Gauthier signed by Islanders

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Julien Gauthier is returning to the New York area.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward signed a two-year deal with the New York Islanders on Wednesday. Gauthier has spent parts of the past four seasons with the New York Rangers but was dealt to the Ottawa Senators in February.

According to the New York Post, Gauthier "inked a two-year, one-way deal at $787,500 average annual value." The fact that the deal is one-way would indicate that the Islanders plan to have Gauthier in their lineup come the fall.

Gauthier struggled to find consistent playing time in the deep Rangers lineup. In 57 games with the Rangers and Senators, the 25-year-old posted nine goals and five assists. He also appeared in four AHL games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. 

Gauthier has 14 goals and 18 assists in 153 career NHL games.

The Sea Dogs acquired Gauthier from the Val-d'Or Foreurs during the 2017 holiday trade period. He posted 10 goals and 14 assists in 20 regular season games and another 11 goals and six assists in 16 playoff games, helping Saint John win the President Cup.

Gauthier played with Thomas Chabot and Mathieu Joseph in Ottawa, who were also part of that 2017 Sea Dogs team. Ottawa recently signed Matthew Highmore for the upcoming season.

There are no former Sea Dogs currently on the Islanders' roster, but prospect William Dufour could see some game action this coming season. Dufour, who spent the 2022-23 season with the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders, played in one game with New York last year.

Former Sea Dogs captain Vincent Sevigny also played in Bridgeport last season.