Flyers’ Motivation Slightly Different Than Other NHL Clubs In Recent Trade Flurry

Justin Kirkland and Morgan Frost

Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The last week has seen an uptick in trade activity leading into the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off later this month but with different motivations spurring on the clubs involved. Last week’s deal of Mikko Rantanen to Carolina for Martin Necas and Jack Drury was a recognition that the Colorado Avalanche could not get the all-star winger signed to a price point less than center Nathan MacKinnon.

The deals involving the Vancouver Canucks on Friday were necessitated by the internal stifle caused by the rift between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson and their desire to remain in playoff contention. The Canucks shipped Miller to the New York Rangers for Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini, and a top-13 protected 2025 first-round pick, who are hoping to bounce back from a nightmarish first half and get back into the playoff race.

Vancouver later flipped the first along with defenseman Vincent Desharnais and forward Danton Heinen to Pittsburgh for blueliner Marcus Pettersson and center Drew O’Connor, who continue to operate around the edges of a full rebuild.

The deal between the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers however appears to have a slightly different aspect to it. The Flyers dealt center Morgan Frost and winger Joel Farabee for wingers Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-rounder. The trade from the Flames perspective is a reversal in direction from the last year, where Calgary has seen veterans Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, Jacob Markstrom, Matthew Tkachuk, Tyler Toffoli, Andrew Mangiapane, Noah Hanifin and the late Johnny Gaudreau leave in trades or via free agency.

TRADE ALERT: We’ve acquired forwards Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 2nd round pick and a 2028 7th round pick from Calgary in exchange for forwards Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. https://t.co/l8graUmhlE

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 31, 2025

Calgary is competing for a Western Conference playoff spot and added two talented young forwards in Frost and Farabee who were in need of a change of scenery. Philadelphia’s aim on the other hand was clearly to move out cap space.

Farabee scored 22 goals last season and has three more years left at a cap hit of $5 million. The 25-year-old Frost had consecutive 40-plus point seasons and is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this summer and one year away from unrestricted free agency. Both have found their way in and out of Flyers head coach John Tortorella’s dog house this season.

The return for Philadelphia was not great. Kuzmenko has an expiring contract with a $5.5 million cap hit, and in spite of playing in the KHL with Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov, there is reason for skepticism that he will be staying long-term. Pelletier is a former first-round pick but has split time between the AHL and Calgary the last three years and cleared waivers this season.

The move gives Flyers GM Danny Briere room to maneuver, perhaps for a deal before the March 7 trade deadline, but more likely to pursue free agents this summer, with the salary cap going up in excess of $90 million.