Player Discussion #10 Jonathan Huberdeau

[Kranix]

Isn't his other son draft eligible soon?

 

[Backlund]

Isn't his other son draft eligible soon?

2024 I'm pretty sure.

 

[CF Magic]

Huby Dooby Doo, where are you? Guy has looked pretty invisible at 5on5 aside from a few spinorama passes...

 

[MarioLeMoose]

Huby Dooby Doo, where are you? Guy has looked pretty invisible at 5on5 aside from a few spinorama passes...

And yet he has 4pts in 4gms
Going to be exciting for you guys once he really starts rollin

 

[Tofveve]

He hasn't looked very good so far. Sutter had him start OT and then never put him back out as he looked too slow and out of sync with everyone else.

 

[TheHudlinator]

The talent is obviously there but he just hasn't found his groove, good news he has 4 points in 5 games not looking in sync.

 

[Anglesmith]

He hasn't looked very good so far. Sutter had him start OT and then never put him back out as he looked too slow and out of sync with everyone else.

Actually he was out twice.

 

[Tofveve]

Actually he was out twice.

Hmm. Must have been pretty short the 2nd time as I was trying to watch for him. Still seemed pretty ineffective.

 

[Anglesmith]

Hmm. Must have been pretty short the 2nd time as I was trying to watch for him. Still seemed pretty ineffective.

I'm not too worried about it. I think he looks good as an individual, but his game relies a lot on chemistry in terms of guys getting to where he needs them.

It's like Lindholm last year figuring out the high slot one timer play. It's not like he didn't have that shot before last year, but a line figuring out how to repeatably utilize each other's skills is as big a deal as having the skills in the first place.

 

[Mazatt]

The talent is obviously there but he just hasn't found his groove, good news he has 4 points in 5 games not looking in sync.

It's been pointed it out on here, on SN intermissions, and Millen was talking about it a bit on the broadcast yesterday from what I was able to gather, but a guy like Huberdeau isn't going to just easily mesh with guys. They used the reference to him as a "delay" type playmaker, but really he seems like a guy who changes the angle really quick to lob a pass off to a guy driving space from behind--not quite like Gaudreau playmaking of drawing guys in and then zipping a pass through a bunch of sticks. Just off the cuff feels like a bit of difference between making guys open vs. finding the best open guy. Two very different styles of playmaking that it's gonna take guys like Lindholm a bit to adjust and everyone is gonna get comfortable with how linemates play.

Another big thing is the whole factor of Huberdeau essentially playing Quebec and Florida hockey. East coast through his whole career, and hasn't played in Canada in some time, and now he's having a bit of a surprise change to become the franchise guy. It should be expected that guys facing such a dramatic change career wise (especially for the first time) are gonna take some time to truly get into a groove, on top of the factors of playstyle indicating a longer period of getting comfortable.

 

[Trio123]

1 ES point(thanks to referee) in 5 games?

 

[Mogo]

Huby Dooby Doo, where are you? Guy has looked pretty invisible at 5on5 aside from a few spinorama passes...

Sounds like good old Huby. If it goes like before soon he’ll have 5 point night, 10 points in 3 games and vanish for a while again. Pretty common for him

 

[Yepthatsme]

It's been pointed it out on here, on SN intermissions, and Millen was talking about it a bit on the broadcast yesterday from what I was able to gather, but a guy like Huberdeau isn't going to just easily mesh with guys. They used the reference to him as a "delay" type playmaker, but really he seems like a guy who changes the angle really quick to lob a pass off to a guy driving space from behind--not quite like Gaudreau playmaking of drawing guys in and then zipping a pass through a bunch of sticks. Just off the cuff feels like a bit of difference between making guys open vs. finding the best open guy. Two very different styles of playmaking that it's gonna take guys like Lindholm a bit to adjust and everyone is gonna get comfortable with how linemates play.

Another big thing is the whole factor of Huberdeau essentially playing Quebec and Florida hockey. East coast through his whole career, and hasn't played in Canada in some time, and now he's having a bit of a surprise change to become the franchise guy. It should be expected that guys facing such a dramatic change career wise (especially for the first time) are gonna take some time to truly get into a groove, on top of the factors of playstyle indicating a longer period of getting comfortable.

Biggest thing I’ve noticed as well, they are just entirely different type of playmakers. Gaudreau used his skating to open up lanes, and it was players like Lindholm’s job to create separation for when the lane opens up. A mass percentage of Lindholm and especially Monahan’s goals were from their ability to sneak into an open area in the slot at exactly the right time.

Huberdeau’s specialty is just finding lanes no one else can see, especially by changing angles (his favorite spin pass). For Huberdeau it’s not just about being open at the right time, it’s about always being ready because he will find whoever has the time and space on the ice. Lindholm and Toffoli have had to double clutch so many passes it seems this year due to the change, allowing the goalie to have time to square up. Once the chemistry fits in and the shots come off more seamless that line will explode, both Lindholm and Toffoli are natural shooters.

 

[Bond]

Lindholm is the problem on that line right now. 2 points and is handling the puck like a grenade

 

[Mazatt]

Biggest thing I’ve noticed as well, they are just entirely different type of playmakers. Gaudreau used his skating to open up lanes, and it was players like Lindholm’s job to create separation for when the lane opens up. A mass percentage of Lindholm and especially Monahan’s goals were from their ability to sneak into an open area in the slot at exactly the right time.

Huberdeau’s specialty is just finding lanes no one else can see, especially by changing angles (his favorite spin pass). For Huberdeau it’s not just about being open at the right time, it’s about always being ready because he will find whoever has the time and space on the ice. Lindholm and Toffoli have had to double clutch so many passes it seems this year due to the change, allowing the goalie to have time to square up. Once the chemistry fits in and the shots come off more seamless that line will explode, both Lindholm and Toffoli are natural shooters.

Agreed. Gaudreau was a lot of skating, and a threat of a shot making guys skate/get out of position, and then boom, Monahan/Lindholm get lost in coverage and can score from the mid-high slot or tougher angles. Huberdeau doesn't carry the same shot threat and doesn't really pull guys out of coverage so far, it's an ability to find guys in motion and to, despite proper coverage, find a guy who is open.

Even on the powerplay guys like Kadri sometimes aren't always ready for a pass. What's weird is that I'd think that after playing with Gaudreau, Lindholm would always be ready for a pass, but it's still a different dynamic. Plus there's the whole flu going around the locker room thing going on which makes it hard to say if Lindholm and Huberdeau don't mesh, or if Lindholm is under the weather and is a step behind where he normally is or what not. Regardless, I'm not too overly worried about either of those guys.

 

[Mobiandi]

Huberdeau will be fine. It's not an easy learning curve to play under Sutter. He only got a handful of games under a top coach like Quenneville before finishing the season with Brunette who was pretty out of his depth.

I thought Panthers fans were exaggerating with his unwillingness to shoot the puck but he's only logged 5 shots in 5 games. Only Lucic and Rooney have fewer. Even on half-chances, he'll favour the pass. This is where Lindholm and Toffoli/a future RW need to step it up to ensure that opposing teams don't take our first line out of the game by double-teaming Huberdeau, a familiar tactic we've seen work well in the Gaudreau era

 

[Tofveve]

I'm willing to give Huberdeau time and in fact after Gaudreau's second contract was signed (missing training camp etc fiasco) year one wasn't a good one (his worst, probably, as a Flame).

That said nothing I've seen from Huby so far makes me think he's on Johnny's level. I watch the the CBJ games and Gaudreau is already doing what he did here with IMO a shittier supporting cast. IMO Johnny is one of a couple of premier playmakers and elite talents in the league who can pretty much carry a team's offense on his back.

But again, Huby still has a fairly long length of rope in my mind (honestly) and though he hasn't looked great there is potential I'm sure for a significant trend upward.

 

[Kranix]

How about giving Huberdeau and Lindholm a seat in the press box for a while and calling up Phillips

 

[SKRusty]

How about giving Huberdeau and Lindholm a seat in the press box for a while and calling up Phillips

So let me get this straight. The team is 4-1-0 and off to a great start. Every Power ranking has the Flames in the top 10 ... Some as high as 1.

Next somehow people expect a completely rebuilt first line to automatically gel? Every time Calgary was forced to line Johnny up with another center due to a Monahan injury Johnny struggled mightily. It even took 20 games to gel Lindy at the end of 2020-21.

It has been 5 regular season games mixed in with illness in the locker room. Maybe those discussions should wait until game 20-25 if their struggles continue.

 

[Volica]

So let me get this straight. The team is 4-1-0 and off to a great start. Every Power ranking has the Flames in the top 10 ... Some as high as 1.

Next somehow people expect a completely rebuilt first line to automatically gel? Every time Calgary was forced to line Johnny up with another center due to a Monahan injury Johnny struggled mightily. It even took 20 games to gel Lindy at the end of 2020-21.

It has been 5 regular season games mixed in with illness in the locker room. Maybe those discussions should wait until game 20-25 if their struggles continue.

 

[Lundell4Prez]

Huby is a notoriously slow starter.. don’t worry about him, he’ll get it going.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Sutter should try getting him into that 20 minute range every once in a while to get his confidence and swagger going. Start throwing him out there with Backlund and Coleman for a shift or two every period. Lewis is playing about four/five minutes a night too much anyways.

 

[Mobiandi]

Wrong thread

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Johnny is an upper tier elite player, every fan in Calgary knows that. Huberdeau is in that same tier, they are different players. Johnny may very well outscore Hubs this year, but they are very much same caliber. I think they finish within 10pts of each other.

 

[Fig]

Huberdeau completely missed the 360 pass from Hanifin to the front of the net against the pens. Fail.

We were told the opposite would happen and that has come to fruition as well. The guy is infecting our team with opposition ass clenching passes to no one. If we can't figure it out, the opposition sighs in relief. If we figure it out... what a bunch of show offs!

I love Huberdeau's off ice stuff. Awesome!

Sutter needs to tell Huberdeau there's another option he needs to consider passing to... Toronto's war room eye located in the back of the net. Not just any random place on net, that fricken camera specifically because we want revenge on that damn thing as Flames fans.