Julien Gauthier Bio
Julien Gauthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a right-shooting winger. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 225 pounds, he is known for his combination of size, skating, and two-way responsibility. After beginning his career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, Gauthier was selected 21st overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Gauthier has spent time in both the American Hockey League (AHL) and the National Hockey League (NHL), suiting up for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and New York Islanders organizations. As of the 2025-26 season, he is under contract to the New York Islanders and playing for the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL.
Early Life and Background
Julien Gauthier was born on October 15, 1997, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, Canada. He grew up in a deeply athletic household in the province of Quebec, where hockey is woven into the daily rhythm of life. From an early age, he was surrounded by athletes and competitors who modeled the discipline required to reach the top levels of sport.
His family background is unusually accomplished in physical pursuits. His father and grandfather were each named Mr. Canada in bodybuilding at one point in their careers, while his grandmother was a member of the famous Rougeau Family of professional wrestlers, a name well known to fans of Canadian wrestling history. He is also the nephew of former NHL defenceman Denis Gauthier, which gave him a direct connection to professional hockey as he developed.
Through this combination of family athletic tradition and Quebec’s strong junior hockey system, Gauthier developed into a top prospect. His size and skill set him apart at the youth level and put him on the radar of scouts throughout the QMJHL.
Path to Hockey
Gauthier’s path to professional hockey began in the QMJHL, where the Val-d’Or Foreurs selected him sixth overall in the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft. He joined the Foreurs for the 2013-14 season and quickly established himself as a reliable contributor, recording 30 points in 62 games as a 16-year-old. That season, Val-d’Or captured the President’s Cup as QMJHL champions, and Gauthier helped the team reach the semifinal of the 2014 Memorial Cup.
Over the next three seasons, Gauthier grew into one of the league’s most productive power forwards. He set new scoring highs with 73 points in 2014-15 and 41 goals in 2015-16. In January 2017, he was traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs, where he played alongside future NHL teammates Thomas Chabot and Mathieu Joseph and won another President’s Cup. That same season, he was selected 21st overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the highest honor available to a young Canadian player.
Internationally, Gauthier represented Canada at the 2016 and 2017 World Junior Hockey Championships. He was the only draft-eligible player on Canada’s 2016 squad and returned a year later to help Canada win a silver medal in 2017, scoring the game-winning goal in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
Julien Gauthier Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
On July 9, 2016, Gauthier signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He began his professional career with the Charlotte Checkers, Carolina’s AHL affiliate, during the 2017-18 season, recording 16 goals and 25 points in 65 games. He returned to Charlotte in 2018-19 and put up 27 goals and 41 points in 75 games, helping the Checkers reach the Calder Cup Final against the Chicago Wolves.
Although the Checkers ultimately fell short in that final, Gauthier’s development as a power forward was clearly on track. His combination of size, speed, and finishing touch made him a candidate for a full-time NHL role heading into the following season.
NHL Breakthrough with Carolina (2019-2020)
Gauthier made his NHL debut on October 11, 2019, in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. After a brief stint with the big club, he returned to Charlotte, where he scored 26 goals and 37 points in 44 games. He recorded his first NHL point by assisting on a Brock McGinn goal in a 4-0 victory over the Calgary Flames during an earlier recall.
On February 18, 2020, Gauthier was traded by the Hurricanes to the New York Rangers in exchange for defenceman Joey Keane. He made his Rangers debut the following night and recorded his first point with the team on February 27 against the Montreal Canadiens. He went on to make 12 appearances for the Rangers before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New York Rangers Era (2020-2023)
In the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, Gauthier opened the year on the Rangers’ third line before being moved down the lineup. He scored his first career NHL goal on February 10, 2021, against the Boston Bruins and finished the year with two goals and eight points in 30 games. That summer, he signed a one-year contract as a restricted free agent.
Over the following two seasons, Gauthier struggled to carve out a consistent role. He was a healthy scratch for much of the 2021-22 playoffs and, after requesting a trade, was placed on waivers and assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. After being recalled in October 2022, he appeared in 40 games for New York, scoring six goals and nine points.
Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders (2023-2025)
On February 19, 2023, Gauthier was traded to the Ottawa Senators along with a conditional draft pick in exchange for forward Tyler Motte. He debuted the next day against the Boston Bruins and scored his first Senators goal on February 25 against the Montreal Canadiens. In 17 games with Ottawa, he recorded three goals and five points.
After the season, Ottawa declined to issue Gauthier a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. On July 5, 2023, he signed a two-year, $1.575 million contract with the New York Islanders. He made his Islanders debut in October 2023 and scored his first goal with the club in December 2023 against the Florida Panthers. After a brief AHL stint with the Bridgeport Islanders, he re-signed with the Islanders to a one-year, two-way contract on June 29, 2025.
Julien Gauthier Career Wins
Across the QMJHL, AHL, and NHL, Gauthier has built a resume highlighted by two President’s Cup championships with Val-d’Or (2014) and Saint John (2017), a Calder Cup Final appearance with Charlotte in 2019, and a silver medal with Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championships. His NHL career has included stops with four organizations, and he has continued to produce offense at both levels.
QMJHL Highlights
Gauthier spent four seasons in the QMJHL, developing into one of the league’s premier power forwards. His most productive individual season came in 2015-16, when he scored 41 goals and 57 points in 54 games for Val-d’Or. He was a key contributor on two President’s Cup-winning squads and represented Canada twice at the World Junior Championships.
Other Wins and Performances
Internationally, Gauthier helped Canada capture a silver medal at the 2017 World Junior Championships, scoring game-winning goals in both the quarterfinal against the Czech Republic and the semifinal against Sweden. He also contributed to a Calder Cup Final run with the Charlotte Checkers in 2019.
Julien Gauthier Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Julien Gauthier comes from one of the most accomplished athletic families in Canadian sports. His father and grandfather both won the title of Mr. Canada in bodybuilding, while his grandmother is a member of the famous Rougeau Family, known for generations of professional wrestlers. He is the nephew of former NHL defenceman Denis Gauthier, who played over 250 games in the league.
Personal Life
Public information about Gauthier’s personal life, including any marriage or children, is not widely documented. He is known to have grown up in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, and has continued to build his professional career in North America.
2025 Season Performance
Gauthier began the 2024-25 season with the New York Islanders as the team’s extra forward, appearing in one game before being placed on waivers and assigned to the Bridgeport Islanders. In nine games with Bridgeport, he produced three goals and eight points before a November 24, 2024, injury ended his season.
On June 29, 2025, Gauthier re-signed with the Islanders to a one-year, two-way contract, signaling the organization’s continued belief in his potential. He cleared waivers and began the 2025-26 season with Bridgeport, where he recorded five goals and seven points in 14 games.
Heading into the rest of the 2025-26 campaign, Gauthier remains a depth winger capable of contributing at both the AHL and NHL levels. His size, experience, and history of producing offense in developmental leagues make him a reliable call-up option for the Islanders as the season progresses.
