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Flames Working To Get More Out Of Underperforming Star

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Graham Montgomery
November 4, 2023  (9:02)
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The Calgary Flames are in a position not many expected when the season started. After 10 games the team has just 5 points with their 2-7-1 record. It puts them 7th in the Pacific division, ahead of only the historically bad San Jose Sharks.

Flames Need More From Huberdeau

Part of the reason for their struggles has been the underperforming of the Flames top players. Jonathan Huberdeau, who the Flames brought in during the 2021-22 offseason, has just 3 goals and 5 points so far this season. The team signed him to a massive eight-year 84 million dollar contract extension this past offseason. With a 10.5 million dollar cap hit, the team will need him to produce better than that if they are going to have any kind of success. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman addressed the Flames crisis on 32 thoughts.

"One thing I have heard is that the Flames are committed to finding ways to make Jonathan Huberdeau better. On its surface, that sounds stupid, since he's in Year 1 of an eight-year mega-deal, but there are always situations where teams give up on players, throwing up their hands in frustration. That's the wrong answer, no matter how frustrating things get. Calgary spends a lot of time talking about solutions to his early-season malaise. Of course, there is onus on Huberdeau, too."

Flames Need To Find Another Gear

Its been more of the same in Calgary this year. These are the same discussions we were having about the team last season but then the focus was on Darryl Sutter. He was the bad guy. While Sutter's outdated form of coaching may have cost that team a win here or there, it now seems to be clear that he was not the problem. In fact, the team has performed even worse without him as they currently sit 31st in the league. Good thing their first round pick is protected this year.

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Regardless, the Flames need to figure something out fast. Jonathan Huberdeau is in a position where he should be leading the team in scoring based on the way he's being paid. What makes matters worse is that he's signed until he's nearly 40 years old. If his decrease in production is purely based on age related decline, this contract could easily be the worst in the league in a couple of years time.

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4 NOVEMBRE   |   88 ANSWERS
Flames Working To Get More Out Of Underperforming Star

What do the Flames need to do?

Full rebuild4450 %
Retool on the fly1415.9 %
Blockbuster trade2123.9 %
Wait it out910.2 %
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