Pierre Gauthier is a former professional ice hockey player and executive who had a successful career in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his career as a defenseman in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) before being drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1978.
Gauthier played for the Canadiens for three seasons before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets in 1981. He played for the Jets for two seasons before being traded to the Quebec Nordiques in 1983. Gauthier played for the Nordiques for two seasons before retiring from playing professional hockey in 1985.
After retiring from playing, Gauthier began working in hockey management. He worked as a scout for the Nordiques before being hired as the director of player personnel for the Ottawa Senators in 1992. Gauthier worked for the Senators for four seasons before being hired as the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks in 1998.
Gauthier worked as the general manager of the Ducks for four seasons before being hired as the general manager of the Canadiens in 2003. He worked for the Canadiens for five seasons before being fired in 2010. Gauthier was then hired as a consultant for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 before being hired as the general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2011.
Gauthier worked as the general manager of the Hurricanes for one season before being fired in 2012. He then worked as a scout for the New York Islanders before retiring from hockey management in 2015.
Throughout his career, Gauthier was known for his ability to evaluate talent and make shrewd trades. He was responsible for drafting and developing several successful NHL players, including Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf of the Ducks and Carey Price of the Canadiens.
Despite his success as a talent evaluator, Gauthier was also criticized for some of his decisions as a general manager. He was criticized for trading away popular players and for his handling of the Canadiens' coaching staff.
Overall, Pierre Gauthier had a successful career in hockey as both a player and executive. He played for several NHL teams before transitioning to hockey management, where he was known for his ability to evaluate talent and make shrewd trades. While he faced criticism for some of his decisions as a general manager, Gauthier's contributions to the NHL are still recognized and appreciated by many in the hockey community.
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