250130_FrostFarabee

They’ve stayed in the fight.

And by adding two ‘age-appropriate’ forwards in a late-night deal with the Flyers, Flames General Manager Craig Conroy has given his team a just reward for their hard work this season.

Calgary acquired centre Morgan Frost and winger Joel Farabee in a six-piece blockbuster, adding skill and experience, but also youth to a team that will wake up Friday sitting in the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

“I definitely wanted to give the team something,” Conroy said following the Flames’ 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night. “They deserved it, and they’ve earned it. To give ‘em a boost, a shot in the arm - whatever it is - we felt like these players could do that.

“They’re at the right age. They’re 24 and 25-year-old guys that we can grow with, and that’s always been the plan. For right now, we really want to find guys that we can grow with (for) the long-term.”

Frost was fourth among Flyers scoring leaders with 25 points (11G, 14A) this season.

Farabee, a two-time 20-goal scorer in Philadelphia, has 19 points (8G, 11A) on the campaign.

Both were former first-round picks by the Flyers in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

“Morgan Frost obviously is a centre, a natural centre that we don’t have,” Conroy explained. “Really nice play-making, great hands. Sees the ice, vision. I watched him tonight on the powerplay, he made some real nice plays, quick one-touches. He gets the puck in, so he can transport the puck and get the puck in.

“With Joel, he’s got some jam and he can score. Maybe his minutes are down a little bit there, but we’re going to be able to give him a really good opportunity here in Calgary. So, I think he’s going to bring - we talked a little bit about it - when you watch him, he’s like a younger, maybe, Blake Coleman-type player, where he chips in offensively, he can score, he can put up points, but he’s got some grit. You feel very comfortable when he’s on the ice in all situations.”

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      GM discusses big Thursday night's big deal with Flyers

      Conroy said he spoke with both new Flames briefly, and expects both to make their Calgary debuts Saturday when the Red Wings pay a visit to the Scotiabank Saddledome.

      “They’re excited, they’re looking forward to it,” he said. “They know we’re in a dogfight for that last playoff spot - and it’s not going to be easy - but they’re excited about the opportunity to come, and a fresh start for ‘em.

      “They’re real good players, and I want to integrate them in as quick as we can, to get ‘em feeling good about the Calgary Flames, and (to) be a part of this group, because it is a tight group.”

      But in acquiring Frost and Farabee, the Flames were forced to say farewell to forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier.

      Kuzmenko’s spell in Calgary lasted a calendar year - after he was acquired in a blockbuster with the Vancouver Canucks - while Pelletier spent six years in the organization after being selected in the first round of the 2019 Draft.

      “Those two guys, you know especially Pelts has been here right from his draft year all the way through,” said Conroy. “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.

      “Unfortunately, to get players, you have to give up players, and that’s what we had to do in this deal.”

      “You develop bonds with players, but at the end of the day, it’s part of the business,” Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska added, shortly after coaching his team to a valuable two points the standings. “We have two players coming in that we’re very excited about, for different reasons. They bring different skill-sets to our team.

      “We’re looking forward to getting them here, and getting them into the lineup right away. We’re all quite excited about this.”

      But for these Flames, the deal is a direct result of the group’s ability to hang around.

      To stay in the fight, and the Western Conference playoff race.

      And with Frost and Farabee, they’re ready to continue the sprint to the finish line.

      “We felt at this point, these two players are going to be a huge bump in our lineup,” Conroy said.

      “We’re really excited about the guys we’re bringing in.”