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The production doesn’t match the price-tag.
Jonathan Huberdeau realizes that.
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Huberdeau is just a few months into the largest contract in Calgary Flames’ franchise history — an eight-year whopper that carries an annual cap-hit of $10.5 million US.
Heading into Monday’s matchup against his former team, he also was on pace for a career-low 40 points.
“Obviously, I think I have earned this contract, but you still have to earn it after that,” said Huberdeau, who was coming off a record-setting season — a new benchmark for the most assists by an NHL left winger — when he was traded to the Flames in July 2022 and soon after put pen to paper on that doozy of a deal.
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“I try not to put pressure because it hasn’t been easy. So I try not to think about the contract.”
Huberdeau’s struggles were spotlighted again Monday as Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers paid a visit to the Saddledome.
The slumping Flames forward spent the first decade of his career in the Sunshine State, where he blossomed into one of the NHL’s most dynamic offensive talents and most dazzling playmakers.
Those in the C of Red are, understandably, wondering if that guy got lost on the way to Calgary.
Huberdeau, who turned 30 in June, hasn’t lacked accountability. He has repeated over and over that he expects more from himself.
What’s lacked is impact on the scoresheet. He certainly hasn’t looked like a guy who piled up 115 points — including 85 helpers — in his final winter with the Panthers. Or even a guy who averaged 1.12 PPG in three seasons leading up to that.
The Flames didn’t foresee this sort of drop-off.
His former pals weren’t expecting it either.
As the Panthers fetched Monday’s pre-game stats package, they found Huberdeau ranked 11th among Flames with four goals and 10th with 15 points through 31 contests. As they checked the lineup board, they found him listed as a third-liner alongside a pair of shutdown-first forwards in Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman.
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“He is probably one of the most talented guys that I’ve ever played with,” said Panthers forward Sam Bennett, a familiar face around these parts and now a fan favourite in Florida. “I loved my time playing with him. He helped me bring my game to the next level, actually.
“And obviously I know about struggles in Calgary, too. It can be tough. It can drag on you. Sometimes, it feels like when things aren’t going your way, the pressure builds and gets worse and worse. Definitely, I feel some sympathy for him, but I think he’s a heck of a player. I still believe he has the abilities to turn everything around.”
For Bennett, the pressure he was feeling in seven campaigns in Calgary was primarily tied to his draft status. The Flames had never selected as high as fourth-overall before they called his name at that slot in 2014.
For Huberdeau, the pressure comes from his past accomplishments, from the blockbuster trade he was a part of and from his paycheques. He’ll be collecting $10.5 million per season through the end of 2030-31.
“If you don’t have pressure on you, you’re not an impact player,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said when asked about his highest-paid player. “That’s something that he can turn around and flip it so it’s a positive thing for him.
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“That’s probably the advice I would give him — ‘It’s a good thing, because you are an impact player. And you want to be that type of player. So now it’s just about going and playing and trusting who you are.’”
Flames fans, while thrilled with the recent performances from ex-Panthers rearguard MacKenzie Weegar, keep waiting for a glimpse of the old Huberdeau.
They’re worried this might be the getting-older Huberdeau.
“Sometimes, when players who expect to score aren’t scoring, there’s a tendency to think that’s all they are,” Huska stressed after Monday’s morning skate, sharing a message that he has likely passed along to No. 10 on numerous occasions. “But there is more to his game than just that. He brings other things to the table, and sometimes it’s important for him to remember that too.”
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In the Panthers’ locker room, they remember what Huberdeau is capable of. They don’t have a bad word to say about their former teammate.
“I think sometimes when you change scenery, it’s really not easy,” Panthers centre Sam Reinhart said prior to this showdown with the Flames. “He’s such a positive person, but you know it eats away at anybody. I wish him all the success and I know he’s going to do all he can to battle through and prepare the right way.
“You hope he comes out of it. He’s such a talented player and such a good person, so you always hope for the best for him. Hopefully not tonight, but after that.”
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