What to do with Huberdeau?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

No, like I said in my last post, different teams play different systems and the 21-22 Florida Panthers were one of the last teams who played that archaic run & gun style. They routinely sucked other teams into playing that style too and it was the perfect style that complimented Huberdeau’s game.

But run & gun doesn’t work in the playoffs. Defense and checking wins in the playoffs and that’s why teams are routinely asking their superstars to adjust. You can’t be one dimensional anymore, you have to be hard to play against, you have to be connected, you have to play the right way.

It’s not on coaching at all. I predicted Huberdeau would struggle as a Flame while I was watching him pile up 5 points against the other team. I knew his game wasn’t going to translate here and quite frankly, his game wouldn’t translate on a lot of teams.

Just think for a second why he went from 1.44 ppg to 0.5 ppg in 21-22 once the playoff calendar was flipped over. After all, it was the same team, same roster, same coach, same systems, same everything a week prior. Does that not ring any any alarm bells for you?

I'd say if anything we've seen the return of the offensive specialist. The kind of player that is allowed to focus on what they do best, scoring, and neglect other parts of their game. There are plenty of, often undersized, gifted offensive players getting 70%+ O zone starts, who likely can barely identify their own defensive zone.

There are also more than just run and gun and two way coaching styles available. Successful teams have good offensive plays and play to their players strengths. That can mean any number of styles: slowing down the game, cycling, fast breaks, bombs from the slot, etc... At the end of the day you do need some kind of game plan and playmaking ability.

The Flames seem to have no game plan. It's like they just don't practice certain basic offensive plays. The trouble goes way beyond Huberdeau. You don't get one of the all time worst power plays because just one player isn't performing. That signifies you have zero upper end offensive ability and playmaking.

The players that are succeeding, Coleman, the Kadri line, Sharangovich, are doing so by working hard and slamming pucks at the net. That's great and all, but you need that plus the solid offensive plays to win.

It's not just Huberdeau that's underperforming. Lindholm and Mangiapane suck too. Basically anyone that relies on anything beyond simple jam to get points is going to suck on this team. Sharangovich may be an exception, but his game is all about and elite shot, not any kind of playmaking.

[Locke]

He hasn't registered a point in almost a month.

Even a Gold Medalist Champion Gymnast couldnt do the gymnastics required to explain that away.

Its not the coach. Its not 'crappy teammates' none of it. Its Huberdeau.

Even an AHL idiot would have potted one even by accident in that time.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Locke

He hasn't registered a point in almost a month.

Even a Gold Medalist Champion Gymnast couldnt do the gymnastics required to explain that away.

Its not the coach. Its not 'crappy teammates' none of it. Its Huberdeau.

Even an AHL idiot would have potted one even by accident in that time.

He is basically useless. Paying Ruzicka, Greer, or Gilbert $6 million per year would be a better use of cap space than paying Huberdeau $10.5 million per year.

[Number 39]

If I’m the Flames I’m exploring every and any opportunity to terminate the contract based breach, legal technicality, whatever. I just don’t see any other way out of it barring a LTIR situation. Just a brutal situation.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Number 39

If I’m the Flames I’m exploring every and any opportunity to terminate the contract based breach, legal technicality, whatever. I just don’t see any other way out of it barring a LTIR situation. Just a brutal situation.

This makes me wonder if NHL contracts have any performance standards built into them.
What if a player signed a huge contract and then literally stopped giving any effort whatsoever.
There has to be something in there for that situation.
(I'm not saying Huberdeau is that)

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Number 39

If I’m the Flames I’m exploring every and any opportunity to terminate the contract based breach, legal technicality, whatever. I just don’t see any other way out of it barring a LTIR situation. Just a brutal situation.

There is not a lot there that allows you to terminate a contract and avoid the cap hit.

Anyway, we've been told many times he'll start scoring at a 70+ point clip, and the cap makes no difference to us anyway.

[Flamesfan05]

There are some stuff. Perry was terminated
But I doubt there is anything on point production.
How do you prove performance? On last night , Huberdeau’s lawyer can show clips of him setting up his team mates point blank and they shot at the goalie. He can probably counter sue lol

[Hockey_Ninja]

Are people seriously circling back to the “it’s the coach!” argument? Huska may not be a great coach, but if Sutter couldn’t get anything out of Huby then nobody afterwards likely would have except for maybe Brunette but he got snatched up before the Flames could get to him. I highly doubt Mitch Love would’ve made any difference behind the bench in place of Huska. I really just think Huberdeau is mentally shot and his confidence is gone

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Are people seriously circling back to the “it’s the coach!” argument? Huska may not be a great coach, but if Sutter couldn’t get anything out of Huby then nobody would’ve. I highly doubt Mitch Love would’ve made any difference behind the bench in place of Huska. I really just think Huberdeau is mentally shot and his confidence is gone

Are we back to Sutter was the greatest coach ever?

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

There are some stuff. Perry was terminated
But I doubt there is anything on point production.
How do you prove performance? On last night , Huberdeau’s lawyer can show clips of him setting up his team mates point blank and they shot at the goalie. He can probably counter sue lol

You certainly cannot terminate based on on ice performance.

It would need to be based on a criminal matter or a morality issue.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Are we back to Sutter was the greatest coach ever?

Sutter deserved to get fired. He wasn’t the main problem but he also wasn’t the solution. Multiple things can be true at once

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

There are some stuff. Perry was terminated
But I doubt there is anything on point production.
How do you prove performance? On last night , Huberdeau’s lawyer can show clips of him setting up his team mates point blank and they shot at the goalie. He can probably counter sue lol

Yeah at this point it would have to be a mutual agreement.

[DazzlinDino]

This has to have an effect on the other players too, Johnny G probably didn't get along with everyone but he could still carry the team on his back and score timely goals. Huberdeau doesn't do that in spite of his situation, or teammates. They gave him a pass last season, they built him up when he stated playing well on Backlund line, but where are the timely goals. He needs a guy he can connect with like Jakob Pelletier who looked up to him. If he's not getting any points at all you have to assume that his teammates are part of the equation.

At least he still making an effort out there, but it can't be easy being Huberdeau right now

[Goriders]

He’s our 11th leading scorer. For $10.5 million.

[The Fisher Account]

Guys.. he's TRYING!

And really, at the end of the day, that's what matters most in professional sports. Right..?

[Goriders]

Trying is probably a leading metric on teams that are in 25th place. Guessing not for teams in the top 5 or 10 spots.

[All In Good Time]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Are people seriously circling back to the “it’s the coach!” argument? Huska may not be a great coach, but if Sutter couldn’t get anything out of Huby then nobody afterwards likely would have except for maybe Brunette but he got snatched up before the Flames could get to him. I highly doubt Mitch Love would’ve made any difference behind the bench in place of Huska. I really just think Huberdeau is mentally shot and his confidence is gone

Ha ha
At least Sutter was quick to realize that “Huby” needed to leave the bench to empty his head out

[All In Good Time]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Guys.. he's TRYING!

And really, at the end of the day, that's what matters most in professional sports. Right..?

He’s “good in the room” too
But
You’re incorrect in the fact that trying is the most important part of professional sports
We all know it’s having fun

[boogerz]

Originally Posted by blankall

The Flames seem to have no game plan. It's like they just don't practice certain basic offensive plays. The trouble goes way beyond Huberdeau. You don't get one of the all time worst power plays because just one player isn't performing. That signifies you have zero upper end offensive ability and playmaking.

The players that are succeeding, Coleman, the Kadri line, Sharangovich, are doing so by working hard and slamming pucks at the net. That's great and all, but you need that plus the solid offensive plays to win.

It's not just Huberdeau that's underperforming. Lindholm and Mangiapane suck too. Basically anyone that relies on anything beyond simple jam to get points is going to suck on this team. Sharangovich may be an exception, but his game is all about and elite shot, not any kind of playmaking.

That is Huska though. His most successful teams in the dub (08-09 Rockets mem cup team) and AHL (the one year he made the playoffs) were built on the backs of mucker/grinder type players that could skate fast and play a gritty style of game.

Huberdeau isn't going to flourish under coaches like Sutter and Huska that don't appreciate creativity and more open offensive systems. If we ignore their problematic personalities for a second, Huberdeau and this roster would be perfect for Hartley or Peters

Unless the Flames are willing to change their style or hire a good coach with a more modern style, Huberdeau will continue to be a boat anchor.

[Vinny01]

The Flames should have taken a more serious run at Andrew Brunette when conducting their coaching search. It is blowing my mind Huberdeau is somehow worse under Huska than he was under Sutter. He looks totally cooked out there.