What to do with Huberdeau?

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

What a poor take.

Nah nobody is going to consider him as a star if he repeats his 50 point pace

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

First, I would like to say that I commend your positive approach to fandom.

I've cheered for the Flames my whole life, and never, not once have I cheered for a winner. In fact, I am convinced that I will never watch my favorite team win a championship.

At some point, as a fan base we need to find a way to let the team, top to bottom, that we no longer accept mediocrity. I suppose there are two ways this can be done. 1. by not buying the product 2. by vocalizing our discontent. I find the first option to risky, as the team is not so secure that it would not pull out and move. So the second is my only option.

Will Booing Huberdeau turn his game around, absolutely not. What it does, is hold him accountable. He made the choice to single himself out as a franchise defining player, by accepting franchise defining money.

I'll finish by saying that I hope from the bottom of my heart that he is the winner folks say he is. The Flames need a hero.

What do you expect him to do when Treliving offered him the $10.5M per? Do you expect him to say, "nah Tre, $10.5M is too much, $7M is enough for me because I don't want to be the franchise defining player."

[Paulie Walnuts]

Honestly some of these takes make it seem like people aren't actually Flames fans.

What explanation do you have wanting to trade a guy and hope his bounce back is with a other team and they make the finals. Or boo him after 5 games.

Huberdeau didn't ask to be traded to Calgary.

[Strange Brew]

Fans boo if they want just like some people cheer at a movie. Isn’t it just an expression of their feelings without any hope of a desired outcome?

I know there’s this whole narrative around players not wanting to play in Canada because fans might boo them and talk about their performance too much. But honestly, fans boo in NY, Chicago, Philly and countless other places in other sports.

[SuperMatt18]

Fans can boo.

Booing a guy after 5 games at the start of a season is a ridiculous take.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I see this argument alot.

My question to you, and others in defense of Huberdeau is how long should we cut Huberdeau some slack for?

My answer is 87 games.

There is a new manager

Gonna be a new coach

Gonna be new teammates no matter what.

Pull it together within 300 minutes of hockey or else?.....that's the line in the sand?

[Icantwhisper]

Anyone who thinks you can trade huberdeau without adding a massive sweetener is dreaming.
No team wants 8 years of a guy who just had the biggest point drop in nhl history. Even if he does bounce back you’ll get max 4 seasons out of him at a point per game, after that he would have to go down as one of the greatest over 35 players of all time to score a point a game. Take away Gretzky and the players he played with and the list gets pretty short.
10.5 a year comes with expectations, he’s going to need 100 points the next three seasons for this contract to a success

[FlamesAddiction]

I can't waste energy booing, but I already have July 1st 2031 marked on my calendar. I'd love to be proven wrong though. Next season can't come soon enough to see how it plays out.

I had my doubts that he is a 1st line player to begin with. He has skill and can put up points, but he doesn't seem to play well against top defenders. He really isn't good when challenged one-on-one. So many times last season he would get challenged and then just pass the puck to nowhere. That sort of thing has nothing to do with coaching. You can make a case that his line mates weren't good at making space for him, but you expect someone getting the contract he did to be able to do that. I can see why Huberdeau didn't play well on the top line with Barkov and Florida put him on the 2nd line with players like Bennett, Duclair, Wennberg, and Hornqvist as those guys were high pressure players that could draw in defenders. I see him more as a second liner that you give as much PP time to as possible, but not a player that you match up against the other team's best players.

It would actually be pretty awesome to have a 2nd liner who can be a PPG or better, but paying guys as much as he is about to get paid, who only put up points and don't do much more on the ice, isn't a great use of cap space. You have to look past points and look at everything they do. Huberdeau at what he was making last season is actually a decent deal. For the next 8 years though at $10.5 million, that could get ugly.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Florida is paying a 2nd liner 9.5 100 point player to go to the finals.

It's just too bad you rather he go do it on Montreal instead.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I can't waste energy booing, but I already have July 1st 2031 marked on my calendar. I'd love to be proven wrong though. Next season can't come soon enough to see how it plays out.

I had my doubts that he is a 1st line player to begin with. He has skill and can put up points, but he doesn't seem to play well against top defenders. He really isn't good when challenged one-on-one. So many times last season he would get challenged and then just pass the puck to nowhere. That sort of thing has nothing to do with coaching. You can make a case that his line mates weren't good at making space for him, but you expect someone getting the contract he did to be able to do that. I can see why Huberdeau didn't play well on the top line with Barkov and Florida put him on the 2nd line with players like Bennett, Duclair, Wennberg, and Hornqvist as those guys were high pressure players that could draw in defenders. I see him more as a second liner that you give as much PP time to as possible, but not a player that you match up against the other team's best players.

It would actually be pretty awesome to have a 2nd liner who can be a PPG or better, but paying guys as much as he is about to get paid, who only put up points and don't do much more on the ice, isn't a great use of cap space. You have to look past points and look at everything they do. Huberdeau at what he was making last season is actually a decent deal. For the next 8 years though at $10.5 million, that could get ugly.

I agree with this, but it was his fault that Treliving offered him that contract. What Treliving should've done is offers him Tkachuk's money but Treliving was still pissed at Gaudreau, so offered Huberdeau the same money he offered Gaudreau to just kinda rub it in Gaudreau's face. Even if Huberdeau's agent asked for $10.5 M, he can countered it with Tkachuk's money. So, IMHO, this is on Treliving.

[Burning Beard]

I was thinking about this earlier, but it's interesting to me to compare James Neal to Huberdeau.

Both came in to much acclaim and had massive drop offs.

Both expected themselves to be playing in a certain spot (Neal with Gaudreau, Huberdeau with Lindholm)

Both had issues with the coach not playing them in their "deserved" spot.

Huberdeau used his agent to complain while Neal confronted Peters face to face.

Both had stretches where they looked uninterested.

It's interesting to me the leeway being given to Huberdeau while there was nothing but vitriol for Neal.

I'm really hoping Huberdeau bounces back but this parallel seems interesting to me. Hopefully Huberdeaus signing isn't as much of a dud of a Treliving signing as Neals was.

[Paulie Walnuts]

What a stupid comparison and making crap up like he used his agent to complain.

He didn't full stop. Stop spreading lies unless you can confirm it.

A lot of hurt Sutter fanboys upset he got canned because the organization couldn't stand him but let's blame Huberdeau for everything lmao.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

I was thinking about this earlier, but it's interesting to me to compare James Neal to Huberdeau.

Both came in to much acclaim and had massive drop offs.

Both expected themselves to be playing in a certain spot (Neal with Gaudreau, Huberdeau with Lindholm)

Both had issues with the coach not playing them in their "deserved" spot.

Huberdeau used his agent to complain while Neal confronted Peters face to face.

Both had stretches where they looked uninterested.

It's interesting to me the leeway being given to Huberdeau while there was nothing but vitriol for Neal.

I'm really hoping Huberdeau bounces back but this parallel seems interesting to me. Hopefully Huberdeaus signing isn't as much of a dud of a Treliving signing as Neals was.

Come on now it's more than a little different... Huberdeau set the all time assists record last season for a LW and has been one of the leagues top scorers the past five years.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

What a stupid comparison and making crap up like he used his agent to complain.

He didn't full stop. Stop spreading lies unless you can confirm it.

A lot of hurt Sutter fanboys upset he got canned because the organization couldn't stand him but let's blame Huberdeau for everything lmao.

I never once brought up Sutter. If you think the Huberdeau situation is perfectly fine and he had a great season then I don't know what to say.

Also, explain to me how I blamed everything on Huberdeau?

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Come on now it's more than a little different... Huberdeau set the all time assists record last season for a LW and has been one of the leagues top scorers the past five years.

Im not saying it's identical but it's interesting to me to look at the comparison.

Neal went from 25 goals to 7. Another pretty big drop off which we always thought was due to him battling with the coach. Kinda similar if you ask me.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

I never once brought up Sutter. If you think the Huberdeau situation is perfectly fine and he had a great season then I don't know what to say.

Issues with the coach? Who was the coach? Who keeps whining in every thread about who the next coach or gm would be?

Get real take your negativity and go away.

The Flames and Huberdeau are bouncing back.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

Im not saying it's identical but it's interesting to me to look at the comparison.

Neal went from 25 goals to 7. Another pretty big drop off which we always thought was due to him battling with the coach. Kinda similar if you ask me.

Neal wasn't the presidents trophy winners leading scorer by 30 points and coming off multiple PPG seasons

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Neal wasn't the presidents trophy winners leading scorer by 30 points and coming off multiple PPG seasons

They aren't identical players that is correct. However Neal did go from seven season in a row with 20 plus goals to a measly 7 goals that season for the Flames.

[dino7c]

Neal was terrible defensively to the point he couldn't play a regular shift... Huberdeau is totally different.

Huberdeau's terrible 55 point season is 3 off Neal's career high

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Neal was terrible defensively to the point he couldn't play a regular shift... Huberdeau is totally different.

Huberdeau's terrible 55 point season is 3 off Neal's career high

I agree Huberdeau played a way better defensive game. Hope he keeps that part going.