There won’t be a person in Calgary with a bad word to say about Jakob Pelletier
And the day after he was traded away from the organization that drafted him to the Philadelphia Flyers, Pelletier took to Instagram to thank the city and the Flames.
Pelletier was a key piece in the package the Flames sent to the Flyers for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, joining Andrei Kuzmenko on the trip to the City of Brotherly love. The Flames also included a 2025 second-round draft pick and a seventh-rounder in 2028.
The 23-year-old couldn’t leave without saying goodbye and extending his gratitude to the Calgary hockey community.
“To the city of Calgary, to the fans of the Calgary Flames, to my teammates and brothers, to the organization, the word ‘Thank you’ is not big enough to tell you how grateful I am (for being) a part of this organization,” Pelletier wrote on Instagram. “It was an honor for me to play for the Flames.”
Pelletier was selected in the first round, 26th overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Flames and made his debut for the team during the 2022-23 season. He’d wind up playing 61 games over the next three seasons, although injuries disrupted his second year right as he appeared to be on the verge of making a breakthrough.
After starting the 2024-25 season with the Calgary Wranglers in the AHL, though, Pelletier found a place on the Flames roster and scored four goals while adding seven assists in 24 games. He endeared himself to fans and teammates with his infectious, always-positive personality and approach to the game, famously kissing his teammates on their helmets after they scored.
On Friday, he expressed his gratitude to the organization and former Flames assistant GM Chris Snow, in particular, who died last year after a courageous battle with ALS.
“On this special day, my thoughts are with my forever friend Chris Snow who gave me the chance to represent the Flames,” Pelletier wrote. “With that being said, I am very excited to continue my journey in the NHL with the Flyers. It might take some time before kissing the forehead of the media but I will try to find a way.”