NHL News: John Tortorella’s Flyers make bold move, add key weapon in trade with Flames

Philadelphia Flyers wants to get out of the bottom of the table in the Metropolitan Division and set to work to improve its offensive side. Coach John Tortorella will have a new key weapon for the remainder of the 2024-25 NHL season with the goal of scoring points, after a trade with the Calgary Flames.

Philadelphia suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of the New York Islanders on Thursday without 14-goal forward Owen Tippett. His absence was due to a hit he suffered in Wednesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils in another crushing 5-0 loss for Tortorella’s team.

Given the context, and with one of the team’s top players off the field, it was necessary to make a quick and effective move to bring in a new face, so the Flyers contacted the Flames to arrange a beneficial trade.

Key weapon to join Tortorella’s Flyers

John Tortorella’s Flyers acquired left wing Andrei Kuzmenko from the Flames in a trade that also included the addition of forward Jakob Pelletier, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a seventh-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft for Philadelphia.

Andrei Kuzmenko, the new player of the Philadelphia Flyers

Calgary, meanwhile, gets forwards Morgan Frost (11 goals and 14 assists) and Joel Farabee (8 goals and 11 assists), both of whom were regulars for the Flyers. It’s clear that Philadelphia was looking to retool its forward line. “It all came together pretty quickly,” said Flames general manager Craig Conroy.

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Andrei Kuzmenko’s performance in the 2024-25 NHL season

Kuzmenko has 15 points on four goals and 11 assists in 37 games this season. The 28-year-old forward is in the final season of a two-year, $11 million contract signed in January 2023 and can become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Matvei Michkov reunites with former teammate

Kuzmenko will be reunited on the Flyers with his former teammate, star Matvei Michkov. The two forwards played together in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg during the 2021-22 season. The connection between the two players could prove interesting in Philadelphia’s race to reach the wild card and advance to the playoffs.