Speculation: There was a meeting between the Flames management and Huberdeau's agent Allan Walsh

[viper0220]

According to CP, there was a meeting between Johnathan Huberdeau's agent Allan Walsh.

The meeting happened after "team Practice" and the meeting was requested by the player agent.

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[Linkens Mastery]

There's something bad in the Alberta water this season

 

[kudymen]

Did he by any chance bring his sword?

 

[BKarchitect]

Is Huby gonna give back $40 million of his contract so he’s moveable?

Good luck to Walsh in finding a market for his guy otherwise. I’m sure the Flames are super eager to eat salary and cap for the next decade so that Huberdeau can go somewhere sunny and with beaches.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Johnny boy back to Florida. Here we go.

 

[Bond]

Is Huby gonna give back $40 million of his contract so he’s moveable?

Good luck to Walsh in finding a market for his guy otherwise. I’m sure the Flames are super eager to eat salary and cap for the next decade so that Huberdeau can go somewhere sunny and with beaches.

Yeah. Edwards barely retains on expiring deals. I don’t think there is a trade to make in the entire NHL unless a team will actually pay serious value for a 8.5 million dollar Huberdeau which won’t happen unless someone goes off their meds

 

[Cowumbus]

Allan Walsh annoys me and I’ve never met the guy.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I'm not a CBA expert but I believe if Huberdeau is so unhappy he'd be willing to terminate his contract and sign a smaller one, then perhaps Calgary can give Walsh permission to find a new team + deal for Huberdeau that's attractive enough to have him terminate it.

 

[RandV]

How about a 3-way trade: Bobrovsky->Gaudreau->Huberdeau

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Does that mean no more naked coboys performances?

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

I doubt it's a trade request, probably just an agent advocating for his client.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Yeah, not really sure what the point of this leaking is (or the meeting at all).

He's on an expensive contract, he didn't have a great last year, and we all saw him get benched last game. I don't think he has any trade value, but I'm not convinced the Flames want to spend assets just to be rid of the contract either.

Maybe it's just to allow Walsh to shop around for a deal if he can find one?

 

[kevsh]

The guy was on a 85-90 point pace the previous two seasons before the big 115, so it's not like he was a flash in the pan. I'd suggest it's in part the team he's on/the system/something else beyond just that he forgot how to play.

If another team has the cap space + Calgary is willing to each a big chunk, I would imagine there is a deal out there. Of course it would be a huge gamble for both GMs and unfortunately there aren't many out there with the stones to try this.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Huberdeau is coming across like the biggest bum in the league right now I’m sorry.

You can’t be mad about being traded there but turn around and sign a huge deal for 8 years. You can’t have your agent set up a meeting with the team because you’re not getting ice time when you don’t play hard for almost 100 games now. Sorry bro. You wanted to be the top dollar guy- it means you get held more accountable, not less.

 

[hurdemz]

Is this Walsh giving the flames front office the momma bear talk?

I don't doubt he's a good agent, but he seems to like stirring up controversy at times.

Maybe Huberdeau should stop floating around and play hockey. F**kin guy makes 10.5... do something productive.

 

[Some Other Flame]

Possibly a trade request, more likely a discussion to see how to improve Huberdeau's performance aka let Huberdeau play a rush based offensive game.

Either way works.

 

[Petes2424]

I’m sure if he’d be willing to terminate his contract, they could get something done. Maybe he has asthma or something, and the elevation bothers him. Just can’t understand how he’s fallen off as badly as he has. Two games this year, I can’t even remember his name called. At $10.5 million? That’s as bad as it gets.

Just don’t see how anything gets resolved. He’s un-tradable at this point unless someone gets real creative. Like paying San Jose 3 first round picks to eat $3 million a year, then eating another $2 million themselves. Then maybe they’d find some interest. Really is going to be a long, long contract. You can’t even buy him out, as it wouldn’t help much.

They’d have to recreate the word “creative” to find a team to take him right now. Maybe if he starts playing better, they eat about $3.5 million AND take back another bad contract with some term on it. But as of today, he’s as unmovable as a player’s ever been.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

What leverage does Walsh have? Is Huberdough going to quit playing?

 

[Nanuuk]

More likely Walsh is checking in to make sure everything is ok.

Nothing to see here.

 

[Zirakzigil]

This isn’t shocking. He was benched last night. This is the player agent doing his job and checking in with management about what everyone needs/is doing to make things work better.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

This season I think it's misunderstood about him that he's "not trying". The system is now much different from Sutter's, where he spent virtually 65+ games in his off-wing for the first time in his career. He's putting in effort but he's genuinely just playing very off; throwing his patented spinorama passes to nobody, mishandling the puck, missing assignments, and mental lapses.

Could attest to a couple things: first he's expected and paid to be "the guy" on a team trying to make the playoffs and he's never had that. Florida had two players drafted at #2 and #1 in Barkov and Ekblad who also play more important positions. By nature, he could fall back away from the spotlight and do his thing.

Secondly and as a result of the former, I just think something is really in his head. I feel like he just doesn't know where to go after signing that big deal right after being blindsided by the trade. Burdened by the organizational obligation that he must now be thrust into filling Gaudreau's shoes at 1LW.

If there's anyone to blame, I would look towards the Flames ownership and how they refuse to allow management to properly rebuild or effectively retool... Instead their mantra is to hand out absurdly termed contracts to forwards that had just come off from by far their best seasons, and then saying "these are the guys can help lead us to the promised land". All of this while they lack a top-end #1C and actual #1D, both of which ideally are found through the draft and developed.

Hopefully Huberdeau can resurge himself or find a different team where he's like the 3rd best guy. Contract situation makes that really tough of course. I don't blame him for trying to find a route that he can once again thrive from.

 

[I am Canadian]

Agents don't only handle contracts and trade requests. They help do other things like help them buy a home, find schools for kids etc.

This is likely to discuss performance and how to get JH to improve the situation.

 

[ole ole]

Yeah. Edwards barely retains on expiring deals. I don’t think there is a trade to make in the entire NHL unless a team will actually pay serious value for a 8.5 million dollar Huberdeau which won’t happen unless someone goes off their meds

8.5 ? Huberdeau is getting 10.5 for 8 more seasons

 

[StreetHawk]

End of the day, he opted to sign an extension before playing a game for Calgary. Didn't have to, but like most here would, took the guaranteed $80 mill. But, hockey mad markets for an underperforming high cap hit player, is going to be harsh. But, again, he took the money, so deal with it.

 

[Bond]

8.5 ? Huberdeau is getting 10.5 for 8 more seasons

No shit lol. The 8.5 would be if 2 million was retained.