It took me probably about 20 minutes after the trade that brought winger Cam Atkinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Philadelphia Flyers for Jakub Voracek, for me to go “oh yeah, duh that makes sense.”
Almost an immediate thumb up in Chuck Fletcher’s direction, this straight one-for-one swap has cured a lot of things for the Flyers and is just bringing in a kind soul that will make us feel better when they lose 5-3 to the New Jersey Devils for some damn reason. Atkinson has been one of the Good Guys in Columbus and just seems like a pleasant dude.
That much was evident in his first national appearance as a member of the Flyers on NHL Network.
“I had a really good conversation with Chuck Fletcher. He’s jacked up. I’m jacked up. I know I can have a big impact on that organization and club. It’s a great group of guys over there and I’m looking forward to this next chapter.” –@CamAtkinson13 on @NHLNetwork pic.twitter.com/gijPp8vUJ8
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 27, 2021
If anything, he’s jacked up.
Atkinson just seamlessly fits into Philadelphia. The local east coast upbringing, the way he just charges around the ice like a man that is looking to bash some bodies, his ability to score some damn goals — it’s like he was just born to be a Flyer and no one realized until his name was in the orange and black. So there’s plenty of reasons why he is jacked up.
The now former Blue Jacket scored 15 goals and 34 points in 56 games for the crap franchise last season, so it’s not like the Flyers are getting anyone at the twilight of their career to replace Voracek’s production. Thinking about him on the forecheck while Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier just hang out, is too good to not come into fruition.
Despite the seismic roster shake-up, no matter how you feel about certain acquisitions, there is no reason to be down on trading for Atkinson and his ability to just appear like a puppy dog ready to play hockey.
I can’t believe we have to live through another couple of months without seeing him on Philadelphia ice.
