This past spring, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere shocked everyone when he traded Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames for a second-round pick, a seventh-round pick, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Jakob Pelletier. Kuzmenko was later flipped to the Kings at the deadline. The real prize of this deal was Pelletier.
Pelletier was a former first-round pick in 2019. He was selected 26th overall in the same draft that saw Cam York selected 14th overall by Philly.
“Pelletier is a fast, skilled forward who can score consistently. His size could be a factor, and he is a better center than a winger. The fact that he played right wing for most of the second half of the season could affect his draft ranking.” Former NHL coach and general manager Pierre Page said before the draft.
Playing for the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, Pelletier was a stud. In three seasons, he scored 94. In the COVID-shortened season of 2020-21, he scored 13 goals in 28 games for the Val-d'Or Foreurs before joining the Stockton Heat in the AHL. The following season, he scored 27 goals in 66 games. He was a prospect who had a very high ceiling.
Then he kind of stagnated. After a great year with Stockton, he was called up to Calgary to start with the Flames. He would be shuttled back and forth between the Flames and the Calgary Wranglers, the new AHL affiliate of the Flames. The inconsistency showed in his stats. From 2022-23 to 2024-25, he scored eight goals in 61 games with the Flames and 24 goals in 73 games with the Wranglers.
Maybe it was the constant back and forth. Maybe he didn’t match up well with his teammates or was utilized incorrectly by the coaching staff. We saw a similar thing with Owen Tippett struggling in Florida before breaking out here in Philly.
In 25 games this season with the Flyers, Pelletier scored three goals with five assists. Before arriving, he had four goals with seven assists with the Flames.
Pelletier is just 23 years old. For a reference, Frost was 25 when he was traded, and he scored three goals for Calgary. Farabee is 24 and also scored three goals. This is a solid case of two teams trading people they’ve given up on.
What should the Flyers do?
Pelletier made $800,000 this past season and is now an RFA. Recently, the Flyers re-signed Tyson Foerster. They also have to look at Cam York and Noah Cates.
Pelletier hasn’t done a lot with the Flyers, but he may need another season with a new coach. He came to the team at the beginning of a freefall and the end of the John Tortorella era. Perhaps Rick Tocchet can unlock something within him.
I don’t see a lot in him, but he is still just 23. Yes, we used the same excuses over and over with Frost and Farabee until we were blue in the face. We don’t necessarily want to go down that same road again. I think a one or two-year deal, between $800K-$1 million per season, is reasonable. If he pans out, he earns a better contract. If not, he’s cheap and we’ll soon be done with him.
While dumping Frost and Farabee is appearing more and more to have been the correct move, it is not for Pelletier to earn his keep here in Philadelphia. If he wants to remain a Flyer, he is going to have to carve out a role for himself. If it isn't as a scorer, then he needs to become a solid defensive forward. If not, he's not going to be here long.