel like I had a really good season last year and earned an opportunity, and now I’m just trying to make the most of it,” Gauthier said. “(Just) enjoy coming to the rink every day,and enjoy this kind of new chapter in my career.”