FLAMES REASSIGN PELLETIER TO MINORS
Winger hopes more playing time with AHL Wranglers will improve his game
Jakob Pelletier put a positive spin on another piece of discouraging news.
Despite a pair of injuries — one major, one minor — that have stalled what was supposed to be his breakout season at the big-league level, despite being healthy scratched the past two games by the Calgary Flames, despite being reassigned Tuesday to the minors, Pelletier has maintained his glass-half-full approach.
“I just want to play games, man,” the 23-year-old winger told Postmedia after Tuesday's morning skate with the AHL'S Wranglers. “Whether it's here or with the Flames, I just want to play games. I've been out for almost five months so for me, it's just to play games.”
Pelletier's positive outlook is about as surprising as a dump of snow on the first day of spring.
In other words, not surprising at all.
The 23-year-old sparkplug has, through all the frustration of the 2023-24 campaign, rarely been spotted without a smile on his face.
While Pelletier had a businesslike demeanour as he prepared for a Tuesday-wednesday twin bill between the Wranglers and Bakersfield Condors, he certainly wasn't moping or miserable.
It remains to be seen whether the third-year pro is simply joining the farm team for a brief boost — the Flames are idle until Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada clash against the Canucks in Vancouver — or if the brass at the Saddledome believe he would benefit from spending the remainder of this campaign as a go-to guy in the AHL.
“For me, it's time to work on my game,” Pelletier said. “Play these two games the best that I can and just find the pace again, find the rhythm, hopefully play some big minutes, power play, get some touches ... and then we'll see what is going to happen.”
News of Pelletier's reassignment didn't come as a major shock, especially since he is waiver exempt.
He was, after all, scratched for Saturday's victory over the Montreal Canadiens — a bummer for a kid from Quebec — and was spectating again during Monday's loss to the Washington Capitals.
Pelletier, who was sidelined from late September through the end of January as he recovered from shoulder surgery, has been limited to just 13 appearances with the Flames this season. He logged only 4:55 of ice time in his latest outing — a career-low, not including the night he was injured (for a second time) on his first shift at Madison Square Garden.
He admits his confidence has been shaken.
Flames coach Ryan Huska has mentioned the rookie winger has been lacking his usual speed, a key ingredient to his energetic style. That could certainly be a lingering effect of all that time off.
“I felt great when we were on that road trip right after the all-star break,” Pelletier said, referring to his first few games of NHL action this season. “And then I got injured again and that kind of set me back. It's been a tough year all around for me, but as a pro, you have to find a way to produce however you can. I don't think I've been able to do that with the Flames. And it's not just points-wise.
“I haven't played like I know I can play. Now it's on me to get back to the old Pelts.”
The old Pelts remains a big part of the future plan at the Saddledome, though a larger sample size may be required to determine whether he's best cast in a scoring role or as one of the checkers.
On Tuesday morning, after his demotion was announced, his phone buzzed with messages of support from several Flames teammates.
From captain Mikael Backlund. From Kevin Rooney, who spent a long stretch of last winter in the AHL and is also freshly recovered from shoulder surgery.
From close friend and mentor Jonathan Huberdeau, who told Postmedia a few days ago that Pelletier's recent struggles remind him of what he was feeling for all of last season and the first half of this one. As Huberdeau put it: “It's just that confidence that he kind of lost, and he needs to get that back.”
“I think they've all been through that in their career so for me, it's good to kind of rely on them,” Pelletier said. “It's good to know that it happens to other people and they got out of it. But at the same time, you don't want it to happen to you.
“But it's life. You can't do much about it. You just have to work.”