2024-25 Huberdeau - new and improved?

[442scotty]

I’ll give him a pass for now. I bet he’s been playing injured for quite a while.

[GreenLantern2814]

I would do a couple things with Huberdeau.

1. Put him with Backlund. He’s the Coleman replacement. I don’t care if he’s on the right side - his primary task is defense. Let him play with a centre who loves having the puck on his stick, because he might be the worst puck carrier in the NHL.

2. Put him back on the PK.

3. Tell him every time he gets the puck in the o-zone, his first responsibility is to shoot. He’s averaging 1.5 shots per game. Get that number up over 2 by the deadline, and see how close you can get to 3 by the end of the season.

4. Double shift him with the 4th line when Zayne returns and they go 11/7.

Oh, and the reticence of ownership to buy him out needs to evaporate - Huberdeau only has this contract because ownership made them take a win-now deal for Tkachuk instead of a futures based one.

If they would rather do it in a year or two, fine, but don’t sit here and act like it’s not their mess.

[musth]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

I’ll give him a pass for now. I bet he’s been playing injured for quite a while.

and I can't stand that, we've heard too much of it over the years. if he's hurt, sit him.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Oh, and the reticence of ownership to buy him out needs to evaporate - Huberdeau only has this contract because ownership made them take a win-now deal for Tkachuk instead of a futures based one.

A buyout saves almost nothing either in cash or cap hit, simply because of the structure of the contract. It's not going to happen at this point. Other posters have mentioned a couple of dates near the end of the contract where it might make sense, but those are years away.

By the way, I think you mean ‘reluctance’. ‘Reticent’ means reluctant to speak, specifically.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by musth

and I can't stand that, we've heard too much of it over the years. if he's hurt, sit him.

Yeah. This.

I mean, even at his best he's not helping the team. If he's hurt there are kids we can work into the lineup.

Even 75% of barely anything is still essentially nothing.

[Macindoc]

Hopefully when he returns he will be more like the player we saw last season. Also hopefully there's no rush at all to return him to the lineup until he's 100% (which most NHL players aren't at this point in the season).

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

I’ll give him a pass for now. I bet he’s been playing injured for quite a while.

Aside from last year where he seemed to have figured out a style of play that was beneficial to the team, production was still nowhere near what his salary commands. He's been woeful here from a production standpoint, and will only get worse. If has truly been so hurt that his game has gone back to where it was season 1 as a Flame he and the team should have done something long before now.

The team and player are stuck together so there is no sense in dreaming up scenarios where the marriage ends. Unless he retires or goes on the LTIR there is no real short term relief in sight. No team in their right mind would take him on and a buyout is equally as foolish.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Hopefully when he returns he will be more like the player we saw last season. Also hopefully there's no rush at all to return him to the lineup until he's 100% (which most NHL players aren't at this point in the season).

Yeah, its not like he's on Team Canada's shortlist and waiting by the phone for the call or anything.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, its not like he's on Team Canada's shortlist and waiting by the phone for the call or anything.

Maybe keep him out until after the trade deadline just in case. Hopefully, at that point, the Flames will need another warm body to fill out the roster.

[HighLifeMan]

I truly don't think you could find a worse talent+systems fit in the entire NHL for Huberdeau than this current iteration of the Flames. I actually give him credit for adapting his game and the success he found last year. It's a shame that his contract makes him unmovable as clearly both sides would benefit from a change of scenery here. That's not to absolve the player completely of criticism as he's been terrible the last few months, but confidence is king at this level and the fit just isn't right.

Hopefully with an injection of some young high end talent and a different coach in a couple years we can see a player who can produce into his late 30's. I don't think it's completely impossible, but that's also probably just wishful thinking considering the state of things at the moment.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by musth

and I can't stand that, we've heard too much of it over the years. if he's hurt, sit him.

Aren't we trying to tank?

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

I truly don't think you could find a worse talent+systems fit in the entire NHL for Huberdeau than this current iteration of the Flames. I actually give him credit for adapting his game and the success he found last year. It's a shame that his contract makes him unmovable as clearly both sides would benefit from a change of scenery here. That's not to absolve the player completely of criticism as he's been terrible the last few months, but confidence is king at this level and the fit just isn't right.

Hopefully with an injection of some young high end talent and a different coach in a couple years we can see a player who can produce into his late 30's. I don't think it's completely impossible, but that's also probably just wishful thinking considering the state of things at the moment.

Huby needs linemates with exceptional ability to read plays, move to open ice, and always be ready to receive an unexpected pass. Unfortunately, few current Flames have those skills.

[5abi]

It’s crazy to think that because he did it work out is why the flames suck and now he’s the ideal tank commander

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

A buyout saves almost nothing either in cash or cap hit, simply because of the structure of the contract. It's not going to happen at this point. Other posters have mentioned a couple of dates near the end of the contract where it might make sense, but those are years away.

By the way, I think you mean ‘reluctance’. ‘Reticent’ means reluctant to speak, specifically.

I understand it's buyout proof in terms of cap savings - but at a certain point, they can't keep having the guy around if these are gonna be the results.

If they buy him out in July 2028, these are his cap hits:

$8.111
$10.6
$6.111
$1.111 x3

So two more years of this, at most, before it becomes possible to ditch him.

The rest, I shan't dignify with a response.

[Kipper_3434]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Huby needs linemates with exceptional ability to read plays, move to open ice, and always be ready to receive an unexpected pass. Unfortunately, few current Flames have those skills.

Like Duclair and Benzo? I wouldn't call them exceptional and would argue it's 80/20 system / linemates.

[Sheva #7]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

I truly don't think you could find a worse talent+systems fit in the entire NHL for Huberdeau than this current iteration of the Flames. I actually give him credit for adapting his game and the success he found last year. It's a shame that his contract makes him unmovable as clearly both sides would benefit from a change of scenery here. That's not to absolve the player completely of criticism as he's been terrible the last few months, but confidence is king at this level and the fit just isn't right.

Hopefully with an injection of some young high end talent and a different coach in a couple years we can see a player who can produce into his late 30's. I don't think it's completely impossible, but that's also probably just wishful thinking considering the state of things at the moment.

Dude i'm not sure system is at fault for not being able to win battles and turnover the puck spinorama style on every play

[Kipper_3434]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I understand it's buyout proof in terms of cap savings - but at a certain point, they can't keep having the guy around if these are gonna be the results.

If they buy him out in July 2028, these are his cap hits:

$8.111
$10.6
$6.111
$1.111 x3

So two more years of this, at most, before it becomes possible to ditch him.

The rest, I shan't dignify with a response.

Good thing we need his contact to reach cap floor for at least the next 2 seasons. I'm hoping we can just LTIR him Hossa style by then.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Sheva #7

Dude i'm not sure system is at fault for not being able to win battles and turnover the puck spinorama style on every play

Yeah I don’t know why all these people trying to say it’s the team’s fault that he sucks

At this level of suck, it’s 100% on him. He doesn’t even produce 1/3 of expectation.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Sheva #7

Dude i'm not sure system is at fault for not being able to win battles and turnover the puck spinorama style on every play

We sure do read a lot about how he would produce more with better linemates. A statement which is true of every NHLer.

What team in the league who is trying to compete would put Huberdeau on one of their top lines?

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I understand it's buyout proof in terms of cap savings - but at a certain point, they can't keep having the guy around if these are gonna be the results.

If they buy him out in July 2028, these are his cap hits:

$8.111
$10.6
$6.111
$1.111 x3

So two more years of this, at most, before it becomes possible to ditch him.

The rest, I shan't dignify with a response.

There's no point on buying him out until we actually need the space for ELC raises with what we hope is our new future core (2026 1st, Reschny, Parekh, Gridin). As of right now, the only person that can motivate Huberdeau is Huberdeau himself. Ride or die, sink or swim, whatever analogy he needs to come up with to get himself out of this funk.

He looked damn good with the same coach last season, this year is all on him. Needs to be quicker with his puck decisions and quit doing blind passes that lead to turnovers 95% of the time. This ain't the Eastern Conference.