2019 first round pick Jakob Pelletier placed on waivers: Montreal Canadiens may claim him

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Tom Banks
October 6, 2024 (2:54 PM)

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The Calgary Flames have plenty of young forwards coming through the organization, and now, it appears they are parting ways with a former first-round pick.

This off-season has signaled that the Calgary Flames are well and truly on their way to a rebuild, and with some very talented young prospects coming through the organization, hopes are high for the future. One player that hasn't done himself any favors however is former first-round pick Jakob Pelletier, who has long been a candidate for waivers, and now it's become official.

With 4 goals and 10 points through 37 NHL games thus far, Pelletier has struggled to stand out in a prospect group that includes the likes of Adam Klapka, Samuel Honzek, and Matt Coronato, and now, he will be available for any team to claim. Unsurprisingly, Pelletier has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens given that he is a Quebec native, and after the injury to Patrik Laine, it would make sense for them to target him.

At 23 years of age, it would surprise some that the Flames are giving up on Pelletier so quickly, but after a few injury-riddled seasons where he has struggled to stand out, he's been passed over by so many in the organization to the point where this move was inevitable. There's still plenty of time for Pelletier to bounce back and grow into the player he can be at the NHL level, but right now he just doesn't fit in the Calgary Flames organization, so this is likely the best move for the player, and the team, and given his talent, expect to see plenty of interest in him in the next 24 hours.