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Flyers Aquire Cam Atkinson, Trade Away Jakub Voracek

By Ariel Melendez

May 8, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson (13) skates during a stop in play against the Detroit Red Wings in the 1st period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson (13) skates during a stop in play against the Detroit Red Wings in the 1st period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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The writing had been on the way for the last few weeks. Chuck Fletcher was looking to make big moves for the Flyers this off-season. After acquiring Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen, Fletcher has made another roster changing move. Jakub Voracek will head back to the place that drafted him, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Voracek spent the first three seasons of his NHL career in Columbus. The blockbuster trade of Jeff Carter back in 2012 sent Voracek to Philadelphia. 10 seasons later he is headed back to the place where it all began. Both sides had agreed that a change of a scenery and a fresh start would work well. Voracek had been exposed in the expansion draft, but Seattle didn’t bite on the contract.

Voracek had been a fairly consistent producer for the Flyers. He has posted 40+ points each year, even touching the 80-point mark twice. He is known more as a playmaker, with his assist totals consistently reaching 30+ in all but one of his seasons with the Flyers.

"”We kinda always had a love/hate relationship, but they are really passionate. It was a pleasure to play in front of them. It was fun sometimes to hear to shoot the puck about 17 times a game.”"

The big factor in this deal was that Voracek was on the books for three more season, carrying an 8.25M cap hit. So this deal had a lot to do with trying to acquire more space. The team still has a few players to take a look at, namely Carter Hart and Travis Sanheim.

In return, the Flyers are bringing in Cam Atkinson. He had spent his entire career in Columbus since being drafted by the organization in 2008. He didn’t make his debut until the 2011-12 season, however. Since then, he has posted 20+ goals in six of his 10 seasons. He recently touched the 40-goal mark back in the 2018-19 season.

"“I love Columbus, but I couldn’t be more excited to join the Flyers organization. I personally think I’m going to fit in very well, I know a couple guys on the team already and special teams I think I’ll help out as well, especially with PK and I think I fit the mold pretty well. And like I said, I’m super excited.”"

In Atkinson, the Flyers get a player who is known more as a scorer but will also be able to play on the penalty kill as well. He is on the books for four more seasons, but holds a cap hit of 5.875M. So the Flyers end up saving about 2.4M with this trade as there was no salary retained on Voracek.

A day after Fletcher said he wasn’t expecting to make any trades for the rest of the weekend, he decided to ship off one of the team’s longest tenured players. The big changes are coming, just as Fletcher said. This team will look a lot different come the fall.

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