Penguins A to Z: Even with impediments, Taylor Gauthier continues to succeed

With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2023-24 season coming to an end without any postseason action, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 51 individuals signed to an NHL contract – including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from fourth-line center Noel Acciari to reserve winger Radim Zohorna.

This series is scheduled to be published every weekday leading into the second day of the NHL Draft on June 29.

(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly.)

Taylor Gauthier

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Right

Age: 23

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 200 pounds

2023-24 AHL statistics: Four games, 1-2-1 record, 3.87 goals against average, .896 save percentage, one shutout

2023-24 ECHL statistics: 42 games, 24-16-1 record, 2.23 goals against average, .923 save percentage, four shutouts

Contract: In the second year of a three-year, entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $859,167. Pending restricted free agent in 2025.

(Note: Gauthier is exempt from waivers for any assignments to a minor league affiliate.)

Acquired: Unrestricted free agent signing, March 1, 2022

This season: Taylor Gauthier’s 2023-24 season was similar to his 2022-23 season in that he did much better at one level than the other.

A season ago, he was called into service with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and was much more impressive at the American Hockey League level than he was with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.

This season, he became an All-Star with Wheeling and mostly an afterthought with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

With fellow prospect Joel Blomqvist and veteran Magnus Hellberg opening 2023-24 as the top goaltenders with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Gauthier started the season with Wheeling but was quickly summoned to Northeast Pennsylvania on Oct. 31 when injuries on the NHL roster led to recalls for Hellberg and Blomqvist.

After going 1-1-1 in three games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Gauthier was sent back to Wheeling by Nov. 14 and began to truly pen the manuscript of a strong second professional season.

❌ SAVE OF THE YEAR?! ❌

Taylor Gauthier holds it down on the breakaway to keep things 1-1!

We call him GOAT for a reason! ????#ForgeTheFuture pic.twitter.com/vjFJUCgfPz

— x - Wheeling Nailers (@WheelingNailers) March 17, 2024

Leading the league in wins for a significant portion of 2023-24, Gauthier was named as the ECHL’s goaltender of the year and to the league’s first All-Star team despite missing the final 11 games of the regular season due to an undisclosed injury.

After spending some time with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in March and April to rehabilitate his ailment, Gauthier has yet to appear in any of Wheeling’s postseason games as the Nailers are trailing the Toledo Walleye, 3-0, in the Central Division final.

The future: Despite relatively little fanfare as an undrafted free agent signing, Gauthier has consistently performed well and made steady improvement in his two seasons with the organization.

The only problem for him is that there is quite a bit of depth in net for the Penguins organizationally.

Tristan Jarry, despite his considerable flaws, remains the organization’s top goaltender while Blomqvist, as a second-round pick (No. 52 overall) in 2020, has a considerably high ceiling and could be elevated to the NHL roster as soon as October.

Another goaltender was added recently in former Red Wings prospect Filip Larsson, who signed a two-year two-way contract April 29 after a strong 2023-24 campaign in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

And overseas, Sergei Murashov, a fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall) in 2022, enjoyed an outstanding season in Russia’s Molodezhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga (MHL), though the availability of Russian prospects is always uncertain given the geopolitical issues with that country.

Through no fault of his own, Gauthier continues to face long odds to reach the NHL. But he’s done nothing but succeed with the opportunities he’s been given.

Follow the Penguins all season long.