What's up with Huberdeau

[Android 16]

Anyone know why was Mueller let go?

Our owner at the time didn't want to open his wallet?

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Kind of weird though since he probably is making something around 1-1.5 max million in Switzerland. I guess they just didn´t want him around.

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

Our owner at the time didn't want to open his wallet?

And yet no one else wanted him either, hence why he's playing overseas.

 

[adam graves]

And yet no one else wanted him either, hence why he's playing overseas.

i liked him...

he has 11 goals in 24 gms in switzerland lol.

 

[Erick*]

Players like Mueller are pretty easy to replace.

Boyes is the new Mueller. Before that, it was Samuelsson. Not a big deal. There's a reason why Mueller isn't in the NHL anymore. Quite honestly, after his nice start last year, he was rather invisible as the season went on.

 

[adam graves]

Players like Mueller are pretty easy to replace.

Boyes is the new Mueller. Before that, it was Samuelsson. Not a big deal. There's a reason why Mueller isn't in the NHL anymore. Quite honestly, after his nice start last year, he was rather invisible as the season went on.

Agree.

Still he brought some fun and entertainment to miserable games last year.

 

[cats31]

Fleischmann either has to start playing better or he has to go. I think someone like Bergy, Upshall or even Kopecky would compliment Huby and Bjugstad better.

I agree with both statements. He definitely needs someone who is stronger with him and who plays more of a hard working game. All this finesse between Flash and Huby aren't working with the 2 of them together.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

I agree with both statements. He definitely needs someone who is stronger with him and who plays more of a hard working game. All this finesse between Flash and Huby aren't working with the 2 of them together.

Agreed. Surprised those two have remained on the same line for so long.

I'd love to see Bergy with Bjugs and Huberdeau.

In regards to Hubs, I just don't know what's wrong with him. He reminds of Horton out there ( ). But he's floating a lot now and is try those stupid junior hockey dekes that NEVER work against NHL defensemen. He says he gained muscle in the off-season but I just don't see it.

I am really disappointed by him this season. Looked like he was starting to turn it around with that little 3 game point streak a couple weeks ago and then goes ice cold without a point in his last 6 games.

He's still very young so I'm not going to crucify him or anything, but I don't want him developing any bad habits at a young age. He needs to play with more grit. He coughs the puck over more than anyone else on the team.

 

[StrangeVision]

Agreed. Surprised those two have remained on the same line for so long.

I'd love to see Bergy with Bjugs and Huberdeau.

In regards to Hubs, I just don't know what's wrong with him. He reminds of Horton out there ( ). But he's floating a lot now and is try those stupid junior hockey dekes that NEVER work against NHL defensemen. He says he gained muscle in the off-season but I just don't see it.

I am really disappointed by him this season. Looked like he was starting to turn it around with that little 3 game point streak a couple weeks ago and then goes ice cold without a point in his last 6 games.

He's still very young so I'm not going to crucify him or anything, but I don't want him developing any bad habits at a young age. He needs to play with more grit. He coughs the puck over more than anyone else on the team.

I know people are going to think I'm crazy and I didn't want to say anything at the time because...well, people would think I'm crazy, but I thought he looked like Horton at times in his last WJC. I don't mean lazy or anything, I just mean he looked like an opportunistic player as opposed to one who creates his own offense.

And now feel free to crucify me.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

I know people are going to think I'm crazy and I didn't want to say anything at the time because...well, people would think I'm crazy, but I thought he looked like Horton at times in his last WJC. I don't mean lazy or anything, I just mean he looked like an opportunistic player as opposed to one who creates his own offense.

And now feel free to crucify me.

See but last year he was the kind of guy who created offense for himself. Last season (at least the first half) he was completely different than how he is this season. I don't know if he's thinking too much or what it is, but his floating and lack of creativity offensively is hurting this team right now.

I know he was hurt last year but dating back to last season, he only has 7 goals in his last 49 games, which equals out to just under 12 goals over 82 games. I really don't know what's wrong with him but he looks like a shadow of what he use to be.

I guess NHL teams figured him out and have been doing a good job of shutting him down. He needs to find away to improve his offensive game because he doesn't offer much of anything else on the ice that's for sure. At least Horton has a wicked wrister.

I feel like I'm being too hard on him and maybe I am, but I know I'm not the only one who expected more from Hubby this season.

 

[Chino Oscar]

i liked him...

he has 11 goals in 24 gms in switzerland lol.

I think he had great chemistry with Huberdeau, I thinks he is the kind of player that Hubby needs to play with, someone fast that can carry the puck into the zome and send passes towards the top of the crease for redirections / shots, seems like a lot of Hubbys goals came that way last year.

 

[jrockett1096]

See but last year he was the kind of guy who created offense for himself. Last season (at least the first half) he was completely different than how he is this season. I don't know if he's thinking too much or what it is, but his floating and lack of creativity offensively is hurting this team right now.

I know he was hurt last year but dating back to last season, he only has 7 goals in his last 49 games, which equals out to just under 12 goals over 82 games. I really don't know what's wrong with him but he looks like a shadow of what he use to be.

I guess NHL teams figured him out and have been doing a good job of shutting him down. He needs to find away to improve his offensive game because he doesn't offer much of anything else on the ice that's for sure. At least Horton has a wicked wrister.

I feel like I'm being too hard on him and maybe I am, but I know I'm not the only one who expected more from Hubby this season.

I have talked about Huby a little lately and I frankly still not sure what his game really is. He is painfully slow and consistently gets beat for a loose puck and the slightest shoulder rub against him and he coughs up the biscuit. He's great one on one against a goalie and he got several goals in this fashion on breakaways and penalty shots last year but what really is Huberdeau's greatest skill? Stickhandling? Some here have said he's a playmaker but I haven't really seen much of that. Has he wowed anybody with playmaking skills or made a few sick passes that other forwards just arent finishing? We have seen Barkov do that a lot more in his few games he's played than I think Huby ever has. Huberdeau's wrist shot is not that great at all and I have mentioned this before and no one has ever answered this but has anyone ever seen Huby wind up and shoot a slap shot? How many times have we seen him on the power play near the half boards and get a nice pass from Campbell or Gilbert with a clear lane to shoot a great one timer and he just passes it off for Gilbert to shoot. That is ridiculous that your supposed best player consistently passes off to the likes of Gilbert when himself should be shooting from everywhere. There have been other great players in the past who weren't that fast be very successful in the NHL but to offset that they had to be really great at something else and I am still trying to figure out what that is. I think the NHL has got a good read of Huberdeau's weaknesses and every night it just looks like there following the book on how to shut him down.

 

[FlaPanthers11]

I have talked about Huby a little lately and I frankly still not sure what his game really is. He is painfully slow and consistently gets beat for a loose puck and the slightest shoulder rub against him and he coughs up the biscuit. He's great one on one against a goalie and he got several goals in this fashion on breakaways and penalty shots last year but what really is Huberdeau's greatest skill? Stickhandling? Some here have said he's a playmaker but I haven't really seen much of that. Has he wowed anybody with playmaking skills or made a few sick passes that other forwards just arent finishing? We have seen Barkov do that a lot more in his few games he's played than I think Huby ever has. Huberdeau's wrist shot is not that great at all and I have mentioned this before and no one has ever answered this but has anyone ever seen Huby wind up and shoot a slap shot? How many times have we seen him on the power play near the half boards and get a nice pass from Campbell or Gilbert with a clear lane to shoot a great one timer and he just passes it off for Gilbert to shoot. That is ridiculous that your supposed best player consistently passes off to the likes of Gilbert when himself should be shooting from everywhere. There have been other great players in the past who weren't that fast be very successful in the NHL but to offset that they had to be really great at something else and I am still trying to figure out what that is. I think the NHL has got a good read of Huberdeau's weaknesses and every night it just looks like there following the book on how to shut him down.

I don't really understand complaining about him not taking a slapshot that just isn't his game. He's a skinny 6'1 kid who really isn't strong enough to have a hard shot. Not all forwards need to have a rocket like Ovi. Hes in the playmaking role on the pp. Our pp is pathetic in itself with lack of puck movement that when it makes it to him on the half boards he has no shot. He has a decent wrister which he hasnt used enough I will admit but throughout his junior career he never was a huge goal scorer. He's pass first and has had plenty of assists in his two years. First one that comes to my mind was his set up to Goc in the first Oilers game I believe when Goc had a wide open shot because of it and actually scored.

Overall I'm not too worried his production this year has dropped off slightly but he is still one of our leading scorers. Agree with some that two playmaker types like Huby and Flash shouldn't be on the same line. His speed isn't as bad as some are saying either. Hate to say this but slow players don't tend to get many penalty shots not to mention having 4? in less than a full season. Give him a full off-season and some better linemates and I think he will be fine. Once again he's only 20 and truthfully I'm always extremely optimistic about prospects/young guys.

 

[Savitar]

It is also his 1st full year in the NHL

 

[jrockett1096]

I don't really understand complaining about him not taking a slapshot that just isn't his game. He's a skinny 6'1 kid who really isn't strong enough to have a hard shot. Not all forwards need to have a rocket like Ovi. Hes in the playmaking role on the pp. Our pp is pathetic in itself with lack of puck movement that when it makes it to him on the half boards he has no shot. He has a decent wrister which he hasnt used enough I will admit but throughout his junior career he never was a huge goal scorer. He's pass first and has had plenty of assists in his two years. First one that comes to my mind was his set up to Goc in the first Oilers game I believe when Goc had a wide open shot because of it and actually scored.

Overall I'm not too worried his production this year has dropped off slightly but he is still one of our leading scorers. Agree with some that two playmaker types like Huby and Flash shouldn't be on the same line. His speed isn't as bad as some are saying either. Hate to say this but slow players don't tend to get many penalty shots not to mention having 4? in less than a full season. Give him a full off-season and some better linemates and I think he will be fine. Once again he's only 20 and truthfully I'm always extremely optimistic about prospects/young guys.

Wayne Gretzky was 6'0 and 180 pounds for his entire career and scored many many goals via slapshot. I can name many many players from my head in the past and from current players in the NHL who are hubys size to shrimps like Martin St. Louis who use a slap shot when its available to them. I'm not saying Huberdeau should have a laser beam but he should be letting one go when the opportunity is there especially in the powerplay when he has clear lanes and if it doesnt go in at least some one can bang it in from a rebound in front of the net. He doesnt shoot ever if hes more than 10-15 feet from the net. The facts are that Huby has 36 shots in 26 games and that is unacceptable when he is supposedly our best player. Flash has nearly double that shot amount to put things in perspective and many here on this board think flash has disappeared! Huby should be shooting from everywhere via all types of shots. If he doesn't know how to do a basic skill like a slap shot well then that's pretty sad.

 

[pb1300]

Huby is going through the sophmore slump, which is usual. I have no doubt that he should be around a ppg player in this league, more if he has the right linemates. The biggest issue I have with him though is that he is too passive, he tries to set up players way too much, and really needs to put the puck on the net. So many times we have seen Huby in the slot, with a golden chance to shoot the puck, but instead he passes it. He needs to be selfish sometimes and just shoot the damn puck!

 

[FlaPanthers11]

Wayne Gretzky was 6'0 and 180 pounds for his entire career and scored many many goals via slapshot. I can name many many players from my head in the past and from current players in the NHL who are hubys size to shrimps like Martin St. Louis who use a slap shot when its available to them. I'm not saying Huberdeau should have a laser beam but he should be letting one go when the opportunity is there especially in the powerplay when he has clear lanes and if it doesnt go in at least some one can bang it in from a rebound in front of the net. He doesnt shoot ever if hes more than 10-15 feet from the net. The facts are that Huby has 36 shots in 26 games and that is unacceptable when he is supposedly our best player. Flash has nearly double that shot amount to put things in perspective and many here on this board think flash has disappeared! Huby should be shooting from everywhere via all types of shots. If he doesn't know how to do a basic skill like a slap shot well then that's pretty sad.

And I can name many players in the past that never needed much of a use of a slap shot to be good players. There haven't been many times this year when there's actually been an open lane, especially on the pp, to shoot. The opportunity just isn't there. Like I said our puck movement is awful. I noticed a more conscientious effort to shoot last game against NYR. I also noticed that most of these shots were blocked away. And at a sharp angle like the one that Huby has on the pp 9 out of 10 times there won't be any rebound chance.

I really don't like comparing one player to another. Huby is his one player. Like I said he has never been one to use a slap shot, not saying he can't take one. He has been fine through his career without it. Should he use it sometimes? Maybe. But it isn't as big of a deal as some are trying to make it out to be. Don't expect Huberdeau to be a tremendous goal scorer, he just isn't. He is at his best when he is averaging an assist per game not scoring tons of goals. Also I would stay away from comparing his shot total to someone shooting under 5%.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

I don't think huberdeau is strong enough to win battles along the boards, and he wasn't doing that in juniors anyway. He was a center who scored in front of the net. Flash needs to go already.

We need to trade matthias, kopecky, markstrom, kulikov, and flieshman. We can get value for those guys and those guys replacements will be able to turn the face of this team around.

 

[Gordonx11]

I don't think huberdeau is strong enough to win battles along the boards, and he wasn't doing that in juniors anyway. He was a center who scored in front of the net. Flash needs to go already.

We need to trade matthias, kopecky, markstrom, kulikov, and flieshman. We can get value for those guys and those guys replacements will be able to turn the face of this team around.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Bumping this again for an update.

Is Huberdeau showing any signs of turning his game around?

Is he playing poorly or snake bit?

 

[Cats2TheCup]

I agree with both statements. He definitely needs someone who is stronger with him and who plays more of a hard working game. All this finesse between Flash and Huby aren't working with the 2 of them together.

Kinda makes you realize just how sick Bjustad is for playing the way he has been.

Imagine if he had legit first liners as his line mates.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

See but last year he was the kind of guy who created offense for himself. Last season (at least the first half) he was completely different than how he is this season. I don't know if he's thinking too much or what it is, but his floating and lack of creativity offensively is hurting this team right now.

I know he was hurt last year but dating back to last season, he only has 7 goals in his last 49 games, which equals out to just under 12 goals over 82 games. I really don't know what's wrong with him but he looks like a shadow of what he use to be.

I guess NHL teams figured him out and have been doing a good job of shutting him down. He needs to find away to improve his offensive game because he doesn't offer much of anything else on the ice that's for sure. At least Horton has a wicked wrister.

I feel like I'm being too hard on him and maybe I am, but I know I'm not the only one who expected more from Hubby this season.

Doesn't offer much of anything else?

You've obviously never seen hubby's slapper

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Let's just give the kid a break, second year in the NHL and yeah he is struggling but he is what, 20? Maybe, just maybe he has a chance to correct himself and get better....

 

[Cats2TheCup]

Bumping this again for an update.

Is Huberdeau showing any signs of turning his game around?

Is he playing poorly or snake bit?

He's playing frustrated. He started a fight last game. He's not scoring and not making plays. He's basically playing on the boards but he's not strong, big, nor quick enough to win those battles.

Bjustad is good enough to help him out, but bjustads last few goals weren't even set up by hubby. They were great individual efforts against the wings.

I also think hubby is seeing how big guys are like barkov and bugs and he's starting to think he's too small.

I think he needs to see trochek and Grimaldi come up and succeed before he realizes he can't try to have a big guy game.

 

[Android 16]

I'll just throw out an observation. This is probably going to make people shake their head at me, but Huberdeau has fluctuated around 60% to 80% as far as health goes since he's been here. He spent last summer rehabbing from hip surgery. Not the best injury to have if your goal is to build your speed over the offseason.