Flames Top 25 Under 25: #10 - Jakob Pelletier

#10 - Jakob Pelletier

Position: Left Wing

Age: 19

2019-20 Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

2020-21 Team: Val d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

Drafted in 2019, 1st Round, Pick 26

2019 Ranking: #13

Pelletier Votes

MGMacGillivray: #9

Flashalytics: #6

MarkParkinson14: #17

MadelineCampbell: #8

Gordie.Taylor: #16

Readers: #11

The 2019-20 hockey season was a very statistically successful one for Jakob Pelletier. He put up 32 goals and 82 points in just 57 games for the Moncton Wildcats which was a slightly better pace than the 89 points in 65 games he had the previous season.

However, for as successful as last season was production-wise, it had to still feel pretty disappointing based on a few other occurrences during the year. The first big bout of adversity for Pelletier was missing the World Juniors tournament with a concussion after he was selected to join Team Canada’s selection camp.

The concussion occurred just a few days before camp and while he wasn’t guaranteed to make the team, it looked very likely that he could crack the roster that ultimately won the Gold Medal. On the World Juniors Pelletier said: “Last time, there were so many emotions. It was overwhelming,” he said. Devastating. But this year, I’m ready. I want to do it. I’m going there on a mission.” He sure seems a like shoe-in this year.

The other big adversity was the COVID-19 pandemic shutting the down the season. While everyone has suffered from it in the sport, it must have been incredibly tough on Pelletier who was the captain of the Eastern Conference leading Wildcats. The team had heavily loaded up for a big run at the QMJHL Championship and the Memorial Cup. The season was cancelled and that never occurred.

As is often the case in junior hockey, when you load up, a rebuild often follows and that was the case as the Wildcats traded Pelletier to Val d’Or this offseason. The team immediately named him their captain. He has responded with 13 points in 9 games to start the season and the team sits 2nd in the QMJHL in points percentage (among teams with >5 GP) with a 5-1-3 record.

While Pelletier had talked about gearing up for training camp in Calgary, it is more than likely the Flames will let him finish out this season in the QMJHL and play for Team Canada and then get a crack at the roster for 2021-22. Pelletier signed his ELC in September 2019, so it’s clear the Flames have high hopes for him. His next game is tomorrow night at 5:00 PM if you miss hockey and are interested in following his season along.