"He’s been getting better": Pelletier draws praise after Flames demotion

The 2023-24 season has been one that Calgary Flames prospect Jakob Pelletier would like to erase from his memory.

After finishing the 2022-23 campaign having played in his first 24 NHL games with the Flames, the expectation was that he would remain with the big club permanently moving forward. Unfortunately, an injury in preseason action changed that.

Pelletier was injured in an exhibition game against the Seattle Kraken and had to undergo shoulder surgery shortly after. He wasn’t able to make his season debut until February 6 and looked noticeably off as he attempted to play catch-up.

Pelletier suffered another injury just four games in, being the wrong end of a monstrous hit from Jacob Trouba. That forced him to miss another two weeks of action, only adding to what had been an already extremely frustrating season.

Flames forward Jakob Pelletier has gone to the dressing room after receiving this hit from Jacob Trouba. pic.twitter.com/wzs0Bumry3

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 13, 2024

After seeing 13 games of NHL action, the Flames felt it would be best for Pelletier to spend some more time in the AHL and assigned him to the Calgary Wranglers in mid-March. Given the numbers he had produced in each of the past two seasons, most people had assumed his time in the minors was done, but this move from the Flames appears to have been a good one.

In his short time with the Flames, Pelletier struggled to get going offensively, scoring just a goal and three points. His offensive touch has come back since joining the Wranglers, however, with four goals and 11 points through 14 outings.

“I think he’s been getting better since he’s been here,” said Wranglers head coach Trent Cull. “He can be an instrumental player for us. He’s a good hockey player. He’s on our power play, on our penalty kill, so he’s playing in a lot of different situations.”

Perhaps even more impressive is how he has handled being back in the AHL.

“He’s been great,” said Ben Jones. “He’s come in with a great attitude. When guys come down, you hope they come in with the attitude that he’s had. He’s been a great player for us.”

Though it isn’t the situation Pelletier wanted to be in heading into the season, there is a silver lining in that he will get to be a part of what the Wranglers are hoping is a long playoff run. They clinched a postseason berth in late March, and have just four games remaining in the regular season before the real fun begins. In nine AHL playoff outings a season ago, the 23-year-old had four goals and 10 points.

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