Flyers Acquire Cam Atkinson from Columbus for Jake Voracek

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

After making a trade for Rasmus Ristolainen on Friday afternoon, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said he didn’t expect to make any more trades this week. What a difference 24 hours can make.

On Saturday, just prior to making their first pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Flyers made yet another trade, sending Jake Voracek to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Cam Atkinson. The trade is one-for-one and no salary was retained. 

Atkinson, 32, has four years remaining on a deal with a $5.87 million AAV. Voracek’s contract had three years remaining with an $8.25 million AAV.

Atkinson had 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points in 56 games last season. In his 10 seasons with Columbus, Atkinson scored 213 goals and 189 assists for 402 points in 627 games. This included six 20-goal seasons, and he posted 35 goals in 2016-17 and 41 goals in 2018-19. 

Atkinson is a smaller player, at just 5’8”, but plays with high energy and drive. He’s also been part of the Columbus penalty kill and can bring that to the Flyers as well. 

Voracek, also 32, leaves the Flyers after 10 seasons. He had nine goals and 34 assists for 43 points last season in 53 games. Over his Flyers career, he scored 177 goals and 427 assists for 604 points in 727 games.

Voracek was drafted seventh overall in 2007 by the Columbus Blue Jackets and played the first three seasons of his career there, scoring 39 goals and 95 assists for 134 points in 241 games.

This marks the fourth trade made by the Flyers in the past week. To this point in the offseason, they have acquired defensemen Ryan Ellis and Ristolainen in addition to Atkinson, while trading Voracek, Shayne Gostisbehere, Phil Myers, Nolan Patrick, and Robert Hagg, as well as multiple draft picks.

It’s a clear changing of the guard in Philadelphia, as yet another core player with a long history with the Flyers departs in this offseason of action and change.