Flames Top Forward Cries After Being Benched for a Whole Period
Since Jonathan Huberdeau's arrival at the Flames, his performance hasn't quite matched the expectations set by his important salary.
The forward, who reached the 100-point mark in Florida, has not displayed the same level of performance at all since he joined the Flames.
Initially, Darryl Sutter's coaching in Huberdeau's first year could be cited as a factor. However, even with Sutter's departure and Ryan Huska stepping in as the head coach, there hasn't been a notable turnaround in Huberdeau's gameplay.
Huberdeau Cries After Being Benched for A Whole Period
During a recent matchup against the Predators, Huberdeau was benched for the whole third period and he didn't appreciate it.
He clocked in 14:24 of ice time but was not used in the final period. Coach Huska has since addressed his decision on this matter.
Huska on the decision to bench Huberdeau in the third:
"I though he had an off night and when we went into the third period, we wanted to try to get a little bit more flow and we went with the guys we felt were going and that's pretty much all it came down to."
"I though he had an off night and when we went into the third period, we wanted to try to get a little bit more flow and we went with the guys we felt were going and that's pretty much all it came down to."
Back-To-Back Difficult Season Starts for Huberdeau in Calgary
Starting the season with only six points in 13 games, Huberdeau is evidently finding it challenging to integrate into the team's dynamics, but his passion remains.
The Flames have invested heavily in Huberdeau, both in terms of the trade and his lucrative contract. Despite his struggles to reach his high potential, the organization retains confidence in him.
The question of whether he will live up to his $10.5 million average annual value contract, which runs until 2031, remains. If his current level of production continues, it's hard to envision other teams being willing to take on his contract via trade. The hope within the Flames is that Huberdeau will find his stride and justify the team's investment in him.
As seen on Puck Reporter - Head Coach Benches Superstar Forward Amidst Turmoil
| POLL | ||
8 NOVEMBRE | 297 ANSWERS Flames Top Forward Cries After Being Benched for a Whole Period How many points do you think Huberdeau will score this season? | ||
| Less than 20 | 58 | 19.5 % |
| 21-35 | 84 | 28.3 % |
| 36-50 | 91 | 30.6 % |
| 50 or more | 64 | 21.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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