What to do with Huberdeau?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Goriders

I think at this point though many people are at a loss as to what to do with him.

They have tried:

- pretty much every line combination looking for chemistry
- top line minutes
- 3rd line sheltered minutes
- 1st PP time
- benching him

There’s not much left outside of switching him to D.

Woah, woah, woah!!

He's a big guy! Maybe try him in net?

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Locke

Woah, woah, woah!!

He's a big guy! Maybe try him in net?

And put Wolf on the wing?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by D as in David

And put Wolf on the wing?

Hey...if Huberdeau can play wing and generate 0 goals, 0 assists and 0 points how much worse could Wolf do?

You could leave him in his goalie equipment and everything.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Igottago

You don't. That's up to him. Spending a significant amount of time, energy, assets and a good portion of the organizations future plans around getting him to be halfway decent is a waste.
I would hope the Flames are getting creative with ways to potentially move this contract along, as challenging as it might be.

LOL. So you throw up your hands and give up. OK. Seven and a half years to go. Me, I’d rather improve the team by improving his game as best I can, if I’m the coach.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

LOL. So you throw up your hands and give up. OK. Seven and a half years to go. Me, I’d rather improve the team by improving his game as best I can, if I’m the coach.

The coaches mandate is to win games. Huberdeau is likely preventing him from doing that at this point. 2 Flames coaches now have tried to get him to play better, with little result. Should the Flames get a 3rd one to do it?

There is no externality that will fix this for Huberdeau. The onus is literally on the player to find his game and perform better. The coaches can't help him until he helps himself and shows he's actually going to contribute to positive outcomes when they give him the ice time and responsibility.

They are way past his get comfortable stage now. At some time the organization will have to acknowledge it isn't working, period.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Igottago

The coaches mandate is to win games. Huberdeau is likely preventing him from doing that at this point. 2 Flames coaches now have tried to get him to play better, with little result. Should the Flames get a 3rd one to do it?

There is no externality that will fix this for Huberdeau. The onus is literally on the player to find his game and perform better. The coaches can't help him until he helps himself and shows he's actually going to contribute to positive outcomes when they give him the ice time and responsibility.

They are way past his get comfortable stage now. At some time the organization will have to acknowledge it isn't working, period.

Huberdeau isn’t preventing them from winning games.

You seem to think he’s not trying hard enough and just “being better” is like an on/off switch. It’s not.

[MrMike]

Now does it anywhere in the cba say which position a player must play in his contract?
Could a coach/team force him to play goalie if healthy? Now that would be one crazy precedence.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Huberdeau isn’t preventing them from winning games.

You seem to think he’s not trying hard enough and just “being better” is like an on/off switch. It’s not.

Yes, he is. When the top investment on the team is barely better than an AHL callup and putting up 0's across the stat lines each night, its preventing you from winning games. You don't pay $10.5M for guys not to perform, you were counting on tangible points and results from that roster spot when you constructed the team.

If any other star player had Huberdeau's stat lines, you better believe they would be getting heaps of blame for their team's woes. Not sure why Huberdeau deserves a pass.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

LOL. So you throw up your hands and give up. OK. Seven and a half years to go. Me, I’d rather improve the team by improving his game as best I can, if I’m the coach.

You should try to improve the team any way you can. Sinking more costs in trying to get Huberdeau going at this point is like Homer trying to dig up or doubling down on a 16. They've already invested enough at this point, it's up to the player to figure it out. If he is a good hockey player, he will.

I'd rather they spend assets to get more out of the players who are showing promise.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Yes, he is. When the top investment on the team is barely better than an AHL callup and putting up 0's across the stat lines each night, its preventing you from winning games. You don't pay $10.5M for guys not to perform, you were counting on tangible points and results from that roster spot when you constructed the team.

If any other star player had Huberdeau's stat lines, you better believe they would be getting heaps of blame for their team's woes. Not sure why Huberdeau deserves a pass.

Who’s giving him a pass? Posters are saying what might get him going. Not saying it’s not his fault. There’s a difference. Why are some people so blind to this.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Who’s giving him a pass? Posters are saying what might get him going. Not saying it’s not his fault. There’s a difference. Why are some people so blind to this.

The difference is I think the only person who can actually help Huberdeau at this point -- is Huberdeau. At some point, especially as a star player, you just buck up and get it done. Surely everyone around him has done what they can by this point.

Asking every other parameter around him to change is unrealistic, and a really bad strategy for the organization.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Igottago

The difference is I think the only person who can actually help Huberdeau at this point -- is Huberdeau. At some point, especially as a star player, you just buck up and get it done. Surely everyone around him has done what they can by this point.

Asking every other parameter around him to change is unrealistic, and a really bad strategy for the organization.

No one is asking anyone to change. And even if they were, it’s not like most other players on the team are performing well on a consistent basis.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I wish that the NHL had performance conditions.

a 41 point player making 10.5 million in the first year our their contract is criminal.

Yeah, it will never happen, but it should be an option in contracts to have a clause that says if the production declines by a certain amount from one year to the next, then the contract can be cancelled. A player might negotiate a different margin for more or less money to either gamble on themselves or give themselves more security. For example, a team might offer $10 million AAV, but state that if production declines by more than 25% from one year to the next, then the contract can be voided, or offer $8 million AAV, and change the number to 40%.

I think this is part of the issue for Huberdeau, and likely Gaudreau and possibly Kyrou. They did it, they got the bag. Now the reward of a big career contract is no longer a factor to them. Huberdeau can say he is a proud guy and wants to do well no matter what, but he is human and he wouldn't be the first person lay off the pedal once they are set up for life. I don't think it is on purpose, it's just the way things go for a lot of people.

[GranteedEV]

we should bring back Jaromir Jagr

Huberdeau - Ruzicka - Jagr

see if that line can get something going on the cycle with heavy offensive zone starts


On a more serious note, at this point maybe a Huberdeau - Kadri - Zary line is the way to go. Let Backlund and Coleman go back to a 200 foot role and put huberdeau in a more offensive role with a pair of guys who are really rolling. Forces Huberdeau to simplify his game a bit too. Once he starts playing a simple game, the confidence will grow.

But roles are only part of it. He needs more icetime and we need to solve that horrible powerplay. Our bad PP is not an individual problem, it's due to many reasons.

[Hackey]

He's the 10th highest paid player in the entire league. This is the production they probably expected in the final year of his deal not the first.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hackey

He's the 10th highest paid player in the entire league. This is the production they probably expected in the final year of his deal not the first.

And?

[heep223]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Huberdeau isn’t preventing them from winning games.

You seem to think he’s not trying hard enough and just “being better” is like an on/off switch. It’s not.

Do you mean in a semantic sense. Like philosophically, he’s not preventing them from winning games.

I hope you’re being cute because in a practical sense yes he’s very much a detriment to the team right now. He’s a net negative towards the goal of winning on most nights. But as importantly, he’s chewing up more than 10% of the team’s cap that could be spent on better players.

Let’s not pretend otherwise

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Feed him some PCP and make him our new enforcer?

[Snuffleupagus]

All we have is hope, hope that he pulls a Skinner and remembers how to play hockey.

[Locke]

I'm just sayin'...people fall of the Peace Bridge all the time...