Coming off a slightly disappointing debut campaign with the Calgary Flames in 2022-23, Jonathan Huberdeau‘s sophomore tenure in Alberta has been anything but good so far.
With just four goals and 11 assists over 35 games this year, the 30-year-old, despite donning the flaming C, has not caught fire yet. And as the season progresses, he only looks to be cooling off.
As many fans may have noticed, December has been especially tough for the Flames centre.
As pointed out by the founder of The Win Column, Karim Kurji, Huberdeau is the only forward in the NHL to have logged at least 150 minutes this month and not produce a single point. That stat looks even worse when we learn that the Saint-Jerome, Quebec, native has over 200 minutes of ice time over the past four weeks.
List of forward who have played at least 150 minutes in the month of December with zero points:
Jonathan Huberdeau (200:31 TOI)
That's it. #Flames
— Karim Kurji (@karimkurji) December 28, 2023
Despite his star status, Huberdeau was infamously benched by head coach Ryan Huska for the entirety of the third period in a comeback win against the Nashville Predators last month.
The message was well received, as he put up six points in the next six games. Unfortunately, his play cooled off again shortly after and has remained ice-cold ever since.
Unsurprisingly, fans are upset that the team is not getting its money’s worth with Huberdeau, who was the centrepiece in a blockbuster offseason deal that sent Matthew Tkachuk over to the Florida Panthers in 2022.
And speaking of money, Huberdeau, who netted a career-high 115 points in his final season with the Panthers, may now have one of the worst contracts in the NHL. The Flames signed the player to a monstrous eight-year, $84 million extension, which sees him earning an average of $10.5 million a season.
In fact, there’s an X account solely dedicated to counting down the days remaining on Huberdeau’s massive contract, which expires about seven years from now.
2,741 days
— is h*berd*aus contract over?❼ (@10flames_) December 29, 2023
Not a great look for a player who has trouble staying in the lineup.
Nevertheless, Huberdeau’s confidence does not seem to be shaken.
“I think I’m making plays. It’s just not going in,” he told reporters after Wednesday night’s loss to the Seattle Kraken. “I think it’s a matter of time.”
With just one game remaining before the end of 2023, the Flames, while battling for a playoff spot in the Pacific, are hopeful that the new year brings with it some promising results.
And with an aging core and virtually no cap space available, the time for Calgary — and Huberdeau — to get hot is now.
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