Flames' 1st round pick could be placed on waivers soon and Kent Hughes could seize the opportunity
Knowing that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are always open to acquiring a young, talented forward, an interesting new opportunity might be on the horizon.
Could Jakob Pelletier actually be acquired for free by the Montreal Canadiens? Here's why it's a serious possibility.
First, solid sources suggest that Kent Hughes attempted to include Pelletier in the Tyler Toffoli trade completed with the Calgary Flames in February 2022, which shows a clear interest in the Quebec native.
Second, serious speculation coming from Calgary indicates that Pelletier could be placed on NHL waivers within the next few hours or days.
Third, the Montreal Canadiens are among the teams with the highest priority to claim players off waivers.
Waivers for Jakob Pelletier?
In an interview with Salim Nadim Valji of TSN, Pelletier admitted that he feels the pressure.
I don't want to go on waivers. I want to stay here. I want to be with the Flames. So it's a little more stressful, but at the end of the day, you're playing hockey.»
- Jakob Pelletier
Multiple sources indicate that waivers seem inevitable for the young Pelletier, but we'll see.
Jakob Pelletier could be placed on waivers.
If he is indeed placed on waivers, I don't see how Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens would not claim him.
Stay tuned; this will be a major story to follow in the coming hours.
Pelletier, who has dominated the AHL with 111 points in 119 games, has accumulated 10 points in 37 career NHL games.
He certainly still has the potential to break through and become a solid top-6 forward. At 23 years old, the Quebec-born forward was the Flames' 26th overall pick in 2019 (1st round), and he could indeed be an interesting acquisition.
Stay tuned.
