Flyers News
Kuzmenko and Pelletier are Finally in Philly: Meet the New Guys
The Philadelphia Flyers’ newcomers arrived in Philadelphia Thursday night during the team’s loss to the Washington Capitals.
Friday, the pair of former Flames skated with their new teammates for the first time at the Flyers Training Center in Vorhees, New Jersey. Andrei Kuzmenko was getting some early work in with Matvei Michkov ahead of Friday’s practice. Kuzmenko was also the last person on the ice after practice, staying on well past the noon end time. On the other rink, Jakob Pelletier was doing some skill work with many of his new teammates.
After practice was over, both players met with the media for the first time as Flyers.
Dog on a Bone
It’s time to meet Jakob Pelletier, who describes himself and his play style as “a dog on a bone.”
Here’s the full quote from Pelletier: “I am a dog on a bone. I play each shift like it’s the last one. I am not the biggest guy, but I am going to hit guys; I am going to go in front of the net; I am going to do everything in my power to win each game here.”
According to the Flyers’ roster, Pelletier is 5′ 9″ and 170 pounds. He has played in both the NHL and AHL this season. Calgary waived him in October before the roster finalization deadline. In 20 games with Calgary’s AHL club, Pelletier had three goals and 16 assists for 19 points.
The Flames recalled him in early December and has 11 points (4G, 7A) in 24 games played.
Pelletier is someone who cares about his team.
“It’s tough (leaving the Flames). I am a guy who cares about the team and the guys there. I am going to do the same thing here.” said Pelletier.
He said that he became excited to be a Flyer once he could step back from the emotion.
“I am excited to be here, pretty excited to meet the guys, and to hopefully play,” Pelletier said.
He added that Nicolas Deslauriers called him the day after the trade and received a text from Flyers’ captain Sean Couturier welcoming him to the Flyers. Both players, along with Pelletier, are French-Canadian.
Kuzmenko is Optimistic in Philly
If you are unsure what kind of player the Flyers are getting in Andrei Kuzmenko, here is a good example.
It had been over a week since Kuzmenko last practiced with an NHL club, so he stayed late–almost a half-hour of practice had ended. During his time in Calgary after the trade, both Kuzmenko and Pelletier skated with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.
Now that he is with Philadelphia, Kuzmenko is excited to be here and optimistic about the team. When asked what made him waive his no-trade clause to go to the Flyers, he said it was because they have a good team.
Kuzmenko said, “Good team in Philly. Good young players, I think this is a good team for the future. I believe (in) this team.”
One of those promising young players he was talking about is Matvei Michkov. Kuzmenko spent time with him in the KHL before either player came to the NHL.
“He’s a really good player, a future superstar. I hope.” Kuzmenko said about Michkov.
Kuzmenko said it was not just Michkov but the Russian community that the Flyers had made it easy for him on his first day. Along with Michkov, the Flyers have Ivan Fedotov, Aleksei Kolosov, and Rodrigo Abols, who all speak Russian.
Both players will look to make their Flyers debut on Saturday when the Flyers take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Six Russian speaking players in the system now-Zamula left out of the write-up above. Never like that in the past. Hopefully success comes around for them all.
I can see Abols possibly centering Michkov and Kuzmenko.
Torts can be stubborn. Watch him put Kuzmenko and Michkov on different lines.
Torts can be a funny guy:
“I’m sure everybody around me wants us to tank,” John Tortorella said. “I’d like someone to give me a definition: How do you to tell an athlete to tank? How do I go into my locker room and say, ‘OK, we’re going to tank now, boys?’ What do I do? Can someone give me some thoughts on that?”
He’s not wrong. Those athletes are wired for one thing: Win. You can’t tell them not to go out and give their best effort each night.
Correct……if I am on the ice I want to win.
But there is something more to Torts statement that is alarming…”…everybody around me wants us to tank,”……..who is he referring to...the media, the fans in general…..or someone around him, as he says….Jonesy and Danny!
That little statement opens up questions.
Well, trading Frost, their closest to a #1 Center, helps with tanking, while making like your not tanking! Also, if Briere can trade Laughton and Risto as well that help even more! The powers that be keep mentioning getting high end talent, they are usually at the top of the draft! Very hard to acquire in a trade and will cost high against the cap!
Right now they they sit 6th in the draft lottery….they should get a quality player…probably not a generational player, but someone who will be solid or has the potential to be solid. Then again…they have more pingie balls to win the lottery, so who knows. If they win it…it will come down between Hagens or MIsa or Shaeffer, the defenseman.