Darryl Sutter has a theory for Huberdeau's Calgary Flames struggles
It’s no secret that Jonathan Huberdeau’s time with the Calgary Flames hasn’t gone according to plan.
Huberdeau was the Flames’ big get from the Florida Panthers in the Matthew Tkachuk blockbuster trade during the 2022 offseason. The now-33-year-old was coming off a career-high 115-point season with the Florida Panthers, which prompted then-GM Brad Treliving to sign him to an eight-year, $84-million deal.
Since signing that contract, Huberdeau has managed just 65 goals and 194 points in 291 games. It’s been a very strange and confusing fall from grace, though Darryl Sutter, who was behind the bench during Huberdeau’s first season in Calgary, gave his reasoning as to why things haven’t worked out.
“I think that first of all, the first year he was probably in shock,” Sutter explained on the Cam & Strick Podcast. “I don’t think he ever expected to get traded out of Florida.”
While many chalked Huberdeau’s initial struggles up to being shocked by the deal, that doesn’t explain why the struggles have now lasted for four seasons. According to Sutter, the reasoning may be playing out west.
“Being from Eastern Canada, I don’t think that Western Canada was necessarily his cup of tea, or would not have been his choice if he had a choice. I think those were the two big things.”
Getting off to such a rough start has seemingly taken a toll on Huberdeau’s confidence as well. Had that first season with the Flames gone differently, perhaps we’d still be seeing him play at the level he did for so many years with the Panthers.
“I think just getting off on the wrong foot in it all was a big part of why he is where he is,” Sutter said. “Say what you want, Matthew Tkachuk is a stud. That would be the trouble spot in all that, because as you know in a small market, the fans have a lot to say in terms of when they’re analyzing players, and they do a pretty good job of it.”
Though neither has commented publicly, it wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret that Huberdeau and Sutter didn’t see eye-to-eye in their short time together. In fact, many believed that Sutter being fired may have led to Huberdeau’s game getting back on track, though that hasn’t been the case.
Part of Huberdeau’s struggles could also come down to injury, as he chose to undergo hip resurfacing surgery in the spring due to a nagging hip issue. Fans in Calgary are now left hoping that the surgery can get him right, as he still has five more years remaining on his contract with a monstrous $10.5-million cap hit.
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