What to do with Huberdeau?

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

It is the system in the offensive zone that Sutter and now Huska use. It neuters any creativity and doesn't have guys working into the high slot scoring areas while constantly moving to get open. Instead it is a lot of throw it back to the point and stand around. The top teams all take the puck down the wing and try and throw pucks into high danger areas, I pointed out the difference the last time we played Vegas and how they do exactly that. If Huberdeau played for Vegas he would be a top 10 point getter in the NHL right now.

Huberdeau's scoring drop has more to do with his lack of rush scoring opportunities than the lack of offensive zone production IMO. You look at his highlight reels in Florida with all the spinning passes and end to end rushes, basically none of that has transferred over here. That along with the PP is where the bulk of his Florida production has dissipated.

I also think Huberdeau would've screwed a lot of teams over IMO. He's a very system dependent player and I haven't seen a lot of teams play run & gun. If memory serves, I think I remember Buffalo and San Jose playing a pretty wide open hockey and they both missed the playoffs last season.

[monkeyman]

I just had a premonition. 2024 is a new year, the curse will be lifted and the points will start to come for Johnny Huberdeau.

[Spurs]

10.5 million and he can only play one specific system that hasn't shown that it can be effective in the NHL?

That is rough.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Spurs

10.5 million and he can only play one specific system that hasn't shown that it can be effective in the NHL?

That is rough.

I think that one specific system does work in the NHL, but more so the regular season. No way you'd find teams willing to open up the neutral zone and trade end to end rushes in the playoffs.

That's why I think run & gun is an archaic style, it just doesn't translate in the playoffs. I'm assuming that's why Bill Zito was willing to move on from Huberdeau and his President's Trophy winning coaching staff, he knew they needed to change and it ended up being a smart move. Too bad for us that Zito was the one playing Chess while Treliving was the one playing Checkers.

[Hack&Lube]

Poignant as this comes from Bennett who just didn't work at all no matter how he was slotted here in Calgary. You can blame coaching or complimentary players but it just didn't work for him here until going to Florida. It reminds me a lot of Huberdeau's struggles.

"He is probably one of the most talented guys that I’ve ever played with,” said Panthers forward Sam Bennett, a familiar face around these parts and now a fan favourite in Florida. “I loved my time playing with him. He helped me bring my game to the next level, actually.

“And obviously I know about struggles in Calgary, too. It can be tough. It can drag on you. Sometimes, it feels like when things aren’t going your way, the pressure builds and gets worse and worse. Definitely, I feel some sympathy for him, but I think he’s a heck of a player. I still believe he has the abilities to turn everything around.”

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...turn-it-around

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Poignant as this comes from Bennett who just didn't work at all no matter how he was slotted here in Calgary. You can blame coaching or complimentary players but it just didn't work for him here until. It reminds me a lot of Huberdeau's struggles.

"He is probably one of the most talented guys that I’ve ever played with,” said Panthers forward Sam Bennett, a familiar face around these parts and now a fan favourite in Florida. “I loved my time playing with him. He helped me bring my game to the next level, actually.

“And obviously I know about struggles in Calgary, too. It can be tough. It can drag on you. Sometimes, it feels like when things aren’t going your way, the pressure builds and gets worse and worse. Definitely, I feel some sympathy for him, but I think he’s a heck of a player. I still believe he has the abilities to turn everything around.”

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...turn-it-around

Bennett's struggles as a Flame aren't really comparable to Huberdeau's though. Sam was buried down the depth chart playing 12-13 minutes a night in the bottom 6 with very limited PP time.

Huberdeau on the other hand is getting plenty of opportunity playing 1st line minutes and regular PP minutes. His struggle is an issue of execution, not opportunity.

They're also extremely different players. Bennett raises the level of his game come playoff time whereas Huberdeau's game wilts.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

As unlikely as it seems Huberdeau's P/GP as a Flame is actually better than Meier's as a Devil. And the underlying stats would say Huberdeau has been better defensively too.

Meier has 25 in 43: 0.58 P/GP, -17 (if you include his poor playoffs it's 29 in 54 or 0.54 P/GP)

Huberdeau has 70 in 110: 0.64 P/GP, -12

Meier doesn't have any trade protection this season according to Cap Friendly, it kicks in next season...so if the Devils feel like it's really not a fit and value Markstrom (they need goaltending badly) then they could have incentive to do it now.

Also Palat is overpaid as well, so helps them get out from that contract too.

Palat was brought in for his playoff experience and big-game savvy, not to put up points in the regular season. The Devils still need those playoff qualities. I really doubt they move him.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Bennett's struggles as a Flame aren't really comparable to Huberdeau's though. Sam was buried down the depth chart playing 12-13 minutes a night in the bottom 6 with very limited PP time.

Huberdeau on the other hand is getting plenty of opportunity playing 1st line minutes and regular PP minutes. His struggle is an issue of execution, not opportunity.

They're also extremely different players. Bennett raises the level of his game come playoff time whereas Huberdeau's game wilts.

Huberdeau has .8 ppg in the POs. Bennett has .7 with 118 pms.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Huberdeau has .8 ppg in the POs. Bennett has .7 with 118 pms.

So that seems to validate Bennett raising his game. He’s been a force in most playoff games I have watched him.

Huberdeau’s career PPG in the playoffs is starting to approach his regular season PPG though, for the wrong reason.

In the big picture not much sample size for Huberdeau in the playoffs. He had one exceptional series and four forgettable ones.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

So that seems to validate Bennett raising his game. He’s been a force in most playoff games I have watched him.

Huberdeau’s career PPG in the playoffs is starting to approach his regular season PPG though, for the wrong reason.

In the big picture not much sample size for Huberdeau in the playoffs. He had one exceptional series and four forgettable ones.

Wait - you think Bennett's 118 pms helped the team?

Bennett had a great POs with Florida. His Calgary POs were highly overrated.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Huberdeau has .8 ppg in the POs. Bennett has .7 with 118 pms.

Sam Bennett
0.45 ppg (career regular season)
0.65 ppg (career playoffs)


I'm not sure how this can even be questioned. Sam Bennett is an absolute force in the playoffs. As we've seen throughout his time as a Flame and last season as a Panther, his game just goes to another level in the postseason. His physicality might get him into trouble in the regular season, but in the playoffs, it's an asset.

Also, the Huberdeau to Bennett comparison doesn't really work either. Most of Bennett's career has been spent in the bottom 6, naturally he's not going to out produce a 1st liner like Huberdeau while he was toiling on the 3rd line with limited PP minutes.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Wait - you think Bennett's 118 pms helped the team?

Bennett had a great POs with Florida. His Calgary POs were highly overrated.

Disagree with you. He consistently elevated his game in the playoffs with the Flames. Even more impressive when you consider how young he was for most of it.

Bennett’s penchant for a bad penalty is well known but over half of the PIM’s you reference occurred during one playoff run with Florida where you acknowledge how well he played.

He’s on my playoff team 100 times out of 100.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Sam Bennett an absolute force in the playoffs? Lets relax here.

He played better but he was still taking dumb penalties, lots of offensive zone penalties.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Wait - you think Bennett's 118 pms helped the team?

Bennett had a great POs with Florida. His Calgary POs were highly overrated.

What about the 2020 playoffs or his rookie season? All I know is, I'd take Sam Bennett on my team any day for a playoff run. I use to put up with his regular season struggles just for his added playoff benefit alone.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Sam Bennett an absolute force in the playoffs? Lets relax here.

He played better but he was still taking dumb penalties, lots of offensive zone penalties.

Guys like Bennett benefit from the playoff reffing. The NHL really needs to get consistent across reffing and war room decisions.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Sam Bennett an absolute force in the playoffs? Lets relax here.

He played better but he was still taking dumb penalties, lots of offensive zone penalties.

He was integral in their playoff success and a one man wrecking crew against the Leafs who had no answer for his physicality and edgy play as their forwards were playing with their heads on swivels the entire series.

[EVERLAST]

Bennett never had to be told the forecheck is an important part.of the game....being the first guy to the puck as well.

The Flames have always had to beg for guys to buy into that. That would Mean guys have to start skating hard on every shift. Wow. Can you imagine the difference if everyone just automatically skated hard and forechecked hard when it mattered.

Long time flames fan but I can't remember 80% of our players ever GAF about this and every coach screaming for it.....especially Sutter.

Huberdeau has to be a Bennett type on our team .....but it'll never happen. That's why he needs 2 Bennetts on his line or even 1 if he's ever going to find success here.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

What about the 2020 playoffs or his rookie season? All I know is, I'd take Sam Bennett on my team any day for a playoff run. I use to put up with his regular season struggles just for his added playoff benefit alone.

That's what I was talking about. A lot of his PO points to me were him jamming in a puck in a situation created by one of his linemates. It wasn't the big "force" that people describe IMO. Opinions can vary but I think the mythology grew a tad much.

BTW, I never said he wasn't better in the POs than the regular season. I said his impact was overstated.

[Strange Brew]

Of all the posts dedicated to apologizing for Huberdeau’s performance, the Bennett criticisms are about the worst IMO.

What happened to only wanting to discuss how to fix #10?

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

This is a bizarre turn, comparing Huberdeau and Bennett. But on Bennett, I haven't watched him much in FLA, but he's certainly better in the playoffs by a long shot, loved playoff Bennett, and seems there are some stats to prove it.

Do we think Bennett is simply better in the playoffs cause of the different standard of officiating? The whistle sure gets put away a lot more in the playoffs, and Bennett sure does take a lot of penalties.......maybe that's the difference?