I really like Pelletier. Hope he keeps progressing in Philly. Tenacity wise, he seems like a good Torts player. I don't fully get the "well he was waivers, he's basically a throw-in" comments that I'm seeing, particularly from outside this board. Markstrom. Pomminville. Grabner. There have been lots of players who passed through waivers early in their career only to prove to every team they should have been claimed. Pelletier's production is more or less up 50 percent in both the AHL and NHL. He doesn't look out of place at all in the NHL this year. Couldn't say the same last year.
Kuzmenko is what he is. Very talented but streaky. Will be curious to see if their is any trade deadline interest if the Flyers retain salary. Or he might be a good medium term fit to give Michkov a Russian friend to chat with on the bench.
I don't know enough about Frost and Farabee but really excited to watch them. I'm hopeful that a new city, close-nit locker room, a playoff chase, no Tortorella, a goalie that can actually stop the puck, etc... can spark them. If they continue to be 30-40 point players, I'd say this a fairly even trade. If the Flames can get a 50 or 60 point season out of one of them, we could look back at this as a big win.
Pick wise, its a 2nd round pick that will likely be in the 40th to 50th overall range. With a stable full of "2nd round quality" and above prospects, a bunch more picks, the Flames are in good shape.
Such a stupid detail, but I want to know if Philly was pushing hard for Calgary's 2nd round pick instead of Colorado's (with the logic that the Av's should finish higher than the Flames). Because I'd love for the Colorado pick to be the higher one.
Overall, good trade. Hopefully ends up being a win for both longterm. I've always had a soft spot for Philly. The feel like the closest equivalent to the Flames in the east in terms of their up and down yearly results, rival getting the superstar players, etc...
|