The 2022 offseason quickly started off as a disaster for Calgary Flames fans. Less than two months after being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers, Johnny Gaudreau chose to leave via free agency, and Matthew Tkachuk made his intentions clear shortly afterward that he wasn’t interested in signing a long-term deal.
As it became clear that they were going to lose each of their top two scorers from a season ago, many thought the Flames could be in for some long years ahead. However, that feeling quickly changed thanks to general manager Brad Treliving, as he was able to pull off what was thought of as a masterpiece, acquiring both Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar along with a few other pieces in exchange for Tkachuk.
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Shortly after the deal, Flames fans were ecstatic to learn that Treliving had signed Huberdeau to a massive eight-year extension. While some thought the final few years of the deal may age poorly, it seemed like a great move in the present given that the 29-year-old was coming off of a career-best 115-point season. While those numbers may not have been sustainable, most still imagined he would continue to be one of the league’s most productive wingers. However, through his first 49 games with his new team, that has been far from the case.
Huberdeau Looking Like Shell of Former Self
At no point through his first 49 games as a Flame has Huberdeau shown the dominance he did so often during his time with the Florida Panthers. He oftentimes looks completely lost on the ice, and has very rarely, if once yet, been the best player on either side for an entire 60 minutes.
To this point, he has managed just 10 goals and 33 points on the year, only 22 of which have come at even strength. There have been many issues when watching him, whether it be blind passes leading the other way, or simply losing 50/50 puck battles too often. The most concerning of all, however, seems to be the lack of confidence when it comes to shooting the puck.
By no means has Huberdeau ever been labelled as a goal scorer in his career. Of his 115 points last season, 85 were assists. That said, he still scored 30 goals, and there was a reason why. He shot the puck.
This season, Huberdeau has passed up many great scoring opportunities, much to the chagrin of Flames fans. Simply type his name into the search bar on Twitter and you’ll see hundreds, if not thousands of tweets from fans, criticizing him for not putting the puck on net. Their frustrations are validated from looking at his stats in past seasons.
Last season, Huberdeau recorded 222 shots in 80 games, good enough for a 2.78 shots per game pace. So far in 2022-23, he has put up just 79 in 49, which translates to 1.61 shots per game. To put it in perspective just how low this is for him, during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season in which he suited up for 55 games, he had 122 shots. That is 43 more despite playing in only six more games. To no surprise, he had 20 goals that season compared to his number of just 10 so far.
Sutter’s System Not an Excuse
While there are plenty of concerns regarding Huberdeau’s pitiful first season as a Flame, many have tried to suggest that it has more to do with the system Darryl Sutter brings to the table, rather than the player himself simply not performing like he is capable of. There is no denying that the stubborn bench boss could perhaps change some things up, but this falls much more on the player.
Think back to just a season ago, where a similar skilled player in Gaudreau was able to thrive under Sutter, putting up a career-best 115 points himself. And, while Tkachuk brings a different style to the table, he too was able to have the best season of his career to date with 108 points. This goes to prove that offensive success is possible under Sutter, even if he does tend to preach a defense-first system.
For anyone who has watched this team closely enough, it is rather obvious that Huberdeau’s struggles go far beyond coaching. His confidence appears to be completely shot, as it looks at times like he doesn’t even want the puck on his stick. When it is, he seems to have completely lost the creativity he put on display so often during his time with the Panthers. Again, that isn’t fair to blame on Sutter, as Gaudreau continued to be one of the league’s craftiest players last season.
Flames Fans Hoping Struggles Are an Adjustment Period
At this point, there is nothing anyone can do than hope that this is simply a player who is still adjusting to being in a new organization and city for the first time in his career. Through the first 20-30 games, many were preaching patience, believing things would soon change. However, with them still being the same, if not worse, through nearly 50 games, panic is beginning to set in, especially when considering the fact that his eight-year extension has yet to kick in.
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While the concern surrounding Huberdeau’s game is certainly valid, there is reason to continue expressing optimism in him turning things around. The elite level skill that he had shown for many years with the Panthers doesn’t just vanish, particularly for a player who is still very much in the prime of his career. Perhaps things won’t improve in 2022-23, but being able to get away from things over the summer and refresh his mind may prove to be what is needed to get him back on track. It certainly isn’t what Flames fans want to hear with 30 games remaining in the season, but as of now he hasn’t shown a ton to expect things to change over the next few months.
