From Philadelphia to Los Angeles, Jeff Carter’s had a quietly profitable profession on the NHL stage.
He broke into the league on the age of 21 with the Philadelphia Flyers who drafted him eleventh general within the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Carter spent six seasons with the Flyers following his debut season scoring 181 objectives and 343 factors in 461 common season video games.
His Flyers went to the playoffs 5 occasions in his six years – with Carter contributing 21 factors in 47 postseason video games with the orange, black and white.
However following the 2010-11 season, the Flyers shipped a 26-year-old Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets throughout the 2011 offseason – a transfer that may final lengthy for Carter.
Columbus’ Conundrum
On June 23, 2011, the Flyers and Jackets finalized a deal that noticed Carter head to Columbus. In return, the Flyers acquired a bundle that included Jakub Voracek, a 2011 first-round choose (Sean Couturier at eighth general) and a 2011 third-round choose (Nick Cousins at 68th general).
Going to Columbus | Going to Philadelphia |
F Jeff Carter | F Jakub Voracek |
2011 1st-round choose (#8 – Sean Couturier) |
|
2011 Third-round choose (#68 – Nick Cousins) |
On the time, Voracek was simply 21 and had simply completed his third season with the Blue Jackets. In his first three years, he notched 134 factors (39 objectives and 95 assists) in 241 common season video games.
Whereas the Jackets believed they had been getting themselves a possible top-line middle in Carter, what they didn’t know was that their latest acquisition wouldn’t actually discover his approach in Columbus. Carter struggled all through the season with accidents and simply didn’t seem to be he match with the group – a small blemish on an in any other case profitable profession.

He performed simply 39 video games with the Jackets scoring 15 objectives and 25 factors earlier than he was shipped out as soon as once more to the Los Angeles Kings (a commerce we’ll focus on in a future piece).
The Flying V Amongst 3
The Flyers got here out with a wholesome assortment of latest gamers in dealing away Carter – who scored 46 objectives for them on his method to 84 factors in 2008-09 as a 24-year-old.
On the time, they obtained a 22-year-old Voracek who developed into fairly an offensive participant. In 10 seasons with the Flyers after the commerce, Voracek had 604 factors (177 objectives and 427 assists) in 727 common season video games to go together with 27 factors (9 objectives and 18 assists) in 45 postseason video games with the membership.
The Flyers dealt him again to the Blue Jackets throughout the 2021 offseason.
Together with Voracek, the Flyers additionally acquired a first-round which they used to draft Couturier and a third-round choose used to draft Nick Cousins (each in 2011).
Whereas Couturier has taken on the function of a extra defensive-minded middle, the then-24-year-old nonetheless ranked sixth amongst Flyers in scoring in 2016-17. Couturier began a brand new 8-year contract with the crew in 2022-23, so it’s seemingly he’ll play his total profession in Philadelphia.
Over 9 seasons with the Flyers, Couturier has 516 factors (198 objectives and 318 assists) in 831 common season video games to go together with 22 factors in 39 postseason video games.
As for the ultimate piece the Flyers obtained within the commerce – Cousins – remained a Flyer up till the 2017 offseason. Cousins performed elements of three seasons with the Flyers racking up 27 factors (12 objectives and 15 assists) in 107 common season video games. However on June 16, 2017, the Flyers traded the 24-year-old together with Merrick Madsen to the Arizona Coyotes in trade for 20-year-old Brendan Warren and a 2018 fifth-round choose.
Going to Arizona | Going to Philadelphia |
F Nick Cousins | F Brendan Warren |
G Merrick Madsen | 2018 Fifth-round choose |
Jackets or Flyers: Who Gained?
From this commerce alone, the clear winner was the Flyers. They obtained three items for a man that performed lower than half a season with the Blue Jackets. That’s to not say that Carter wasn’t an amazing piece going the opposite approach – however the Blue Jackets positively didn’t get their cash’s price when it got here to the massive middle.
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On the opposite facet, apart from Cousins being traded, the Flyers nonetheless have Couturier and Voracek on their roster and get manufacturing from each of them. Whereas Couturier’s isn’t all the time offensive, NHL golf equipment do want function gamers and that’s precisely how the younger ahead matches in.
In return for Cousins, the Flyers obtained a younger prospect and a fifth-round choose in 2018. It would take time to see simply how nicely these two items issue into the Flyers lineup.
Whereas the Flyers remained comparatively unscathed following this transfer, the Jackets ultimately moved Carter for Jack Johnson and a choose. The second Carter commerce (which, once more, we are going to discuss in a future piece) made the Flyers-Jackets commerce a a lot nearer one when it comes to worth. Nonetheless, it’s arduous to not assume that the Flyers got here out on the profitable facet once they traded away Carter.