What to do with Huberdeau?

[Ozy_Flame]

I remember Ralph Krueger gave a speech about motivation to my company at the time years ago. I wonder if some time with a good athletic and psychological mind like his would help settle the mind and reframe the situation. Doesn't need to come onto flames staff, just a life coach like that could help. For all we know he might be dealing with other things off the ice too.

[Number 39]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

There’s a couple pieces of constructive criticism I would offer Jonathan Huberdeau right now if I was involved in his situation.


Long Term Solution: Firstly, I would give him some time away from the team, let him reset and give him a break from hockey. It’s insanity to continually trot him out there if Huska believes the team plays better without him. The frequency of benchings would only increase with healthy scratches soon to follow.

Secondly, I would let Danielle Fujita take a crack at him. Jonathan’s skating is the weakest aspect of his game in my opinion and because it’s the foundation to absolutely everything in a player’s game, improving that aspect would only enhance everything else. You have to be able to skate in the Flames’ system because their hard working identity puts a big emphasis on checking and being connected and your line is only going to be as strong as your weakest link.

Danielle did wonders for Michael Stone and gave him a second lease in the NHL. His final few seasons were probably the best I’ve ever seen him in terms of skating stride and mobility. If Danielle can help Huberdeau improve his first step and agility, especially in his hips, then that should help increase his ability to separate from incoming defenders both laterally and vertically.

He’s having such a difficult time accepting pucks and accelerating from a standstill which makes him ultimately easy to catch and block off. Back in Florida, he was constantly moving his feet because of the continuous flow of play that run & gun offers, so his skating issues weren’t as readily apparent.


Short Term Solution: In terms of a short term solution, to me, Mikael Backlund and Andrew Mangiapane would be the linemates I would play Huberdeau with. These 2 would hide his biggest weaknesses while at the same time, enhancing his greatest strengths. Backlund transitions on the rush with the highest pace among all Flames skaters. I think his ability to push the pace of play would benefit Huberdeau greatly, opening up more lanes, increasing time and space and allowing Flames’ defenders to activate and join the rush so Huberdeau can find the trailers.

Mangiapane on the other hand is one of the better finishers on the team and wins all kinds of puck battles he should have no business winning. That’s not a strength of Huberdeau, but are strengths for both Backlund and Mangiapane. He and Backlund can drive the cycle game which would also increase Hubderdeau’s possession time in the offensive zone which in theory should lead to more scoring opportunities.

Huberdeau isn’t just a rush scoring guy, he can be a “half court” type producer too, he just needs the right guys to play with. The only con with this trio would be matchups since Backlund is more of a shutdown guy who plays against opposition’s top lines. But it might ultimately be worth if it helps increase the team’s scoring output.

I’d also work a sports psychologist into that mix as well as it would appear to be critical to me. It’s clear that he’s hard on himself and its not productive for him. To me, and I’m certainly not a mental heath professional, at least part of the solution is mental.

[Strange Brew]

The guy had the entire off season away from the team and from what I have heard reported, works with a sports psychologist.

I don’t have the answers but considering what the Flames have invested in him, I’d say a critical part of Conroy and Huska’s job is to develop a plan for the guy.

[memphusk]

In a perfect world he just retires.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Well, we don't have to think - we know what we are seeing happening, but that's with the benefit of hindsight again.



Re-signing Huberdeau with the benefit of seeing him play for the team was not some weird anomaly that happened. Teams regularly do this when acquiring new players. Vegas didn't wait and see how Mark Stone worked out when they got him. They could have waited at least a month to see how it worked, right?


I see this lamentation all the time: "It didn't make sense for Treliving to re-sign Huberdeau without first seeing him play in Calgary." I don't get it. It is normal to extend players, and not doing so is what causes distractions - like it was the season before with Gaudreau and how a statement had to be made whereby media were not allowed to ask Gaudreau about an extension.


Yes, the risk of signing any player to a long-term contract is that the player doesn't live up to it. This happens even when you have had the luxury of the player on your roster too. Nobody saw Huberdeau regressing this early. This is what we were expecting in year 8, 7 and possibly 6.

You don’t need hindsight to understand the risk of 8 year deals. My point was that the risk of losing a player for nothing gets overstated and is often cited as the reason to sign Huberdeau, or anyone else, for that matter.

The risk of distractions in a contract year, the risk of losing the player - just IMO you’re putting too much weight on that and maybe that’s why you don’t get why people are lamenting Treliving’s choice.

Mark Stone is a fair comparable. My feeling is there are two major differences. He was much younger when he signed that deal and it was a player that Vegas had targeted for quite some time. They likely knew him better than Calgary knew Huberdeau.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by memphusk

In a perfect world he just retires.

No, a perfect world is he is the leading catalyst in our offense and a play driver. The minute he gets hot, our team is much deeper.

[calumniate]

He's just to spastic right now, and it's not necessary. He does like 10 moves / dekes when there isn't anyone near him, then someone closes in and he loses the puck. It's hard to watch.

He should save his 'huber' moves for when he actually has a defender on him and make a good pass. But he's gotta relax

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by memphusk

In a perfect world he just retires.

Yeah walk away from 80M. There is no such world

[GullFoss]

I'd trade him for Johnny or Timo.

[MrMike]

I think he’ll figure it out, he’s too good not to. I imagine being benched for the third here was probably one of his lowest moments in his career in the past 5 years. Sometimes people need those rock bottom times to gain some clarity.

Take him off of PP1, and staple 2 kids to him, Rosie center and a Pelletier/Pospisal/ on the fourth line until he figures it out.

As was posted last night in the PGT, he was leading in 5v5 percent or whatever that stat is.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

With the Oilers getting increasingly desperate, could an opportunity be there to move him and his contract up the highway?

Yes. And...we do not help those losers. Ever.

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I wonder if there is any chance of the Calgary media and fan hype to swap Huby and Johnny? Huberdeau has been such a positive guy and tried very hard to stay that way but he is not working here. I feel like he needs the weight of Calgary lifted off his shoulders and get a fresh start. I have convinced myself a swap with the Jackets is the best for all parties involved.

This is a really interesting and unique concept that I definitely haven't heard of

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

This is a really interesting and unique concept that I definitely haven't heard of

I didn’t realize I could only post about a topic once and that is it? Glad you are here to police posting with a useless drive by.

[taxbuster]

Like ths suggestion of him working with Danielle Fujita...but he needs to do something else...when he is standing still at the blue line he is useless. He needs to keep his feet moving when he gets there, and either criss-cross with the other winger or change his angle of attack to the blue line so he is still moving when he gets there. This keeps the pace up, and works to his advantage as he doesn't have a fast "first stride".

And just shoot more. Just. Shoot. More. Stop looking to pass at every oppo. Just. Shoot. Eventually the passing will return.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I didn’t realize I could only post about a topic once and that is it? Glad you are here to police posting with a useless drive by.

Well, it IS being discussed elsewhere on the forum. But still.

[Monahammer]

Even if Huberdeau and Gaudreau both wanted that outcome, I can't see the Jackets being interested. Huberdeau has performed worse, has less tie to the market/roster, and has the higher cap hit and an additional 2 years of contract.

IMO we would have to eat a good portion of the contract to make that swap at a minimum.

[ForeverFlameFan]

It's not going to happen. I'd rather he try and figure himself out. Ride out the contract. If he is still bad after a season or two I would explore it. It would be a lot easier to trade a contract with 5/6 years left than 8.

[Hack&Lube]

I know who Huberdeau reminds me of now. Great Florida player that never really clicked with his line and made nothing plays when he came here.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I know who Huberdeau reminds me of now. Great Florida player that never really clicked with his line and made nothing plays when he came here.

Both former Panthers who only did good in Florida and only Florida (so far for Huberdeau). I would rather we make a blockbuster trade with Toronto than get a so called top player from Florida (Yes, I know we got Jokinen from the 'Yotes).

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I know who Huberdeau reminds me of now. Great Florida player that never really clicked with his line and made nothing plays when he came here.

Jokinen is was scholar and a gentlement. Loved him as a Flames - especially during his second stint. He was a major offense driver in his last season as a Flame. He wasn't overpaid in that stint either.

Interestingly, Jokinen won the coach of the year this past season in Finland's top league. I wonder if he'll ever coach at the NHL level.