On Thursday night, Flyers General Manager Daniel Briere sent a clear message to the NHL that the Philadelphia Flyers are open for business ahead of the 2024 NHL trade deadline on March 7. The Flyers traded a pair of forwards, Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, to the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Andrei Kuzmenko, forward Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick (via CGY), and a 2028 seventh-round pick (via CGY).
Flyers acquire ‘Great People’
“Unfortunately, to get players, you have to give up players,” Calgary’s GM Craig Conroy said last night. “ That’s what we had to do in this deal. “We lose some great people in Kuzy (Kuzmenko) and Pelts (Pelletier). Those are the hard parts of the job.”
Andrei Kuzmeko – Scoring Forward
Andrei Kuzmenko, 28, was a late-arriving rookie on the NHL scene at age 26. The undrafted Russian forward comes equipped with a “purely offensive game” that could help generate some offense at the top of the Flyers’ lineup. Kuzmenko has 135 points in 190 NHL games, including 65 goals.
Before arriving in the NHL, Kuzmenko played alongside a teenage Matvei Michkov in the KHL for SKA St. Petersburg in 2021-22. The newest Flyers forward led the team in scoring with 20 goals and 33 assists over 45 games. Kuzmenko assisted on Michov’s second career professional goal and was on the receiving end of the teen’s first pro helper in September 2021:
In Andrei Kuzmenko‘s short North American career, Philadelphia will be the third NHL team. The undrafted forward played 124 games in Vancouver before a mid-season trade sent him to Calgary last year. He played only 66 games for the Flames before being traded to Philadelphia in another mid-season transaction. On the public relations plus side, Kuzmenko waived his limited no-trade clause to come to Philly, which should help make him an instant fan favorite, especially if he shows chemistry with Michkov.
Jakob Pelletier – Two-Way Forward
Jakob Pelletier arrives in the City of Brotherly Love with a reputation for wearing his emotions on his hockey sleeve. While the traditional hockey head pat will suffice, Pelletier has become known for sharing a bit of love on the bench with teammates and sometimes even with the media, as Calgary reporter Ryan Leslie learned just last week:
Calgary’s GM beamed when talking about Jakob Pelletier on Thursday night despite having just traded the athlete to Philly. “We all see what it was like on the ice with Pelletier,” Conroy said. “He was giving the guy kisses and rubbing heads and all that. He was emotional. I was emotional for him. I know what it’s like to be sitting on that other side. It’s not easy.”
On the ice, the 23-year-old arrives with 21 points over 61 games of NHL experience. In 24 games for Calgary this season, the 5-foot-9 forward has four goals and seven assists for 11 points. The first-round pick should be versatile for John Tortorella’s lineup, playing either center or wing positions, has the potential to contribute to both special teams units, and is considered to be a responsible player.
Draft Picks
The Flyers received a 2025 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round selection as part of the trade agreement with Calgary. Daniel Briere’s scouting staff now holds seven picks inside the top 65 selections at the 2025 NHL Draft, including three first-round choices. Philadelphia’s management team has positioned themselves as a key player in this summer’s draft, with 13 total selections in the seven-round NHL draft.
Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images
