The Philadelphia Flyers have undergone a lot of change from training camp until now, the last month of regular-season hockey for the 2024-2025 season. One of the changes included acquiring 24-year-old winger Jakob Pelletier from the Calgary Flames.
Flyers trade for Jakob Pelletier
Pelletier was the 26th overall draft pick in the 2019 draft. He spent his entire career with the Flames before being dealt to Philadelphia a few months ago. While the NHL is a business, it’s evident that players can have a tough time emotionally when dealing with changes. However, Pelletier has been optimistic about the changes he endured this season.
A new dawn
On the ice, Pelletier is one of the most supportive teammates, which brings energy to the locker room and embodies what being a Flyer is all about.
During Monday’s Flyers practice following team photo day, the Flyers ran different drills. During a shooting drill, Travis Konecny made a powerful slapshot, which Pelletier reacted over the moon about and did a ‘celly’ for Konecny. After practice, he said it was a great shot by TK and expressed his excitement for him.
Despite all the changes and relatively rough seasons, Philadlephia’s positive mindset made me wonder how a player could be so optimistic. Pelletier explained, “We’re just trying to work hard and have fun for the next five games and practices. You’re trying to set up for next year, but each day you come to the rink, and for me, I’m trying to be happy. It’s just a way I look at life, too. Each day you wake up, you have to be happy and work hard but have fun at the same time.”
Looking to the future
He then gave some insight on what it’s been like being with the Flyers, who are dealing with many transitions in the rebuild, “I think it’s part of the business. You need to be a pro each day and work hard. It doesn’t matter who the coach or player you’re playing with; you have to show up and be happy.”
With Pelletier having this mindset about the business, the forward opened up about how he’s able to take the emotion aside, “I’ve been in the NHL for three years, and you see guys come and go. It’s sad for a day, but after that, you have to put your emotions aside, and you just have to come here and work. For me, I got traded this year also, so you see the bad side of the sport, but at the same time, you have to realize you have a job to do, and you just got to show up.”
With more change set to take place over the coming months, having a young player with such a strong and infectious mindset should only mean good things for the core of players that the team will be rebuilding around.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
