Jakob Pelletier
First-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2019.
Jakob Pelletier is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League and is under contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League. The Calgary Flames picked him 26th overall in the 2019 NHL entry draft.
Pelletier was born in Quebec City, Quebec, to Mario and Nancy. He started skating at age three and played one season at the novice level with his older brother Thomas, despite a three-year age gap.
In 2011, he played in the Brick Hockey Invitational with the Montreal Ice Storm. Two years later, he helped the Citadelles de Québec win the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, scoring three goals and an assist in the final to earn Player of the Game honors. During the 2015–16 season, he captained the Typhon du SSF-Québec Bantam AAA team, putting up 50 points in 31 games. The next season, he joined the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François in the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA. In his first 15 games, he ranked fourth in the league with nine goals and 22 points, finishing the regular season with 25 goals and 32 assists for 57 points as the Blizzard posted a 29–8–3 record. In the 2017 playoffs, he collected 15 goals and 14 assists over 17 games, leading his team to the championship with a game-winning goal against the Estacades de Trois-Rivières. He won the Trophée Clement-Filion as playoff MVP, the Trophée Patrice-Bergeron as most sportsmanlike player, and was named to the LHMAAAQ First All-Star Team. At the 2017 Telus Cup national championships, he scored the game-winner against the Regina Pat Canadians to send his team to the gold-medal game, finishing the tournament with three goals and seven assists as the Blizzard earned a silver medal.
The Moncton Wildcats selected Pelletier third overall in the 2017 QMJHL draft. After signing, Wildcats Director of Hockey Operations Roger Shannon called him a big part of the team’s future who makes everyone around him better. Pelletier had to switch from his usual number 22 because the Wildcats had retired it. He made an immediate impact in the 2017–18 season, scoring four goals and seven assists in his first nine games. By the end of October, he had added nine more points, ranking second among league rookies and earning an honorable mention for Rookie of the Month.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 2001-03-07
- Birth Place
- Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 10
- Weight Lb
- 172
- Position
- Left wing
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Prospect Team
- Syracuse Crunch
- Prospect League
- AHL
- Former Teams
- Calgary Flames / Philadelphia Flyers
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pelletier began skating at age three and played one season alongside his older brother Thomas at the novice level despite a three-year age gap. He led the Citadelles de Québec to victory in the 2013 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, scoring three goals and one assist in the championship game. During the 2016–17 season with the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François, he finished with 25 goals and 32 assists for 57 points, then collected 15 goals and 14 assists in 17 playoff games to lead the team to the championship. He was awarded the Trophée Clement-Filion as playoff MVP and the Trophée Patrice-Bergeron as most sportsmanlike player.
Drafted third overall by the Moncton Wildcats in the 2017 QMJHL draft, Pelletier made an immediate impact, finishing his rookie season with 23 goals and 38 assists for 61 points and earning a spot on the QMJHL All-Rookie Team. In the 2018–19 season, he recorded a career-high 39 goals and 50 assists for 89 points. He was named to Team Cherry for the 2019 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and was drafted 26th overall by the Calgary Flames. After the draft, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Flames on September 23 before being reassigned to the QMJHL.
Pelletier's final QMJHL season (2019–20) was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic; he accumulated 32 goals and 50 assists for 82 points over 57 games and received the Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy as the league's most sportsmanlike player. He was traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs on June 5. He began his professional career with the Stockton Heat in the 2021–22 season, leading all AHL rookies with 27 goals and ranking second with 62 points, setting a new rookie scoring record for the franchise. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team.
Reader's Guide
Jakob Pelletier's significance lies in his consistent offensive production and recognition at multiple levels of hockey. From leading his midget team to a Telus Cup silver medal to dominating the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats, he demonstrated scoring ability and sportsmanship, earning the Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy. His selection 26th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2019 NHL entry draft marked the culmination of his amateur career. In his first professional season with the Stockton Heat, he set a franchise rookie scoring record with 62 points and led all AHL rookies in goals (27), earning a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team. His ability to adapt quickly to the professional level was noted by the Heat's general manager. Pelletier's legacy as a Flame is tied to his draft pedigree and his record-setting AHL rookie campaign, though he never played an NHL game for Calgary before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning organization.
Did You Know?
- He scored the game-winning goal in the 2017 Telus Cup semifinal to send the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François to the gold-medal game.
- Pelletier was named the QMJHL's Forward of the Month for October 2018 after tallying nine goals and 16 assists in 15 games.
- He set the Stockton Heat franchise rookie scoring record with 62 points in the 2021–22 season.
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