What to do with Huberdeau?

[tvp2003]

Not sure if it was posted here, but at least Huby admits he's been playing like garbage:

After leading the NHL with 85 assists and tying for second with 115 points in 80 games last season, Huberdeau has 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 48 games this season, which is fifth on the Flames.

"My game is different here, the way you've got to play," he said. "I've got to be way better, and I've got to find a way to be way better. That's the adjustment.

"What do we have left, like, [31] games? At this point, [I want to have] a good end of the season, kind of build my confidence back."

...

"It's been tough, obviously, coming off my best season last year, and then you come in here, I've got no points," Huberdeau said with a laugh, not that he found it funny. "So, it's tough. I know I still have it in me. It's not because I can't make plays."

Huberdeau said he has watched video of himself from last season a couple of times to see what he was doing differently. He shot the puck more often (2.78 shots on goal per game compared to 1.65 this season), but he said that's because he had the puck more often. He has always been a pass-first player.

"My strength is, I see the play," Huberdeau said. "But if the play doesn't develop like I want it to, then I get stuck, and then I make a play that I don't want to do, and then I look like [garbage]. It's all that I need to figure out."

https://www.nhl.com/news/jonathan-hu...es/c-340838044

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Good. That's a start

[Number 39]

I don't know that I'm adding anything new and I'm not in Calgary so I only see the games on TV. I'm just shocked by how invisible he is on the ice. Half the game goes by and I realize I haven't noticed him at all. Just nothing. Maybe he's doing positive things outside of the TV camera angle but I can't see that on TV.

With Pelts who gets less ice time I notice little things in his game and he's noticeable. Fair or not, I expect more from Huberdeau and it seems like he desperately needs a play driver on his line because he sure isn't one from what I have seen.

Not trying to pick on the guy but its shocking to me that he hasn't found chemistry with really anyone. The Flame's are not an offensive juggernaut but there are some talented (not elite perhaps) players there. I hope he finds his game but time is certainly starting to tick by.

[Bingo]

Here are the Sutter comments from the article ...

Sutter called Huberdeau a "really good pro" and pointed out that it's a big change when a player who has spent his entire career in the Eastern Conference moves to the West.

"There's an adjustment, and he'll make that adjustment," Sutter said. "It's taken him some time. He'll make it. No problem. No issue. But there's an adjustment.

"There's different styles, and there's different … just the travel, that alone is different. There's so many things involved in it. It's not on the player or the team or anything like that. It takes time."

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

For the 100th time, it’s not the system, it’s the player.

It's easy to use Huberdeau as the scapegoat truth is Darryl's line combinations, ice time allocation and starting goalie decisions have been terrible. That doesn't mean Huberdeau and the rest of the lineup would march to a Cup win under a different coach.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Here are the Sutter comments from the article ...

West to east wasn't a big adjustment for Tkachuk and Gaudreau

but then again they were going to loosy goosy system teams so I guess that factors in

[GreenLantern2814]

This team was built for Johnny Gaudreau to run the offense. It was built for one supremely fast, shifty player to create chaos and seams and find the open man in coverage.

Now it’s the opposite. Huberdeau needs his line mates to buzz and create the disruption, and then he can find them.

But when everyone is looking for the soft spots in coverage, nobody is buzzing. It makes them slow, easy to defend, and predictable.

Kadri is a better C for Huberdeau than Lindholm, and he has looked a little better with Pelletier vs Lucic, but even then, Pelletier has no points.

If they won’t move Dube away from Lindholm and Toffoli, at least give Mangiapane that #2RW slot. Let Backlund bring Pelletier along.

Moving forward, find out what style of players Huberdeau wants on his line, and go get them. See if you can get Duclair out of Florida at the deadline.

Both sides committed to each other, there’s no going back now.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

West to east wasn't a big adjustment for Tkachuk and Gaudreau

but then again they were going to loosy goosy system teams so I guess that factors in

Also going west to east is easy with respect to travel, but east to west is hard.

Looking at how long Tkachuk and especially Gaudreau took to adjust to Sutter's system, Huberdeau's performance in his first half season under Sutter isn't really that surprising.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by zamler

It's easy to use Huberdeau as the scapegoat truth is Darryl's line combinations, ice time allocation and starting goalie decisions have been terrible. That doesn't mean Huberdeau and the rest of the lineup would march to a Cup win under a different coach.

The ice time is something I wonder about. It seems like he's only playing ~15 minutes/night.
I know generally you want to give the guys who are going more ice time, but maybe Sutter needs to start running Huberdeau's line out there a lot more and just give him time to work through it. It's not like we've hit on some winning formula that we can't deviate from.

[Major Major]

We all know what it looks like when this team plays an uptempo style with motion and confidence in what you're doing. It's actually happened quite a bit this season. The issues are:

a. It doesn't happen enough. Blame the coach, players, whatever... It isn't being executed consistently enough and it isn't evidently getting better.

b. When it happens, they don't win enough. They probably only win 75% of the time when they play a good game. That's about finish and killer instinct.

c. When it doesn't happen, they never win. I don't know what to attribute this to. Lack of skill and finish is part of it, sure. I think there is some randomness in there as well. Tough to say.

When they are in joint, the team switches well, the d is active, the backcheck is strong, F3 is switching smoothly to keep a guy high. They absolutely get enough high dangers to be considered an elite team when this happens. Pucks are going into pressure ready areas. That is the vision of this team being good.

When they are out of joint, the switches are bad, they can't keep or get possession back easily, the puck pressure is off and they turn into a perimeter dump and chase team. That is this team as a failure.

I've been waiting for in joint to show up more often, but it hasn't happened. 37% of the season is left. That's a big enough chunk to be the story. We shall see.

[GioforPM]

"My strength is, I see the play," Huberdeau said. "But if the play doesn't develop like I want it to, then I get stuck, and then I make a play that I don't want to do, and then I look like [garbage]. It's all that I need to figure out."

This is a pretty good assessment of what happens a lot. He's looking for things that just aren't developing. It's gotta be frustrating.

[dino7c]

playmaker on a team with very few finishers

seems like an issue

[Ozy_Flame]

How much of this East/West changeover is actually true and how much of it is excuses? Honestly, I never understood that. It's not like the coaching or on-ice play changes because teams are on a different continental coast. Perhaps the travel expectations sure, but what else am I missing here?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by dino7c

playmaker on a team with very few finishers

seems like an issue

Lindholm Toffoli Kadri and Mangiapane have all scored 30G.

It’s not a lack of talent, it’s a lack of speed.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Lindholm Toffoli Kadri and Mangiapane have all scored 30G.

It’s not a lack of talent, it’s a lack of speed.

I didn't say no finishers...obviously the Flames don't have as much easy offence as most teams

also, all those guys have scored 30 goals one time each

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

West to east wasn't a big adjustment for Tkachuk and Gaudreau

but then again they were going to loosy goosy system teams so I guess that factors in

Gaudreau chose to go to Columbus, and isn't being asked to do anything in Columbus that he wasn't asked to do here.

Tkachuk chose to go to Florida, and he wasn't asked to come in and be the offense - he was asked to fit in.

Huberdeau was traded to another country without being consulted, he was asked to play a completely different style of game than he's ever played before, with linemates who aren't suited to what he does, AND make a city forget about the two goofballs who just skipped out on the cheque.

They're very different situations.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I didn't say no finishers...obviously the Flames don't have as much easy offence as most teams

also, all those guys have scored 30 goals one time each

Three of them either scored 30 or were on pace to do so less than a year ago.

Not to mention Huberdeau himself scored 30.

I just don’t think it’s as simple as a “lack of finishers” - they have five 30-goal scorers.

They’re not the right 30 goal scorers.

Maybe look to move Lindholm and Toffoli for less accomplished, but quicker players Huberdeau can mentor.

There’s no sense paying Lindy $10Mx8 on a deal that starts when he’s 30 when he doesn’t even mesh with the other $10M player.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Three of them either scored 30 or were on pace to do so less than a year ago.

Not to mention Huberdeau himself scored 30.

I just don’t think it’s as simple as a “lack of finishers” - they have five 30-goal scorers.

They’re not the right 30 goal scorers.

Maybe look to move Lindholm and Toffoli for less accomplished, but quicker players Huberdeau can mentor.

There’s no sense paying Lindy $10Mx8 on a deal that starts when he’s 30 when he doesn’t even mesh with the other $10M player.

obviously, he isn't getting that anyway

Not a decision that needs to be made in the next two weeks though

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

West to east wasn't a big adjustment for Tkachuk and Gaudreau

but then again they were going to loosy goosy system teams so I guess that factors in

Guy is under PPG and hasn't seen his own zone all year

substantial drop off from last season on both sides...also playing on a team with few fans that would rather lose games this season probably takes the pressure off just a tad

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Not sure if it was posted here, but at least Huby admits he's been playing like garbage:



https://www.nhl.com/news/jonathan-hu...es/c-340838044

Some of his comments make me wonder if he doesn't have the right players. He is saying the plays are not developing the way he wants so he ends up making plays that he doesnt want.