Huberdeau to the Oilers? A Rivalry Trade That Actually Helps Both Teams

Jonathan Huberdeau arrived in Calgary as one of the marquee return pieces in the Matthew Tkachuk blockbuster — a 115‑point superstar coming off a career year, expected to become the Flames’ next franchise winger. Calgary wasted no time locking him up, handing him an eight‑year, $10.5M AAV megadeal.

It has not gone well.

Huberdeau’s first season in Calgary produced just 55 points in 79 games, with his goal total sliced in half from 30 to 15. In 2023‑24, things got even worse: 12 goals, 52 points, and a staggering ‑29 — the worst plus/minus of his career. Two years ago, he briefly rediscovered his scoring touch with 28 goals, but still finished with only 62 points. That 115‑point season looks less like a breakout and more like an outlier.

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What Huberdeau Actually Is Now

Last season, Huberdeau battled hip issues and managed 25 points in 50 games. At this stage, the picture is clear: he’s a 50–60 point winger, not a superstar. And that’s still valuable — a legitimate second‑line contributor who can drive play and chip in offense.

The problem is the contract. $10.5M AAV demands elite production, not middle‑six consistency.

The expectations were sky‑high because Calgary gave up Tkachuk — who has since become a point‑per‑game force and a back‑to‑back Stanley Cup champion in Florida at $9.5M AAV. Huberdeau, meanwhile, has become a fixture on every “worst contracts in the NHL” list.

But if Huberdeau made half of what he does? He would be looked at entirely differently. Oiler fans were familiar with this with Darnell Nurse: overpaid, sure, but still useful.

Why The Oilers Would Trade For Him

Edmonton’s top six is elite at the top — Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman — but the second line remains a work in progress. Nugent‑Hopkins is trending toward a third‑line matchup role. Matt Savoie and Vasili Podkolzin are promising but not yet reliable top‑six fixtures.

The Oilers need another proven winger. They just can’t afford one who makes $10–12M.

But Huberdeau at 50% retained? Now it becomes interesting.

$5.25M AAV for a 50‑point winger is legitimately good value, especially in a Cup window. And Calgary would retain — not because they need the cap space, but because they need the roster spot. Huberdeau is 33, signed until 2030‑31, and doesn’t fit their timeline. They need ice time for their young forwards.

Add in his hip resurfacing surgery and recent setback, and Calgary has every incentive to move on.

For Edmonton, it’s a gamble. For Calgary, it’s a clean break.

The Offer

Edmonton Oilers receive:

• Jonathan Huberdeau — 50% retained ($5.25M cap hit)
• 2028 2nd-round pick

Calgary Flames receive:

• Trent Frederic
• Beau Akey
• 2027 3rd-round pick

Who Says No?

From Calgary’s perspective, this is a gift.

They shed a contract that has become an anchor, saving $26.25M in real dollars over the next five seasons. That’s money the owner no longer has to worry about, and it frees a roster spot for their youth. They also avoid having to attach a first‑round pick to dump the deal — getting out of it for a second is a win.

They receive Beau Akey, a young defense prospect to bolster their pool, and a third‑round pick to help offset the second they’re sending out. Frederic gives them a rugged, reliable body to help them through the lean years.

Edmonton, meanwhile, gets a potential 50‑point winger who can play on line two or three, moonlight on line one when needed, and add veteran scoring in a Cup window. They move Frederic’s contract for one with fewer years but slightly more money, gain a second‑round pick in a year they don’t have one, and take a calculated swing on Huberdeau’s upside.

If Huberdeau’s hip never recovers? LTIR exists. Edmonton still gets the pick and moves Frederic’s deal.

If he rebounds even slightly? He becomes a sneaky‑good middle‑six playmaker next to elite talent.

It’s a gamble — but a smart one.

Why It All Makes Sense

A Flames–Oilers trade is rare, but not unprecedented. In 2019, the Milan Lucic–James Neal swap gave both teams exactly what they needed at the time: a reset, a roster fit, and a chance to move on from contracts that no longer made sense. This deal is cut from the same cloth — two teams with different timelines, different needs, and one ugly contract that simply doesn’t fit where it landed.

Calgary gets long‑term flexibility. Edmonton gets short‑term scoring depth. Both teams move a contract they don’t love. Both teams get something that aligns with their competitive windows. And both teams walk away feeling like they solved a problem instead of creating one.

It’s risky. It’s unconventional. It’s bold. It’s the kind of trade that makes both fanbases furious for 48 hours and then quietly starts to look smarter with time.

And that’s exactly why it might work.

Because every once in a while, a rivalry produces a deal that isn’t about helping the other team — it’s about helping yourself. This one checks every box: a clean escape for Calgary, a calculated gamble for Edmonton, and a path forward for both clubs that actually makes sense.

It might be uncomfortable. It might be controversial. But it might also be exactly the kind of move that helps both teams.

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