2024-25 Huberdeau - new and improved?

[CalgaryFan1988]

Unfortunate that he couldn't put up last season's numbers consistently for 2 more seasons. A 30-goal scorer (28) and 60-point player has value at 5.25 mil.


He's on pace for 45 points.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I disagree they are picking high for 4-5 years and if that is the case I think we see the entire management team canned.

If they are picking high for this year and another 4 that would represent a 8 year playoff drought which would be the worst in franchise history.

I think they have two years of picking high left. But I also note that in that time I'm expecting $22-25 million to come off the books via Kadri, Backlund, Coleman, Andersson, Hanley, Lomberg, and probably some of Zary, Pospisil, Farabee, and Frost. Markstrom also comes off the books next season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Unfortunate that he couldn't put up last season's numbers consistently for 2 more seasons. A 30-goal scorer (28) and 60-point player has value at 5.25 mil.

I think if Parekh finds his groove on the powerplay it will benefit Huberdeau's numbers a lot. I remember Gaudreau finding Hamilton, or before that, Wideman, for great looks and I think that's possible.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think they have two years of picking high left. But I also note that in that time I'm expecting $22-25 million to come off the books via Kadri, Backlund, Coleman, Andersson, Hanley, Lomberg, and probably some of Zary, Pospisil, Farabee, and Frost. Markstrom also comes off the books next season.

I am aligned with the high picks I think they try and compete harder and spend more once the new rink opens. I see them pursuing free agents and RFA’s as well as soon as this summer. Again I am not worried about the next couple of years but I certainly see potential to have this contract become an issue in 2028-2030

[united]

As Strange Brew outlined at the time, Huberdeau's 2024-25 - particularly goal-scoring - was almost certainly unsustainable. Now this season he's right back to his career average.

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I don't know. His limited production thus far is mainly from goals, and that is due to a 20% shooting percentage which will surely regress the rest of the year.

Still would only take a good game or two to improve his current points pace.

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Huberdeau has been a big reason for the club being in the playoff race and he deserves full credit. Is what he doing sustainable?

Doesn’t seem likely. He is on pace for about 31 assists, which is significantly lower than his previous bad seasons. But he has shown an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time on the offensive end and is sporting a ridiculously high shooting percentage of 20%.

I’ll enjoy this while it’s happening but not really counting on it repeating.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I am aligned with the high picks I think they try and compete harder and spend more once the new rink opens. I see them pursuing free agents and RFA’s as well as soon as this summer. Again I am not worried about the next couple of years but I certainly see potential to have this contract become an issue in 2028-2030

What in the world makes you say this? I mean, it helps the narrative that cap is going to be an issue, but that would be totally out of the blue. Why wouldn't they just extend Andersson?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

What in the world makes you say this? I mean, it helps the narrative that cap is going to be an issue, but that would be totally out of the blue. Why wouldn't they just extend Andersson?

There are a couple names I think they could look at:

Mario Ferraro - they've been rumored to like the player, he's younger and cheaper than Andersson (will be 28 when next season starts), and he fits in long term better as a middle pairing dman on the LH side than Andersson does on the RH side that has more prospects.

Laine - he's a potential elite goalscorer this team lacks that has buy low, sell high potential on a shorter term contract (my guess is he wants to get out of the scrutiny of Canada)

Those are the two I think they could have interest in personally.

[Geeoff]

TBH I would be surprised if Huberdeau played out this whole contract. Will end up LTIRetired

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

There are a couple names I think they could look at:

Mario Ferraro - they've been rumored to like the player, he's younger and cheaper than Andersson (will be 28 when next season starts), and he fits in long term better as a middle pairing dman on the LH side than Andersson does on the RH side that has more prospects.

Laine - he's a potential elite goalscorer this team lacks that has buy low, sell high potential on a shorter term contract (my guess is he wants to get out of the scrutiny of Canada)

Those are the two I think they could have interest in personally.

I doubt either of those guys are signed by Calgary but if they are they will be on short cheap contracts. I don't think they would be an impediment to the cap and I also think they'd just be seat fillers.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

I think his play would improve 2000% if the coaching staff told him he's forbidden from making passes that are shorter than 1 meter in distance.

Guy has been just feeding small handoffs into teammates' skates all year.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

What in the world makes you say this? I mean, it helps the narrative that cap is going to be an issue, but that would be totally out of the blue. Why wouldn't they just extend Andersson?

Because they will be looking for younger players to fit their window. I also think any team that signs Andersson will regret it and I think the Flames know that which is why they won’t max the term out.

They would have paid and signed Miller or Byram if they got them last summer because they fit their age range.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Had this in the PGT, I'll put it here too

Reading about Huberdeau's lack of engagement last night and recently makes me wonder if this is related to his injury at the start of the year. I thought I read (on this site maybe) that once the Flames were out of it for the year he would shut down as he'd need surgery. Any truth to that I wonder?

If he's playing with something like that in a year like this, then the organization is completely insane in not telling him to just have the surgery.

It's one thing to let guys play with honor and see what happens in a year where you could make the playoffs with less than 90 points, but to delay a surgery for a key player when the team is 30th in the league because of playoff fantasies would be beyond stupid.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Because they will be looking for younger players to fit their window. I also think any team that signs Andersson will regret it and I think the Flames know that which is why they won’t max the term out.

They would have paid and signed Miller or Byram if they got them last summer because they fit their age range.

And there's a big difference between Byram and the guys you mention. Byram just turned 24 in the summer. Miller was 25.

These guys are 27-28 - not in their age range for acquisitions anyway. And they suck unlike Miller and Byram.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Flames Fan, Ph.D.

I think his play would improve 2000% if the coaching staff told him he's forbidden from making passes that are shorter than 1 meter in distance.

Guy has been just feeding small handoffs into teammates' skates all year.

Making stupid low-percentage passes wouldn't help anything.

After four years of watching this dude play, I can safely say he's the worst 'skill' player with the puck on his stick I've ever seen. He can't carry it. At all. For a guy without top-end speed who spent two and a half years playing with Jagr, his inability to protect the puck is laughable.

Buying him out isn't worth it for at least another two years, and by then it'll make far more sense to LTIR him.

At least he seems like a decent person.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

And there's a big difference between Byram and the guys you mention. Byram just turned 24 in the summer. Miller was 25.

These guys are 27-28 - not in their age range for acquisitions anyway. And they suck unlike Miller and Byram.

What guys did I mention?

I said I could see them adding RFA’s or UFA’s as early as next summer. They tried to sign Lindgren but he didn’t want to come here. They almost traded for Hague but he wouldn’t sign here.

I can’t see him going 8 years for anyone over 25 but I think, especially if this team finishes last, that Conroy will be a bit more aggressive in adding pieces.

Depending how many vets he trades this year he could be very flush with assets to move. Maybe the Flames get the next Dobson (although I think that type of move is more realistic in the summer of 27)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Making stupid low-percentage passes wouldn't help anything.

After four years of watching this dude play, I can safely say he's the worst 'skill' player with the puck on his stick I've ever seen. He can't carry it. At all. For a guy without top-end speed who spent two and a half years playing with Jagr, his inability to protect the puck is laughable.

Buying him out isn't worth it for at least another two years, and by then it'll make far more sense to LTIR him.

At least he seems like a decent person.

No, he ain't no puck carrier, that's for sure.

He does protect OK along the offensive boards though, like Jagr eventually did (Jagr did have wheels when he was young BTW). Playing like a power forward was the adaptation he made last year and it worked. But if getting the puck in the O-zone and making a nice pass are not working for whatever reason - him, his linemates, whatever - he doesn't have much else to contribute.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by MacFlame

If this were true, I'd expect to see his great playmaking ability on the pp. He has shown no creativity whatsoever. No ability to enter the zone on the pp. He looks slow, and, quite frankly, untalented.

Who he's supposed to pass it to? We have NO consistent scorers on this team. We have some streaky guys, the worst powerplay in the league, and a system designed for defence.

Your same logic could apply to Coronato, Kadri, or Sharangovich scoring goals on the powerplay as well. It doesn't happen. At this point we'd be better off putting Coleman on the PP with Huberdeau at least someone with some finish, even if they are garbage goals.

We have a team full of third liners, and we're expecting Huberdeau to get a bunch of points in a system that isn't designed for it.

He hasn't lost his ability to make passes, but we don't have anyone with any hands.

[5abi]

Jesus doesn’t suck, why does he keep making the PP?

[Erick Estrada]

For every Gaudreau, you need a Monahan, Lindholm, or Tkachuk to compliment him. Gaudreau was fortunate to have all three of them to play with at times. Huby doesn't have a single player like that to play with. Flames roster is comprised mostly of scrappy, lunchbucket forwards. Huby is a square peg in a round hole playing on this team. I'm not defending his play of late but IMO on a team that has some legitimate skill, he's probably going to be a 70-80 point player off assists alone. It's never going to work in Calgary unless one of the organizations young center pops in the coming years where Huby can play on his wing.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

For every Gaudreau, you need a Monahan, Lindholm, or Tkachuk to compliment him. Gaudreau was fortunate to have all three of them to play with at times. Huby doesn't have a single player like that to play with. Flames roster is comprised mostly of scrappy, lunchbucket forwards. Huby is a square peg in a round hole playing on this team. I'm not defending his play of late but IMO on a team that has some legitimate skill, he's probably going to be a 70-80 point player off assists alone. It's never going to work in Calgary unless one of the organizations young center pops in the coming years where Huby can play on his wing.

Maybe you are right.

That doesn’t excuse his despondent play though. Surely he can see what you just posted as well. So he either bides his time as an effective winger in this system while he waits for such to players arrive, or he works hard to attract attention and get himself traded to a team that sees the same thing and has such players.

I just don’t see how his play helps anyone right now.