How Has It Gotten This Bad For Jonathan Huberdeau?

Four years ago, Jonathan Huberdeau was near the top of the hockey world—a perennial point-per-game winger squarely in his prime, coming off an electric 115-point season and widely viewed as one of the league’s best players.

Then came the shocking blockbuster trade that summer, which sent him and MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk, and nothing has been the same ever since.

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Huberdeau’s first two seasons as a Flame were underwhelming, to say the least—55 and 52 points, respectively—but a bounce-back 2024-25 campaign (28 goals, 62 points) at least offered some hope that his two-time All-Star form wasn’t completely gone. However, this year, he’s somehow taken a significant step back, which raises the question: how has this happened?

Flames analyst Mike Gould recently shared his thoughts on the drop-off, which he believes stems from several factors.

Gould said:

“I think it’s a variety of things. I think with Jonathan Huberdeau, it is a matter of going from being on a top team to a bottom team. Going from a warm environment that he was comfortable with to a cold environment that he’s not as comfortable with. Not being insulated as much. Not playing in the same type of systems that he was down in Florida.

I think also it’s just a matter of maybe he’s declining. The age curve—we talk about how development isn’t linear for players, well, by the same token, regression isn’t always linear for players either. And I think what we’re seeing with Jonathan Huberdeau is maybe a guy who peaked a little earlier, and who is starting to decline a little earlier.”

The 32-year-old Huberdeau has been limited to just 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 42 games played this season. He’s in year three of the eight-year, $84 million extension he signed with the Flames upon being acquired from the Panthers back in 2022.

Would Jonathan Huberdeau Benefit From a Change of Scenery?

It’s safe to say the answer is yes—Huberdeau could absolutely benefit from a change of scenery. The problem, of course, is just how difficult—if not impossible—moving his contract would be.

There’s no denying that Huberdeau has begun to decline physically, but he still possesses a high-end playmaking ability that, in the right situation and on the right team, could hold real value. Not $10.5 million worth of value, but certainly more than what we’ve seen in Calgary of late.

Finding a trade partner would be extremely challenging, and a buyout would hamper the Flames for years to come. That said, it’s becoming increasingly evident that both sides need to split. At some point, that may require getting uncomfortable to provide Huberdeau a fresh start—one he deserves, quite frankly, given everything he’s endured since leaving Florida.

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