Jacob Gaucher's story is a good one. Expected to make his NHL debut on Sunday, it's been a long journey to get here.
Passed over in the 2019 NHL Draft, Gaucher would finish his junior career and sign an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2022. He would spend the entire season in the ECHL with the Reading Royals. He posted 22 goals and 61 points in 71 games.
He was promoted to the AHL the following season where he was understandably low on the depth chart. It was a respectable rookie season where he posted eight goals and 16 points in 59 games. It was enough to get him re-signed to an AHL deal back in August.
Gaucher has flown under the radar to this point and it's not a surprise that many may not know about him. There were signs that the team had some interest in him when Gaucher was given an extended look during training camp.
"It's really a wonderful story. Someone that never quit, kept working, kept improving. He's been a late bloomer. Great story on him and I can't wait to see him play. I thought he was really impressive, he had a really great training camp early this season and played well in the exhibition games. So, we'll give him a look." Briere said on Saturday morning.
Gaucher returned to the Phantoms and his offense has exploded in his sophomore season. In 44 games, he has 14 goals and 27 points. He's climbed up the depth chart and has turned himself into a player that the Phantoms can rely on in high-leverage situations as well. Madeline Campbell, a Flyers' prospect contributor for PHLY, has manually tracked AHL games throughout the season and gives us an inside look at how Gaucher's play has affected the Phantoms as a whole.
Easily said, they have shown to be a much better team when Gaucher is on the ice according to the numbers Campbell has found.
"The eye test would say that things are clicking well for Gaucher in just about all areas, and this is something that the numbers back up completely. The Phantoms are driving play with reasonable consistency this season, but they’re performing even better from a territorial standpoint when Gaucher is out there. Through 12 games tracked to date, with Gaucher on the ice at 5-on-5, the Phantoms have collected a 59.69 CF% (3.83 percent better than the overall team average) and a 69.23 HDCF% (+11.34%), as well as a 62.37 SF% (+6.84%). To put it plainly, the Phantoms are a much better team when Gaucher is playing, in just about all aspects and in just about all situations."
Gaucher does offer the Flyers depth at center, a position they are quite weak in, especially after trading Morgan Frost to Calgary. But it's hard to say what his ideal fit may be in the organization. Plenty of players have played well at the AHL level, but have been unable to find their fit in the NHL. Gaucher will get a look, though with the arrivals of Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier, it's likely not going to be a long one.
Gaucher said he got a call about the call-up. His parents will come to see his NHL debut. It's been a long road for him -- undrafted, ECHL, AHL contract, finally NHL contract and a recall -- and it feels very rewarding.
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) February 1, 2025
Regardless, Gaucher's story is one of perseverance and never giving up when things get tough. The work he has put in up to now has led him to this moment. It's up to him to continue taking the opportunities he's being given and run with them.