2024-25 Huberdeau - new and improved?

[the-rasta-masta]

I feel for the guy. He looks like he either lost a step, or can’t handle some of the pressure put on him by the contract value and the need to be the best player on the team. I’m sure he’s being harder on himself than even the fans are.

It’s not clicking for him right now, or really ever in a Flames uniform. You want a guy at 10.5 million and with several point per game seasons before this to be someone you get excited about when he gets the puck. The high end attribute of the player was supposed to be his passing and that part of his game is the most frustrating right now. He is constantly giving the puck away and looking too cute doing it.

[GioforPM]

Giveaways? You are seeing things - he's 9th on the team. 5th among forwards. Coleman, Pospisil, Kadri and Zary have more. There are only 4 forwards with a positive Corsi, and he's one (with Zary, Kuz and Sharangovich).

[Icantwhisper]

We traded for a 115 point guy, he has 115 points for the Flames, what's the problem?

[GreenLantern2814]

Huberdeau’s move set is almost entirely “stop skating and force a low percentage pass”.

I cannot recall a single skill player who looks so lost with the puck on their stick.

This is the worst contract in NHL history.

Worse than Yashin. Yashin was a 0.84 player as an Islander - Huberdeau as a Flame is .67.

The only good thing about it is that it’s so guaranteed and so unmovable and so buyout proof that I give it two more years, three max, before Jonathan develops an allergy to his shin pads or something and recedes into LTIR rather than put himself through all this nonsense to try and live up to his contract.

And I don’t begrudge him at all for signing the contract, or for his production since. I don’t think it’s for lack of effort, I think it was just the worst possible situation for the player, and there’s nothing that will make it perceptibly better.

Certainly not now that Huberdeau is 31 - he possesses literally none of the attributes that allow wingers to be successful into their late 30s.

He’s declined for two straight years, and this new, lighter, faster Huberdeau still isn’t fast by NHL standards.

But, he was the H-bomb that triggered the rebuild that should’ve been 2 years deep already.

So you take the good with the bad.

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ When the world never seems to be living up to your dreams

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

^ When the world never seems to be living up to your dreams

It takes a lot to get em right.

[CGY12]

Nurse is the worst contract in the league by far.

I understand the frustration around Huberdeau though, the concept of putting the puck on net is foreign to him.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Nurse is the worst contract in the league by far.

That's debatable, solely because his contract is $1.25M less per year, and ends one year earlier, a difference of $18M.

Neither player is particularly good. But $18M is $18M.

[VilleN]

I think Nurse is the worse contract - at least Huberdeau is our highest scoring forward. On a bad blueline, Nurse is not even close to their best Dman.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by VilleN

I think Nurse is the worse contract - at least Huberdeau is our highest scoring forward. On a bad blueline, Nurse is not even close to their best Dman.

He's the highest on the Flames and on pace for 55 points. And gets the premium ice time including PP1 time.

Not particularly comparable. Pretty much any forward can get 50 points gifted that kind of ice time.

[Winsor_Pilates]

I think he has looked slightly better this season.
Expectations are low and this is probably as good as we can expect.
But I try not to think about him when watching games, just let it go.

[Erick Estrada]

If there's another round of compliance buyouts in the future you have to think the Flames will at least consider (Edwards is not a fan of buyouts) buying out Huby. I shudder to think what he's going to look like in his mid-30's.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

He's the highest on the Flames and on pace for 55 points. And gets the premium ice time including PP1 time.

Not particularly comparable. Pretty much any forward can get 50 points gifted that kind of ice time.

Except all the other forwards on Calgary, especially Kadri. In fact, however, Huberdeau gets less ice time than a bunch of guys, and that includes the fact he plays PK now as well.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Nurse is the worst contract in the league by far.

I understand the frustration around Huberdeau though, the concept of putting the puck on net is foreign to him.

It's not "by far". Huby's contract is one for the history books bad. I suspect Nurse's deal will just be looked on as a bad contract.

[Strange Brew]

3 points in his last 10 games. Half his points this season came in one game.

[Erick Estrada]

I'd trade Huby's contract for Nurse's. Nurse is way overpaid but at least he can play bottom 3 in the defense group for years while Huby is not likely going to thrive in a bottom 6 role and may be a regular in the pressbox in the coming years.

[Enoch Root]

Huberdeau isn't generating enough offense.

Nurse is a defensive liability.

One doesn't help the team enough, the other causes his team problems.

For me, no contest as to which is worse.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Huberdeau isn't generating enough offense.

Nurse is a defensive liability.

One doesn't help the team enough, the other causes his team problems.

For me, no contest as to which is worse.

Nurse is a liability because he's playing over 22 minutes a game. Take him down to 16 minutes per game and he would be serviceable. I guarantee there's not a team in the NHL that takes Huby's deal over Nurse's. I'm not a Huby hater but the reality is that he's trending to not even be a serviceable player that you can put out on this ice by 35. It ends fast for some players.

[CsInMyBlood]

I see the effort and he cares. These are the important things. Is it going the way he wanted? Nope. Is it going the way we wanted? Nope.

It would be so much worse if we were a cap team but we arent even close. You can tell hes well liked in the room and puts the effort in with the young guys. He is putting some points up and a little confidence goes a long way for every player. I think confidence is even more important for Huberdeau.

I still think he is an effective player for the Flames. Hopefully the cap keeps going up so he isnt handcuffing us too badly when we are ready to contend in the future.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nurse is a liability because he's playing over 22 minutes a game. Take him down to 16 minutes per game and he would be serviceable. I guarantee there's not a team in the NHL that takes Huby's deal over Nurse's. I'm not a Huby hater but the reality is that he's trending to not even be a serviceable player that you can put out on this ice by 35. It ends fast for some players.

They are both equally bad.

Nobody would want neither contract.

What’s the point of arguing which is worse?