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Huberdeau shares emotional goodbye to Calgary Flames teammate Pelletier

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Jan 31 2025, 7:47 pm
Huberdeau shares emotional goodbye to Calgary Flames teammate Pelletier
Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Huberdeau is one of many in the Calgary Flames dressing room who will greatly miss having Jakob Pelletier around.

The two formed a strong friendship during the 2022-23 season, with fans referring to them as dad and son. They’ve played along, with Pelletier taking to Instagram last year to congratulate Huberdeau following the 800th game of his NHL career.

The close relationship between the two was part of what made last night so difficult.

The Flames pulled off a massive trade during last night’s game versus the Anaheim Ducks, acquiring Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Pelletier, Andrei Kuzmenko, a 2025 second-round pick, and a seventh-round pick in 2028. While it’s a great deal from a hockey perspective, seeing Pelletier head out the door isn’t an easy pill to swallow for the Flames.

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@jonnyhuby11/Instagram

“I wish you the best, son,” Huberdeau wrote on Instagram. “I’ll miss that big smile.”

Pelletier, meanwhile, uploaded a photo to his Instagram story that showed him and Huberdeau celebrating a goal.

huberdeau-pelletier-flames

@jakobpelletier/Instagram

Another Flame who had formed a close bond with Pelletier was Matt Coronato. The two spent time together in the NHL and AHL last season, and at one point were viewed as two key pieces of the franchise going forward.

Clark Bishop, who was recently recalled by the Flames and spent plenty of time with Pelletier, also took to Instagram to share a heartfelt post following the trade.

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@clarkbishop96/Instagram

“Gonna miss ya, kid,” Bishop wrote.

Several other Flames teammates reposted pictures from the team’s official Instagram account that thanked both Pelletier and Kuzmenko.

After the trade was confirmed last night, GM Craig Conroy spoke highly of both Pelletier and Kuzmenko.

“We [lost] some great people in Kuzy and Pelts. Those are the hard parts of the job, those really are,” Conroy said. “The draft picks are the draft picks because we don’t know them, but those two guys, especially Pelts who’s been here right from his draft 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.”

Pelletier, who was selected 26th overall by the Flames in 2019, suited up for 61 games with the organization, scoring eight goals and 21 points. Meanwhile, Kuzmenko, who was acquired in a trade exactly one year ago from the Vancouver Canucks, scored 18 goals and 40 points in 66 games while wearing a Flames sweater.

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