Flames star Huberdeau rediscovers swagger in resurgent season

Calgary Flames star Jonathan Huberdeau has rediscovered his swagger and is on pace for a career-high 34 goals.

A year ago, he ended December with just one assist, which he tallied on New Year’s Eve. This month, he has 13 points in 11 games as the Flames face the Vancouver Canucks to close out the calendar year. 

Huberdeau has remade himself from playmaking winger who creates off the rush to dependable two-way forward who is trusted to close out games and protect leads. 

“We were joking around that he was a power forward now,” said blueliner Rasmus Andersson.

“Super happy for him that he found his groove.”

Huberdeau has posted 55 and 52 points in his first two seasons as a Flame, a significant drop off from the 115-point campaign he had in Florida in 2021-22. This season, he’s on pace for 62 points and is playing a far more complete, two-way game. Huberdeau’s ice time per game is up over a minute this season and he’s a fixture on the second penalty kill unit. 

“I feel like I’m at my best ever, I would say,” he said after the holiday break.

“Especially on the other side of the puck. I’ve never really been the best at that, and I take pride in that. I’m having way more fun.”

Huberdeau is using his offensive instincts while killing penalties and in late-game situations, where Flames head coach Ryan Huska has him out protecting leads. Huska has said that he values Huberdeau’s ability to read plays from opposition forwards. In 31 minutes of penalty kill time this season, his scoring chance rate of 30 per cent is second-best among Flames forwards who kill penalties, while his expected goals percentage (12.49) leads the group. 

“I think you’re in a better position to go offensively breaking up plays,” Huberdeau said.

“Tracking back, I think it’s the identity of our team…we reload hard and are a hard team to play against.”

Teammates and coaches have lauded Huberdeau for how he conducts himself since he arrived to Calgary back in 2022. He speaks to the media after tough losses, proactively brings up his own struggles (often with self-deprecating humour and rueful smile), takes teammates under his wing, works hard, and keeps things light in the locker room. It’s common to see Huberdeau joke or laugh with teammates during tense in-game moments. He’s a leader and valued member of a team that has outperformed external expectations and, during a retooling season, is firmly in the playoff conversation. 

“When he went through his struggles here, whether it was his first year or last year…he’s always carried himself the same way,” Huska said.

“What he’s done is try to make himself a better player away from the puck. I think his mindset’s been really good all along. ‘Things aren’t really going offensively for me, so I’m going to become a better player in different areas.’ I’m proud of him for that. That’s a hard thing for a guy to do.”

It’s been a transformative two-plus seasons for Huberdeau in southern Alberta. 

He’s had to learn a completely different style of play, adapt to a colder climate, and become a face of a Canadian NHL franchise. At times, he’s allowed, it’s gotten the better of him. Now, he looks like he’s playing more free and with more self belief. He’s rediscovered the swagger that’s eluded him since the life-changing trade two summers ago.

“I never thought I would have to change my game,” he said.

“When you’re playing and having success, you never think you’re going to have a down year, but I think it’s going to help me along the way. That’s what I take pride in. I think when I get older, you get a little slower. That’s when…you can play both sides of the ice. That’s what’s going to help me when I get older."