What to do with Huberdeau?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Shummy

Its difficult to figure out if you are just playing devils advocate here or if you actually believe what you are posting.


Defending Huberbeau at this point is comical. No one in league history has had a drop off in points as large as him, no one in LEAGUE HISTORY. and hes picking up right where he left off from last year. If you dont think he has been directly responsible in games that led us to ultimately lose then you arent paying close attention here.

How many of his constant giveaways have ended up in our net? He went through a stretch last month where he had 3 shots on goal in 5 games thats it. The only time he shows up on the state line there is a minus attached to his name.

The time to make excuses for this guy has long sailed. When you make the money this guy makes especially in a CDN market you better back it up. The way this is going not only is he going to be the worst contract in the league but it could end up one of the worst contracts in league history.

Your mistake is thinking I’m “defending” Huberdeau. I’m not. I’m saying that just whining and complaining is pointless and not the topic of this thread, which is about what the Flames could do to get him going. So just saying “be better” or noting his salary is quite irrelevant to me.

You are saying what you expect of a guy with his salary. Fine. he’s not meeting that expectation. So what do you - as coach, or GM or sports psychologist, do about it?

[Calgary4LIfe]

I think you ignore it. Keep him on Backlund's line as Backlund and Coleman are great defensive players able to cover for Huberdeau's turnovers.


Huberdeau showed a flash for a little while when he got inserted onto Backlund's line. Now it is gone. Huberdeau is regressing further. Flames are not competing this year, so at this point, you just have to say: "Who cares?"


I think it would be some kind of silly to go out and acquire Duclair. That's grasping at straws at this point. Might as well go out and acquire Bennett as well, and recreate the line? Just seems like an awful waste of assets at this point.


Huberdeau is supposed to be this amazing puck distributor. He keeps throwing pucks away, forcing plays through too many opposing bodies and sticks, and making bad decisions out there. Adding Duclair (and Bennett) to his line isn't going to fix that.


Once the Flames make their trades, have different players in the lineup to play with, and become an afterthought with the media, all the pressure will be off, most of the scrutiny will disappear (at least for the remainder of this season) and Flames can actively focus on resurrecting Huberdeau with the different mix of players they received, plus some of their young players that they promote.


Hopefully Huska and Savard can find a way to get Huberdeau back in form (or in some kind of form at least). The Flames are supposed to be playing with creativity rather than a structured offensive system. It looks structured often because that's what the players on the team are mostly used to still. Mangiapane, Dube, etc., all seem to be playing in that same system, but are struggling now, so I guess that they were either better fits for a system with more structure, or just haven't adjusted yet. Nearly all forwards are regressing in points (though a few have improved, like Coleman which I can't explain, and Sharangovich doesn't count as I am focusing on players who were here playing under Darryl for a few seasons, and even beyond).


Defensive scoring sure seems up (and I am sure it is up, even without looking). So Huska definitely has the defencemen much more involved in the plays, but the Flames forwards as a unit haven't quite figured out the offensive side of things yet. I don't think this team has enough talent, but when you see Dube, Mangiapane, and Lindholm all seemingly regressing offensively, even while playing on different lines, then I start assuming it is the way in which the team is playing - at least in partial.


Hopefully Huska can figure out at least how to get the rest of the forwards going, if only to elevate their trade value (I think Mangiapane and Dube would both be available if teams inquired about them).


I think Huska and Savard have to sit down and try to either simplify the structure (if there is a structure in place offensively) or go back and start adding structure (if there is no structure in place) just to see if they can get these guys going.


All I know is that Hanifin's trade value should be high, so that's great. As for Huberdeau - focus on him after the trade deadline.

[Freddy]

Could the Flames put Huberdeau on waivers? He’d clear, and then maybe he could build his confidence back in the AHL and when he came back to the Flames in a few months or next season he’d be able to play a role where he isn’t leading the team for the green jacket (biggest minus +\-). I understand it would be humiliating for him and hard to stomach for the organization to pay $10M/season to an AHL’er, but if it took all the pressure off him, coaches, linemates, etc maybe it could pay off in the final 6 or 7 years of the contract. As a fan I just want the Flames to be as good as possible and as a human I’d like Huberdeau to live a happy fulfilled life (which as long as he is failing badly to earn his contract it would be hard to reconcile).

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Could the Flames put Huberdeau on waivers? He’d clear, and then maybe he could build his confidence back in the AHL and when he came back to the Flames in a few months or next season he’d be able to play a role where he isn’t leading the team for the green jacket (biggest minus +\-). I understand it would be humiliating for him and hard to stomach for the organization to pay $10M/season to an AHL’er, but if it took all the pressure off him, coaches, linemates, etc maybe it could pay off in the final 6 or 7 years of the contract. As a fan I just want the Flames to be as good as possible and as a human I’d like Huberdeau to live a happy fulfilled life (which as long as he is failing badly to earn his contract it would be hard to reconcile).

Not unless he waives his NMC

[GioforPM]

I agree you sort of ignore it. It’s kind of counterproductive to go game by game and microanalyze what worked and what didn’t. I still think Huberdeau plays better on Backlund line than any other combo so far, points or not. There’s things I agree with and disagree with as far as who is an ideal linemate or what is an ideal system, but at the end of the day, this is just going to have to work itself out. Which has happened in the league before.

[Enoch Root]

I don't think it makes sense to go out and acquire players that might have chemistry with Huberdeau - that strategy would make sense if they were in win-now mode, but they aren't.

Focus on acquiring young talent and picks, and let the Huberdeau situation work itself out.

When the Flames re-enter competitive territory, then figure out what is the best plan for him.

[Locke]

Honestly, I think Huberdeau needs to get parked on the 3rd line for a bit. Get some of the pressure off, get back to fundamentals and basics and just start having fun again.

Otherwise we give him as much cocaine as possible and see what happens.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Locke

Honestly, I think Huberdeau needs to get parked on the 3rd line for a bit. Get some of the pressure off, get back to fundamentals and basics and just start having fun again.

Otherwise we give him as much cocaine as possible and see what happens.

He is on the third line.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He is on the third line.

Well I guess we know what option is left then. Dont we?

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

They always had guaranteed contracts.

What we need is term limits or remove the guaranteed contract.

If you are privileged enough to make this type of money you better perform. People in much worse situation get turfed if they screw up in a job.

Their prior performance and market conditions dictate the contracts. Players should get paid fully. It’s up to general managers to spend that money prudently. But players earn the right he a sought after free agent, and Huberdeau made a ton of money after having an incredible season, good for him. Him and his family will be taken care of. I have no issue with players making money. Owners are pocketing 100s of millions of dollars from the players providing elite level entertainment, the players deserve every cent they get. BT made a massive contract offer to a guy who doesn’t fit our system, we have to live with it.

[kukkudo]

I actually think if Huberdeau continues to struggle that he would waive his NMC to be put on waivers hoping someone claims him.

[GullFoss]

I actually think Huby should be made the 13th forward. And if that means he's paid $10.5m a year to play 5 games a year, so be it.

Maybe he'll eventually retire or ask for a mutual contract termination.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

I actually think if Huberdeau continues to struggle that he would waive his NMC to be put on waivers hoping someone claims him.

At 10.5 million, 0% chance.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

I actually think if Huberdeau continues to struggle that he would waive his NMC to be put on waivers hoping someone claims him.

LOL, why would anyone claim him?

If someone would claim him, the Flames could trade him, even if it was for nothing.

He has serious negative value.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

I actually think Huby should be made the 13th forward. And if that means he's paid $10.5m a year to play 5 games a year, so be it.

Maybe he'll eventually retire or ask for a mutual contract termination.

That’s likely as useful a post as the one suggesting he be waived.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

I actually think Huby should be made the 13th forward. And if that means he's paid $10.5m a year to play 5 games a year, so be it.

Maybe he'll eventually retire or ask for a mutual contract termination.

I don't get this line of thinking and why people seem to have a personal vendetta against Huberdeau so much.

He's sucked as a Flame but you're not going to shame him into leaving $70M dollars on the table. And just benching him forever is not in the team or players best interest.

It's in the team and players best interest to work together to try to figure this out and at least try to get him to a point where he can maybe get 60-80 points in a season.

They should probably think about sitting him for a game at some point but to say "just make him the 13th forward" would be the stupidest thing you could do 110 games into a 9 year relationship.

And even then...he's not worth near $10.5M but he's still an NHLer. 70 points in 110 games isn't "he's not even an NHLer territory", just not worth close to $10.5M.

[rollie619]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

At 10.5 million, 0% chance.

Could see Arizona claiming him, hoping that if you get him out of the pressure cooker, he regains form.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by rollie619

Could see Arizona claiming him, hoping that if you get him out of the pressure cooker, he regains form.

No chance, why would they hurt themselves signing all their good young players going forward with that contract? Nobody is touching that contract.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by rollie619

Could see Arizona claiming him, hoping that if you get him out of the pressure cooker, he regains form.

They would sooner trade a bad contract to us in exchange.
No one will take him for free. We'd have to buy someone else who's bad or include an asset with him to move him.
Waivers is the most unlikely situation; he is a negative value asset.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

No chance, why would they hurt themselves signing all their good young players going forward with that contract? Nobody is touching that contract.

the only way this contract is touched is if the Flames attach about 4 unprotected 1st round picks to it. and 4 might be low