2024-25 Huberdeau - new and improved?

[Bingo]

I think Huberdeau in Calgary is a decent to good second line winger.

He's not a franchise player.

He's over paid by about $4M per season (guess).

But he's not a floater, or doesn't care, or a bottom roster player. That's way over the top.

For me I focus on the overage, and not the total salary and it eases some pain!

[SuperMatt18]

His effort and skating is improved this year.

He's played a very strong defensive game and almost shows too much attention to defense at times.

He doesn't cheat to create offense at all and that is for sure impacting his total production (often high man in the ozone, first man back on backcheck, short shifts, doesn't leave the d-zone early).

And then what is compounding that is his puck skills have clearly declined a little bit, either from age or lack of confidence and he's having a hard time making those plays when given the opportunity.

I do think the team's offensive approach (which seems very slow and based on cycle) doesn't really work well with what he does best (counter attack off the rush), and it's the combination of all these things that have led to production decline.

Sometimes with how safe he is playing the game and with his attention to the team structure I almost wonder if he's listening to the coaches too closely - offensive players generally produce because they take those risks that coaches don't always love and he's not taking those risks.

If he was making $6.5M I think he'd be perfectly fine - so to Bingo's point he's about $4M overpaid right now - it sucks but for a team with $20M of cap space it's not the end of the world.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Huberdeau in Calgary is a decent to good second line winger.

He's not a franchise player.

He's over paid by about $4M per season (guess).

But he's not a floater, or doesn't care, or a bottom roster player. That's way over the top.

For me I focus on the overage, and not the total salary and it eases some pain!

Seems like a quality person which should be a positive in the locker room. If they could just find a winger and/or center that could find some really good chemistry with him the team may be able to salvage a couple of solid point producing seasons but so far he's just not been able to find that chemistry he had with some of his former teammates in Florida.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Seems like a quality person which should be a positive in the locker room. If they could just find a winger and/or center that could find some really good chemistry with him the team may be able to salvage a couple of solid point producing seasons but so far he's just not been able to find that chemistry he had with some of his former teammates in Florida.

Him and Sharangovich actually seem to work together.

I don't think Mantha pushes the pace enough to work.

Wouldn't mind trying Coronato or Pospisil with Huberdeau & Sharangovich to see how that would work.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Him and Sharangovich actually seem to work together.

I don't think Mantha pushes the pace enough to work.

Wouldn't mind trying Coronato or Pospisil with Huberdeau & Sharangovich to see how that would work.

He's played well in spurts with a lot of guys, usually when first paired with them (Kuzmenko when he first arrived for example, Pospisil off the bat this year, Sharangovich last season). For whatever reason it tails off. Sometimes I wish he'd cheat on offence just a little more, and I do think he should stretch his shifts. I think he also could use a relationship with a Dman floating in from the point for a pass, like with Guadreau and Wideman that one year.

[Wastedyouth]

Paid like a first line center, plays like a 3rd line winger.

It's ugly, but it's our ugly, for a very long time.

He'll never produce at even a ppg until this team has more than 0 top 6 centers.

Pospisil and Sherangovich are not centers no matter how much this team tries to make fetch happen.

How we can expect any of the wingers to produce with the center depth we have, I don't know.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Paid like a first line center, plays like a 3rd line winger.

It's ugly, but it's our ugly, for a very long time.

He'll never produce at even a ppg until this team has more than 0 top 6 centers.

Pospisil and Sherangovich are not centers no matter how much this team tries to make fetch happen.

How we can expect any of the wingers to produce with the center depth we have, I don't know.

No need to add the hyperbole.

He had 53 points last year, 110 forwards had more.

110/32 = top of second line player, not third line in production.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Huberdeau in Calgary is a decent to good second line winger.

He's not a franchise player.

He's over paid by about $4M per season (guess).

But he's not a floater, or doesn't care, or a bottom roster player. That's way over the top.

For me I focus on the overage, and not the total salary and it eases some pain!

He really works, and cares, and I respect that. It's just wild to me that his production fell off a cliff so drastically. But it's going to remain one of those mysteries of life we never know the definitive answer too, like what happens when we die.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Huberdeau in Calgary is a decent to good second line winger.

He's not a franchise player.

He's over paid by about $4M per season (guess).

But he's not a floater, or doesn't care, or a bottom roster player. That's way over the top.

For me I focus on the overage, and not the total salary and it eases some pain!

Look here...Huberdeau is doing the Flames a favour and we need to respect that!

He is our Mandatory Cap Floor Requirement!

If they spread that money out evenly amongst other players that would ravage the team's Salary Structure so they just gave it all to Huberdeau so they could start the rebuild with a good salary foundation.

Plus he is integral part of improving player safety! More players are wearing those foot-protectors on their skates because they know Huberdeau is likely to hit the puck into their feet!

He's taking one for the Team!

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Bingo

No need to add the hyperbole.

He had 53 points last year, 110 forwards had more.

110/32 = top of second line player, not third line in production.

I don't consider it hyperbolic.

At even strength he plays like a 3rd line winger. He has all the cherry PP time and zone starts of a 1st liner but drives play like a bottom 6er.

He honestly should be putting up more points at evens and 5on4 than he does, considering how easy he is being set up by the coaching staff.

His expected goals are 12th best on the team, with the primest zone starts and competition.

Matt Coronato is blowing him out of the water with harder zone starts, higher competition and same ice time.

It's really ####ing bad.

[activeStick]

I feel like Huberdeau's been better this season, but not to the extent that I've read from some others. He's still not near what we has shown he can be and what the Flames need him to be, and I think everyone agrees on that. One thing for me though, I actually don't see his production dropping off that much as he ages. The best parts of his game IMO are his vision, playmaking and passing and I feel like players like that can remain surprisingly consistent into their older years as long as they continue to have chemistry with their linemates who see plays unfold the same way they do. This unfortunately has been the biggest thing missing for Huberdeau.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

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.

Nurse cost the Oilers a few games in their playoff run. His is worse just because of the timing. The Oilers could have a way better defense if they weren’t paying a #5 like a #1

[PepsiFree]

The perception of what Huberdeau is supposed to be probably leads to almost all of his criticism. I think people need to accept that he’s not Johnny Gaudreau, never was, and never will be. He’s a different kind of player. Gaudreau could create something out of nothing and often did. Huberdeau is (or was at least) all about seeing what is happening and making something out of it.

The biggest problem with Huberdeau is actually the biggest problem with the Flames, which is that we don’t have much in the way of established play drivers who can attack the game with speed. There aren’t a lot of guys who see the ice like Huberdeau does, and he needs them. If you go back and look at Huberdeau highlights, you’ll notice some great passes and some really great snipes, but you’ll also notice him putting the puck into areas that guys like Monahan, Tkachuk, and Bennett thrive in. You’ll also notice a lot of plays where guys are doing the same for Huberdeau. Great vision, seeing eye passes, tight stick work, and a quick shot. You’ll also notice that he’s almost never the first guy in, but he’s the 2nd or 3rd guy attacking the net.

The problem is that the Flames have very few of those guys, and none of those guys who aren’t also carrying the weight of getting comfortable in new positions or just sticking in the NHL. The pains of rebuilding. It is what it is.

I think people need to get over the contract. He’s a first liner who can still produce like a 2nd liner when he has little to work with, which is what he’s doing. Yes, he’s in a slump (again), but we know he’ll come out.

I’d be interested in Huberdeau-Pospisil-Coronato for an extended clip. However, there’s still the issue of neither guy being exceptional on the pass and Pospisil is still a ways from really owning the centre role. But there is some speed there, and every guy on that line brings something complimentary to the others, so I could see potential.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

I don't consider it hyperbolic.

At even strength he plays like a 3rd line winger. He has all the cherry PP time and zone starts of a 1st liner but drives play like a bottom 6er.

He honestly should be putting up more points at evens and 5on4 than he does, considering how easy he is being set up by the coaching staff.

His expected goals are 12th best on the team, with the primest zone starts and competition.

Matt Coronato is blowing him out of the water with harder zone starts, higher competition and same ice time.

It's really ####ing bad.

If he’s playing like a 3rd line winger then the others are 4th liners because his advanced stats are better than all of them. At even strength.

Are you looking at real stats at all?

[Lewis_D]

Now I'm definitely not defending the Huberdeau contract, but with the cap going up I'm pretty sure in a few years time there will be some way worse contracts out there than Huby's. NHL GM's just can't help themselves lol.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

I don't consider it hyperbolic.

At even strength he plays like a 3rd line winger. He has all the cherry PP time and zone starts of a 1st liner but drives play like a bottom 6er.

He honestly should be putting up more points at evens and 5on4 than he does, considering how easy he is being set up by the coaching staff.

His expected goals are 12th best on the team, with the primest zone starts and competition.

Matt Coronato is blowing him out of the water with harder zone starts, higher competition and same ice time.

It's really ####ing bad.

I get your point for sure, but his production is still mid 2nd line.

152 forwards has more 5 on 5 points

152/32 = 4.75

middle second line player.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

Now I'm definitely not defending the Huberdeau contract, but with the cap going up I'm pretty sure in a few years time there will be some way worse contracts out there than Huby's. NHL GM's just can't help themselves lol.

Theres lots of reasons for that, for starters, you're right, but thats what happens when you tend to incestuously hire from a very shallow pool.

Further, I think the NHLPA is one of the strongest Sports Unions around and they advocate hard. Well...for their Superstars anyways.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

They are both equally bad.

Nobody would want neither contract.

What’s the point of arguing which is worse?

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If he’s playing like a 3rd line winger then the others are 4th liners because his advanced stats are better than all of them. At even strength.

Are you looking at real stats at all?

I am, I am not sure what you are looking at though.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I get your point for sure, but his production is still mid 2nd line.

152 forwards has more 5 on 5 points

152/32 = 4.75

middle second line player.

He's getting these points on a PDO heater. He's shooting 33%.

He's honestly been very lucky to get the meager points he does have.

I honestly was hoping for a decent bounce back year for the guy. But he just does not have it. With either the eye test nor the possession stats.

You could put any number of 30 year old players in the league in his prime position and they could produce as well or better than he does. It's a short look around the league at 31 year old wingers on much worse scoring teams blowing him out of the water.