kuzmenko-flames

Andrei Kuzmenko was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers by the Calgary Flames for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee on Thursday.

The Flyers also acquired Jakob Pelletier, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a seventh-round pick in the 2028 Draft.

"This came together pretty quick today, this morning to be honest," Calgary general manager Craig Conroy said. "We've talked about the players maybe even last year and this year, but it never really made sense. We were going back and forth. It just wasn't the right time or wasn't the right return. I think this morning we started, it started maybe a one-for-one player type deal and then it grew a little bit more and it became what it is now. Danny [Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere] and I, the one thing I think we young GMs in the League, we talk maybe a little bit more than other ones because you feel very comfortable with them. And he's out East. Today it just happened to really speed up and became, 'Look, this makes sense for both teams, let's do it.'"

Philadelphia, which lost 3-0 to the New York Islanders on Thursday, played without forward Owen Tippett, who is tied for second on the Flyers with 14 goals. He left Philadelphia's 5-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday after being hit by Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon. Frost left Thursday's game in the second period after being hit by a shot from Rasmus Ristolainen in the first period. He played three more shifts in the first period and four in the second before leaving the game. Farabee played 17:19.

Kuzmenko has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 37 games this season. The 28-year-old is in the final season of a two-year, $11 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value) he signed Jan. 26, 2023, and can be an unrestricted free agent July 1.

Kuzmenko was scratched from the Flames' 4-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, while Pelletier played 5:22.

"We lose some great people in 'Kuzy' and 'Pelts.' Those are the hard parts of the job," Conroy said. "Those really are. Pelts has been here right from his draft year all the way through. 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."

Kuzmenko's best season was his first in the NHL, in 2022-23 with the Vancouver Canucks when he had 74 points (39 goals, 35 assists) in 81 games.

Last season he had 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 43 games when he was traded to the Flames on Jan. 31, 2024, as part of the package that sent Elias Lindholm to the Canucks. He finished the season with 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 29 games with the Flames.

Kuzmenko has 135 points (65 goals, 70 assists) in 190 NHL games with the Flames and Canucks.

Pelletier has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 23 NHL games this season and 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 20 games with the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League. Selected by the Flames in the first round (No. 26) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Pelletier has 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 60 NHL games.

"For Kuzmenko, we get to see what he is," Flyers GM Daniel Briere said Saturday. "He had a really good year two years ago, last year had a rough start but really came on in the second half. And again, a little bit of a slow start, but he was coming on lately. It gives us the chance to see a little bit of of him from here on out and see if he can boost our offense a little bit coming down the stretch.

"And then in Pelletier, he's a former first-round pick, someone that hasn't really had the chance to kind of put it together in Calgary. We're hoping that a fresh start for him gets him going. We like the motor, we like his energy, his spunk. He also has some offense in his background. So we'll see what he can do, but we're excited about him, and he's only 23 years old."

Frost has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 49 games for the Flyers this season. Selected by Philadelphia in the first round (No. 27) of the 2017 Draft, the 25-year-old forward has 135 points (85 goals, 135 assists) in 277 NHL games.

"Morgan Frost is a center, a natural center, that we don't have," Conroy said. "Really nice playmaking. Great hands. Sees the ice. Vision. I watched him tonight on the power play. He made some real nice plays, quick one-touches. He can transport the puck up and get it in. He's going to help with that. With Joel, he's got some jam and he can score. His minutes are down a little bit there, but I think we're going to be able to give him a really good opportunity here in Calgary. When you watch him, he's maybe a younger Blake Coleman type player where he chips in offensively, he can score, he can put up points but he's got some grit and you feel very comfortable when he's on the ice in all situations."

Farabee has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 50 games for the Flyers this season. Selected by Philadelphia in the first round (No. 14) of the 2018 Draft, the 24-year-old forward has 201 points (90 goals, 111 assists) in 383 NHL games.

"As a group, we've had a plan moving forward what we want to do, age-appropriate guys," Conroy said. "It's not always easy. I know people always want something to happen really quick, but we felt that at this point these two players are going to be a huge bump in our lineup. We get a center, age appropriate, and something we were really looking for (in Frost). Joel Farabee is a proven two-time 20-goal scorer. He brings some jam. We're really, really excited about the guys we're bringing in."

NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman and independent correspondent Aaron Vickers contributed to this report

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