NHL analyst makes his thoughts clear on Flyers' 'big' four-player trade with Flames, reuniting Andrei Kuzmenko and $2,850,000 forward

By Tushaar Kuthiala

Modified Jan 31, 2025 15:25 GMT

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NHL insider Carlo Colaiacovo on Friday weighed in on the Flyers-Flames 'big' four-player trade. The co-host of TSN’s First Up called the trade a “needle mover.”

The news about the massive deal involving the four forwards broke on Thursday night. The Philadelphia Flyers moved attackers Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames and received Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a second-round draft pick in 2025 and a seventh-round pick in 2028 in return.

Colaiacovo brought up Kuzmenko's alleged relationship with Flyers forward Matvei Michkov (the two were teammates at SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL). Michkov, who signed a three-year, $2.85 million contract with the Flyers in July, is considered one of their hottest young stars.

“Philly traded two top prospects in their system in Farabee and Morgan Frost,” Colaiacovo said. “And I know Kuzmenko goes back to Philadelphia, and he wasn't really having the year that most people expected him to have, but people are saying that he's got a relationship with Michkov.

"So is that something that could work in Philadelphia with both Kuzmenko and Michkov finding some chemistry with each other.”

The TSN analyst also commented on the fact the trade was finalized while some of the players involved were in the middle of a game on Thursday.

“And the crazy thing about this deal is it happened while the Flyers were still playing, and during the beginning of the Calgary Flames game," he added. "Some of these guys were pulled from the games that they were playing in, which is something we don't see happen very often. So I think it's a really big deal.”

Calgary Flames GM opens up about trade with Flyers

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy explained the logistics of the massive trade and why it made sense for all parties involved.

"We've talked about the players maybe even last year and this year, but it never really made sense. We were going back and forth. It just wasn't the right time or wasn't the right return,” Conroy said via NHL.com.

"Today it just happened to really speed up and became, 'Look, this makes sense for both teams, let's do it.'"

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy after the game against the Anaheim Ducks. (Credit: IMAGN)

Conroy also claimed that the Flames were extremely excited about bringing Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee on board, as they fit the franchise’s requirements.

“We felt that at this point these two players are going to be a huge bump in our lineup," Conroy added. "We get a center, age-appropriate, and something we were really looking for (in Frost). Joel Farabee is a proven two-time 20-goal scorer.”

The Flames and the Flyers were both in action on Thursday; the former beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1, while the latter lost to the New York Islanders 3-0.