What to do with Huberdeau?

[Torture]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

We can get a competent hockey mind to crack the Huberdeau code after we clean up in a draft or two.

Let them piece together these obvious solutions when there's a young Hughes-like player here for Huby to play across from. Then leveraging his talent will actually mean something.

It isn't pretty going about it this way, but there's a greater chance of big picture upside than decades of trying to do it the 'honorable' way has shown in retrospect.

I'm willing to see what breaking the cycle of insanity for a short period of time does for the organization. Because what they've done for many years clearly hasn't worked.

If you let Huberdeau struggle for 2-3 years while we tank he will be broken and his confidence will be completely irreparable by the time you surround him with young talent. Doubt he ever recovers if you go that route.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Isn't that the top line now.?

It was the top line two years ago.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Is there any indication Kylington will ever return?

Is there any indication one way or the other though? Just speculation, really.

[cannon7]

Can we put a dog collar on Huberdeau and have one of the assistant coaches shock him when he stops skating?

[PuckSlap]

Originally Posted by cannon7

Can we put a dog collar on Huberdeau and have one of the assistant coaches shock him when he stops skating?

Kinky

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[sss1]

That scouting analysis is really neat and all, but I'd be shocked if the Flames coaching staff hasn't already come across those same findings.

The team knows they haven't built a team & system that would enable Huberdeau to be at his best. IMO the coaching staff were hoping that, after his first 82 games, Huberdeau would come back this year and 'get it'. They made a bet that his creativity and IQ would adapt, but it hasn't and it won't.

All I can see now is that he Flames are stuck with a fragile one-dimensional playmaker that costs 10.5 million. Either mold the team around him or suffer.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by sss1

That scouting analysis is really neat and all, but I'd be shocked if the Flames coaching staff hasn't already come across those same findings.

The team knows they haven't built a team & system that would enable Huberdeau to be at his best. IMO the coaching staff were hoping that, after his first 82 games, Huberdeau would come back this year and 'get it'. They made a bet that his creativity and IQ would adapt, but it hasn't and it won't.

All I can see now is that he Flames are stuck with a fragile one-dimensional playmaker that costs 10.5 million. Either mold the team around him or suffer.

There are very few, if any teams, that try to generate offence the way the Flames try to generate offence. If that is on the one-dimensional player or on the Flames and their system can be debated. But the Flames with their straight lines, their focus on cycling down low, have a unique approach to generating offence in the NHL.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

There are very few, if any teams, that try to generate offence the way the Flames try to generate offence. If that is on the one-dimensional player or on the Flames and their system can be debated. But the Flames with their straight lines, their focus on cycling down low, have a unique approach to generating offence in the NHL.

I think whatever creativity that Marc Savard was going to bring to the team and offence has been kyboshed by Huska.

Huska can talk about the green light for the defenceman to jump into the play but I think its pretty restricted and he kind of touched on it as well.

When you have a 115 point player who makes the plays Huberdeau does you should be tailoring your system to get the most out of him, not force him to play corsi hockey.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

There are very few, if any teams, that try to generate offence the way the Flames try to generate offence. If that is on the one-dimensional player or on the Flames and their system can be debated. But the Flames with their straight lines, their focus on cycling down low, have a unique approach to generating offence in the NHL.

A system made for a team of grinders

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by sss1

That scouting analysis is really neat and all, but I'd be shocked if the Flames coaching staff hasn't already come across those same findings.

The team knows they haven't built a team & system that would enable Huberdeau to be at his best. IMO the coaching staff were hoping that, after his first 82 games, Huberdeau would come back this year and 'get it'. They made a bet that his creativity and IQ would adapt, but it hasn't and it won't.

All I can see now is that he Flames are stuck with a fragile one-dimensional playmaker that costs 10.5 million. Either mold the team around him or suffer.

The Flames system is the problem. Not Huberdeau.

If Huberdeau was the only one suffering, why isn't everyone else scoring? Flames have 13 even strength goals, nicely tying them for 6th worst in the league and they're the 5th lowest scoring team in general.

That's not all on Huberdeau.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

The Flames system is the problem. Not Huberdeau.

If Huberdeau was the only one suffering, why isn't everyone else scoring? Flames have 13 even strength goals, nicely tying them for 6th worst in the league and they're the 5th lowest scoring team in general.

That's not all on Huberdeau.

Well that is kind of due to a lack of scoring talent as much as a system. The only true sniper on the team was traded over the summer. Mangiapane has kind of settled into a 15-20 goal guy so you have Lindholm and Kadri as the only forwards that are a good bet to get near 25 goals.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

The Flames system is the problem. Not Huberdeau.

If Huberdeau was the only one suffering, why isn't everyone else scoring? Flames have 13 even strength goals, nicely tying them for 6th worst in the league and they're the 5th lowest scoring team in general.

That's not all on Huberdeau.

It is all Huberdeaus fault he is supposed to score 280 goals.

This is really a systemic issue for the Flames since Brad took over. He is a big Corsi guy and his coaching hires have reflected that.

It's not a surprise we are still stuck in that way with Conroy and Huska taking over who have been involved in the analytics and everything with a emphasis on corsi.

It can work but you can't take skilled players like Huberdeau and have them grind it along the walls and complain he isn't producing.

Its not a surprise we finished 2nd in goals for and 6th in goals for the seasons we let our offensive players go and play a rush game.

[Wastedyouth]

Not saying he will turn it around. I am losing faith in Huberdeau.

But I do recall Iginla looking washed EVERY October and all of us thinking he was washed.

Only to have the calendar turn and Iginla suddenly turned all world again.

Huberdeau isn't Iggy, obvs, but maybe we can hope he could follow suit.

[Flamesfan05]

To be fair, who do you expect to score on this team?

In the past, when Johnny and Tkachuk stopped scoring so did the rest of the team

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

I think whatever creativity that Marc Savard was going to bring to the team and offence has been kyboshed by Huska.

Huska can talk about the green light for the defenceman to jump into the play but I think its pretty restricted and he kind of touched on it as well.

When you have a 115 point player who makes the plays Huberdeau does you should be tailoring your system to get the most out of him, not force him to play corsi hockey.

Think we have to stop thinking about him as a 115 point player, if he isn't a 55 point guy, he isn't 115.
Huberdeau needs to fix Huberdeau, he's a pro, have pride, be embarrassed, be spiteful, whatever it takes to get going, motivate yourself.
PPG would be a win right now, after 8 years we'll be lucky if its 40 points a season at this rate.

[Iceman57]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Didn't see this posted ...

Super interesting scout written look at Huberdeau and why things aren't working in Calgary.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...h-this-season/

This article is extremely insightful and very much worth the read. The fact that the author includes video evidence to support her theories is not only informative but also quite entertaining. I wouldn't go so far to say that this absolves Huberdeau completely but why the hell hasn't this been addressed yet?!?!?

If an individual with an outside perspective can come up with these reasons & solutions then why hasn't the player himself gone through video with teammates or even the coaching staff done the same with the entire line, it's mind boggling....... actually, it's literally as if someone were to buy a Lamborghini but then never going over 30 km/h whenever you drive it, complete insanity

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well that is kind of due to a lack of scoring talent as much as a system. The only true sniper on the team was traded over the summer. Mangiapane has kind of settled into a 15-20 goal guy so you have Lindholm and Kadri as the only forwards that are a good bet to get near 25 goals.

Yeah I'm not blaming this all on coaching, not by any stretch.

The Flames are devoid of speed and skill, and the Flames also play a system that strips what speed and skill is here of their ability to make use of them.

You don't get to where the Flames are by having a good roster/bad coach or a bad roster/good coach.

It's a bad system, and it's a trash roster.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by Iceman57

This article is extremely insightful and very much worth the read. The fact that the author includes video evidence to support her theories is not only informative but also quite entertaining. I wouldn't go so far to say that this absolves Huberdeau completely but why the hell hasn't this been addressed yet?!?!?

If an individual with an outside perspective can come up with these reasons & solutions then why hasn't the player himself gone through video with teammates or even the coaching staff done the same with the entire line, it's mind boggling....... actually, it's literally as if someone were to buy a Lamborghini but then never going over 30 km/h whenever you drive it, complete insanity

Yea the SN breakdown is amazing.



And its pretty damning on the Flames system... the videos showing Florida d-men jumping up in the play VS the Flames d-men just kinda floating into obscurity really hits home.



The trailing player really needs to get open or at least attempt to drag some covering away from the puck. Or as the SN article alluded to, be a distraction and cause some level of chaos. The Flames never do that.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by rohara66

Yea the SN breakdown is amazing.



And its pretty damning on the Flames system... the videos showing Florida d-men jumping up in the play VS the Flames d-men just kinda floating into obscurity really hits home.


.

Totally. That and the forwards all charging to the same spot so Huberdeau's options of "Pass to Player A or Player B" are essentially the same and already defended was pretty damning to me. .

[dino7c]

every player that goes elsewhere seems to light it up...pretty hard to deny as thread after thread gets bumped
defensive hockey (or attempted defensive hockey) is great if you have a stellar record. To play this style and be in the basement lol.

does anyone think Hanifin and Lindholm won't be lighting it up when they leave?