Before we go ahead and preview the upcoming road trip between the Metropolitan’s two most struggling teams, let’s rewind to a simpler time to recap one of the biggest mistakes in franchise history: the acquisition of Jeff Carter.

On Draft Day in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Blue Jackets looked to please star winger Rick Nash by going out to acquire a number one center, and they did so by calling on the Eastern Conference Champions from 2010. The two played in the Olympics together, so why not bring them together. And that is what happened between general managers Paul Holmgren and Scott Howson.

The trade goes as follows:

To Columbus— C Jeff Carter

To Philadelphia— RW Jakub Voracek, 2011 1st Round Draft Selection (#8 Overall— C Sean Couturier), 2011 3rd Round Pick (#68 Overall— C Nick Cousins)

On the Philadelphia side things, Voracek played alongside Claude Giroux for the majority of his tenure. In 10 seasons and 727 NHL regular season games with Philly, the Czechia forward collected 604 points (177 goals, 427 assists). In 49 career playoff games, all with the black and orange except for 4 in the Union blue, the first rounder earned 28 points (9 goals, 19 assists).

Voracek’s only single career hat-trick came as a Flyer, and his only time as an NHL All-Star was the year it was held in Columbus. His single season career high and points, the only time he was over a point per game, was in the 2017-18 season with 83 points in 82 games. His season high in Columbus is 49 points in 81 games, coming the season before the Carter swap.

Jakub Voracek is a pass first, shoot last forward, that helps elevate star players when matched on the same line and healthy. Otherwise, he helps work the puck on the blue line in power play mode or stretches the play out with his movability and vision with the puck.

Sean Couturier is a number one center in the NHL, coming to Philadelphia in the draft on the day the trade was made. Coming up, the big kid was matched up against Crosby and Malkin in the playoffs to work on his defensive abilities, morphing him into a near complete 200 foot center iceman for the gritty Flyers team. Winning the Selke Trophy in the 2019-2020 season, Couts has 460 points in 721 career games, all with Flyers; and having 22 points in 39 career playoff games.

Nick Cousins has served and chipped in as a tough third or fourth line center in his career as a Flyers’ third round selection. Cousins is able to put up penalties and points, with 128 career points 411 career games. In 3 seasons with the Flyers and 107 games played, he earned 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) with 37 penalty minutes.

To extend the history through present day, of the three players Philadelphia acquired, the only one remaining on the roster from the original trade is Couturier.

Cousins was flipped with goalie Merrick Madsen to the Arizona Coyotes for winger Brendan Warren and a 2018 5th round pick, which turned into defenseman Wyatte Wylie. Warren never played in the NHL, and is with the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Wylie is with the Flyers’ farm team in Leigh High Valley.

Over the 2021 offseason, Voracek was flipped back to the Blue Jackets in a money management move by both teams. One looking to remain under the salary cap ceiling, while the other was looking to get to the salary cap floor, and help setup their star winger with more passes.

The summer trade of 2021 was Jakub Voracek for Cam Atkinson. A rare one for one divisional trade of veteran All Star wingers. Atkinson was a 6th round pick in the 2008 Draft, and made his way into the league with years of development at college and in the American Hockey League. Staying in the NHL, Atkinson became a 6 time 20 goal scorer, including a 30 goal season, and a 40 goal season. In 627 career games with the Jackets, Atkinson has put up 402 points (213 goals, 189 assists).

In 39 games with the Flyers, Camsanity has 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists).

From a trade that happened over 10 years ago between the Blue Jackets and the Flyers, here is what Philadelphia traded, and what they have now:

To Columbus— RW Jakub Voracek

To Philadelphia— RW Cam Atkinson, C Sean Couturier, D Wyatte Wylie

What are your thoughts? Is it a blockbuster? Does it still hold up? Who won? More to come…


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