What to do with Huberdeau?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I don’t buy the notion that a half-dozen people in Flames management and scouting were all bad at their jobs. I expect they had a pretty good handle on what kind of player Huberdeau is and his limitations.

They didn’t sign Huberdeau because they believed he was something that he isn’t. They signed him because after the departures of Gaudreau and Tkachuk, the Flames were in jeopardy of being regarded as a train-wreck of a franchise. Media all over North America were asking what was wrong with Calgary and why nobody wanted to play there. Signing Huberdeau (who had just finished 3rd in league scoring) and Kadri (who was the biggest fish in the UFA pond that summer) was about changing the narrative that the Flames were a sad-sack, bottom-tier franchise.

Agree with this. Emotional decisions like this are often the ones that come back to haunt you. (watch this spot for what the Jays do have being shunned for Ohtani)

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Kadri's "not being good" was different than Huberdeau's, IMO. Even when Kadri wasn't good, you could still see the spark. His issue was that he was trying to do everything himself and wasn't using his line mates well. He was noticeable good ways, but also just too noticeable in bad ways. It was frustrating, but at least there was reason for hope. Now that he has the line mates he does, who seem to follow his lead, he has been a lot more effective.

With Huberdeau, you rarely ever see a spark. There is just very little there to give you hope. As Pinder said, he's just a guy out there. He has been less of a liability in general lately, but still not usually noticeable in a good way.

I couldn't disagree more. Last year after the first month or so Kadri was an absolute disaster, by far worse than Huberdeau. Just think back to the Chicago game. Kadri cost the Flames that game all by himself. You're not remembering just how bad Kadri was until he was with Zary.



There was no spark, he was making very lazy plays, and holding on to the puck way too long. He still holds on to it too long, but he has linemates that work well with him. That's the difference.


I see Huberdeau out there trying hard. He's making some good plays and some bad plays, but I don't see him as just a guy out there. Pinder says a lot of things, he's certainly no analyst.

[lazypucker]

Huberdeau is untradable. He is on a 40-pts pace, but the minute he goes to another team, he will get 70 points.

How the Flames utilizes him and his teammates just sucks.

The only way Huberdeau can be salvaged is to hope that he can gel with the youngsters coming up like Coronato and Honzak

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by Locke

For $10.5M/year he should be dragging bums around and making them better. He cant even make a genuinely good player in Lindholm better.

All discussions are focused around: "What do we need to do to make Huberdeau better?

Uh...that ain't how this usually works. Huberdeau just needs to 'be better.'

If this is as good as Huberdeau gets? Well...then we've got big problems.

You could make your exact same comments about Lindholm. A 9 million dollar, two way, 40 goal center right?
It's not about making Huberdeau better, it's about giving the opportnity for success.
Gaudreau became much better with the right linemates. Now, not so much. These things happen.


They seem to happen to the Flames a lot, because it's happening with Lindholm, Mangiapane, Dube, and Huberdeau.

[The Fisher Account]

Really tired of hearing the narrative that our system is the reason this guy is failing.

I'm not seeing any smart plays, hard work or physicality from him at all. Those things should all be system-agnostic.

The guy cashed in and doesn't GAF anymore.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Really tired of hearing the narrative that our system is the reason this guy is failing.

I'm not seeing any smart plays, hard work or physicality from him at all. Those things should all be system-agnostic.

The guy cashed in and doesn't GAF anymore.

this isn't true...he wants to play well more than we want him to play well

do you really think guys just get to this level and mail it in for 8 years? especially in a hockey market

come on now,

He could fake an injury tomorrow and spend the next 8 years at the beach if he was willing to go that far

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Really tired of hearing the narrative that our system is the reason this guy is failing.

I'm not seeing any smart plays, hard work or physicality from him at all. Those things should all be system-agnostic.

The guy cashed in and doesn't GAF anymore.

You aren't looking if you don't see all three of those things. He's plenty phsyical for a guy who I really never thought of that way. And not even his detractors (aside from a very small minority) question his work.

There's zero indication he's pulling the chute. Quite the opposite - I think he's working and super frustrated it's not going better.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

I couldn't disagree more. Last year after the first month or so Kadri was an absolute disaster, by far worse than Huberdeau. Just think back to the Chicago game. Kadri cost the Flames that game all by himself. You're not remembering just how bad Kadri was until he was with Zary.



There was no spark, he was making very lazy plays, and holding on to the puck way too long. He still holds on to it too long, but he has linemates that work well with him. That's the difference.


I see Huberdeau out there trying hard. He's making some good plays and some bad plays, but I don't see him as just a guy out there. Pinder says a lot of things, he's certainly no analyst.

Yeah Kadri's effort last year was bad, especially at the end. It's night and day from this year. Maybe his previous long season and going from the Champs to Calgary got to him.a

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yeah Kadri's effort last year was bad, especially at the end. It's night and day from this year. Maybe his previous long season and going from the Champs to Calgary got to him.a

he said he wasn't able top train properly the previous summer

cup plus injury rehab

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dino7c

he said he wasn't able top train properly the previous summer

cup plus injury rehab

Maybe, but to me his play was mostl lacking in the later part of the season. Which the long Cup run would have affected, but you'd think a training issue would affect him most off the bat.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

And by doing so he tanks his own value? Highly doubtful.

I was being totally facetious. Of course Lindholm wants to score those, he's just having a bit of a tough year and doesn't look to be feeling it himself.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Really tired of hearing the narrative that our system is the reason this guy is failing.

I'm not seeing any smart plays, hard work or physicality from him at all. Those things should all be system-agnostic.

The guy cashed in and doesn't GAF anymore.

Then you aren't watching.


On a few nights he's been our most physical player, which is pretty bad.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Send him home

Huberdeau to Florida for a 2024 5th and 2032 1st
Flames retain salary for this year only

Can't retain on a portion of a term.

Plus, Calgary would likely to about 8 first round picks as well.

There is a reason that Florida never discussed an extension with Huberdeau.

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You aren't looking if you don't see all three of those things. He's plenty phsyical for a guy who I really never thought of that way. And not even his detractors (aside from a very small minority) question his work.

There's zero indication he's pulling the chute. Quite the opposite - I think he's working and super frustrated it's not going better.

Zero indication?!

Wow. Speaking of zeroes, look at his stat lines from the last five games. You'll see a lot of zeroes.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Zero indication?!

Wow. Speaking of zeroes, look at his stat lines from the last five games. You'll see a lot of zeroes.

So are we questioning his effort or his results? You were saying he was mailing it in, which seems to imply that he isn't putting in the effort, which is what the poster was referencing.

But then you key in on the zeroes to predictably deflect from the fact that you clearly aren't watching the games with your post.

He's trying, even if he's been bad and not producing.

[kukkudo]

The question is, if you removed a 10M+ player from a team in the NHL, would they struggle? Let's see

Avs without MacKinnon - Struggle bigtime
Bruins without Pastrnak - Struggle bigtime
Panthers without Barkov - Struggle bigtime
Oilers without Mcdavid - We know the answer
Flames without Huberdeau - They would be fine imo

Huberdeau is paid to put up points period!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

The question is, if you removed a 10M+ player from a team in the NHL, would they struggle? Let's see

Avs without MacKinnon - Struggle bigtime
Bruins without Pastrnak - Struggle bigtime
Panthers without Barkov - Struggle bigtime
Oilers without Mcdavid - We know the answer
Flames without Huberdeau - They would be fine imo

Huberdeau is paid to put up points period!

That's not the question at all.

We all know what he's paid and we can all see his point production. What exactly is your point - just to complain without talking solutions?

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by dino7c

he said he wasn't able top train properly the previous summer

cup plus injury rehab

Maybe but he quit, it was pretty obvious

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

That's not the question at all.

We all know what he's paid and we can all see his point production. What exactly is your point - just to complain without talking solutions?

At this point the solution is currently not on the team

Conroy needs to get him some line mates because nothing is working right now. Or just accept it and move on with him as a passenger

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Can't retain on a portion of a term.

Plus, Calgary would likely to about 8 first round picks as well.

There is a reason that Florida never discussed an extension with Huberdeau.

Yeah the sign was there. It’s crazy that they didn’t want their leading scorer in his prime back.