Emotional Pelletier struggles to say goodbye to Flames: ‘I still can’t believe it’
With tears streaming down his face, Jakob Pelletier sat alone in the Calgary Flames dressing room Thursday night, untying his skates as a member of the team for the last time.
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CALGARY – With tears streaming down his face, Jakob Pelletier sat alone in the Calgary Flames dressing room Thursday night, untying his skates as a member of the team for the last time.
Pulled aside by GM Craig Conroy minutes earlier with news he had been traded to Philadelphia and wouldn’t be joining his beloved teammates for the second period against Anaheim, he admits in his first public comments he was stunned.
“It was tough,” said Pelletier over the phone from Banff, Alta., on Saturday, where he is awaiting his U.S. work visa.
“I thought it was a dream. I still can’t believe it.
“I was emotional, I was sad. Especially when you’re playing a game and so into it, going to war with the guys and going up the ice, and in 10 seconds you’re traded.
“To be honest I had no clue what to do – my head was spinning so much, and I was so confused. I could not think straight.
“I was so close to so many guys and I care about them, I care about the team and I care about the city.”
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There’s no handbook on how to deal with being jettisoned from the only NHL organization you’ve ever known, especially mid-game.
He didn’t want to go back into the room to disrupt the team with the news he was struggling to comprehend, but as he peeked in to see the last of the players streaming out of the room he felt compelled to share his sadness with Jonathan Huberdeau.
“He was one of the last guys to go back onto the ice, and he’s the guy who took care of me from the beginning, so I had to tell him,” said the 23-year-old of an emotional exchange they shared.
“I was so sad when I talked to him. I felt bad because he had a game to play. But it just happened.”
Pelletier packed his bag as the second period started, showered, and decided to head to the players’ parking lot.
“I stayed around but I couldn’t watch the game, I just went into my car and sat there for an hour,” said Pelletier, who then delivered the news to his parents and brothers via an emotional group call.
“I went back in after the game. I thought it was important to say goodbye face to face.”
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His parents pointed out the merits of him playing closer to home, not having to stay up late to watch his games and the excitement of joining a new team.
Pelletier concurred, expressing his happiness with talk his father, who is undergoing chemo treatments to battle cancer, is planning to make the seven-hour drive to see him make his Flyers home debut on Thursday.
With hopes his paperwork will be in order in time for him to join the Flyers in Utah on Tuesday, Pelletier is enjoying time in the mountains with three friends who happened to have been visiting from Montreal when the trade broke.
They’ve helped steer him through the emotional minefield, as have his Flames teammates who he later met up with for drinks Thursday night.
“There were about 10 guys and it was hard to say goodbye to everybody – Huby, Matty (Coronato), Zar (Connor Zary), Backs (Mikael Backlund), Ras (Rasmus Andersson), Weegs (MacKenzie Weegar) – guys I was close to,” said Pelletier, who was packaged with Andrei Kuzmenko and two draft picks to the Flyers for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee.
“I can be a little too much with my personality, but they kind of put up with me since I’ve been here.
“It meant so much to me to play with these guys.”
It’s refreshing for Calgarians who have every right to be proud of this world-class city, to hear how much he loved being a Flame. Especially since so many veterans have left over the last few years.
“Some players don’t want to play here, but I actually had a blast playing for this team and this city,” said Pelletier, whose infectious energy and enthusiasm made him a fan favourite throughout his arduous journey from 2019 first-rounder to the bigs.
“It was an honour for me to play here and to play for the Flames, and the city as well.
“The fans here were unbelievable. When you go to restaurants people are not too much. They’re passionate about the team, and as a player I love that.
“I’m going to carry the memories I made here forever.”
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He had hoped to make many more, but understands he’s going to be given a great opportunity to keep growing his game in orange and black.
After all, it was over the last month he felt the most comfortable he’s ever felt as an NHLer.
“I was finding my game again and I think that was probably the best stint I had with the Flames and best hockey in the NHL,” said Pelletier, who cited a recent two-point game against Buffalo while on the top line as his biggest night.
“I was pretty excited to see where I could take it because I think I have another step as well.”
Huberdeau agrees, and said the moment they shared between periods was a powerful one he won’t forget.
“He was half-undressed and I thought he was sick,” said the veteran, who long ago took his fellow Frenchman under his wing.
“I said, ‘do you want time to tell the coach you puked?’ He said, ‘no I just got traded.’
“He’s a pretty emotional guy and he loved playing here, so it hurt him.
“He gave me a big hug and he was bawling. That just got me, as I’m an emotional guy too.
“The attitude and energy he had, he really affected a lot of people.
“We’re going to stay close – he’s still my son.”
