Jonathan Huberdeau’s Struggles Continue with Calgary Flames
Jonathan Huberdeau has now completed his second season with the Calgary Flames, and unfortunately, his struggles persist. Acquired via the Matthew Tkachuk trade, Huberdeau arrived in Calgary with high expectations after an outstanding 2021-2022 season where he notched 115 points. The hope was that he would continue to be the elite playmaker he is known to be and help offset the loss of Johnny Gaudreau.
However, things have not gone according to plan. The Flames have missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season and Huberdeau has not performed at his best. In his two seasons with Calgary, he has accumulated fewer points combined than his 85-assist season in 2021-2022. This dip in performance is particularly concerning given his hefty contract of $10.5 million for the next seven seasons.
The Flames are making efforts to help Huberdeau regain his star form. Despite various linemate experiments and line changes, his production has not picked up. The team is aware that if they want to be competitive in the future, getting Huberdeau back to his peak performance is vital.
Flames Coaching Changes Don’t Bring Desired Results
Many believed that Huberdeau’s struggles were partly due to the coaching style of Darryl Sutter, who emphasized tight defense over offensive freedom. This was in contrast to the more offensive system that Huberdeau thrived in during his time in Florida. With a coaching change, the Flames hoped to unleash Huberdeau’s offensive prowess.
New head coach Ryan Huska has advocated for more freedom and creativity on the ice to generate offensive opportunities. Additionally, the hiring of Marc Savard as the powerplay coach was meant to boost Huberdeau’s productivity. However, these changes have not yielded the desired results, with the Flames’ powerplay ranking among the league’s worst.
Huberdeau’s Future with the Flames
In the most recent season, Huberdeau tallied 12 goals and 52 points in 81 games, a slight decrease from his previous season. With his current contract making a trade unlikely, the Flames and their fans are left hoping for a turnaround in Huberdeau’s performance. At 30 years old, time is not on his side, and his struggles raise concerns about the team’s patience.
While the exact cause of his underperformance remains a mystery, one thing is certain – the Flames need to address Huberdeau’s struggles to remain competitive in the long run.
