Always on the Ice

In the middle of summer, with temperatures settling around 30 degrees and the sun shining bright, most would be outdoors, soaking up the beautiful weather.

Not Jonathan Huberdeau.

He and a group of friends are walking into a chilly rink, gear in hand, for their weekly three-on-three games, run throughout the course of the off-season.

Held in Boisbriand, a small community just north of Montreal, at the Centre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau, the group has been playing together for years. Several summers ago, Huberdeau's older brother Sébastien invited him to join his team and he has been a regular member ever since.

"I like playing with my friends and obviously my brother," Jonathan told Flames TV. "It's cool to be on the ice with him. It's a good pace and it's always fun to be part of a team. In the summer, even if you're away from your real team, it's always good to be here with the guys."

Jonathan and Sébastien are extremely close and the off-season is an extension of their younger years in Saint-Jérôme, when most of their free time was spent at the rink in some capacity.

"I watch all the games on TV and when I can, I go (to Calgary) and try to see him play," Sébastien said. "I'm so proud of him every time he's on the ice."

The weekly games also allow for time with close family friend Jean-Francois Auclair. He met the brothers through summer hockey quite a few years ago and has since went from playing alongside the Huberdeaus to acting as the team's manager and is affectionaly known as Coach among the players.

He handles equipment, makes sure things are set up at the rink, and hosts a post-game tailgate every week, bringing his RV to the rink. He even has custom chairs made with the players numbers and their team logo on them.

"Last year, I said 'Jo, after the game, why do you go to the brasserie all the time?' I said it's better outside - it's summer time," Auclair said. "Game after game, we do that here and at another place, every week."

Auclair recently retired and while he was able to make it to several games throughout the season beforehand, he's set on attending far more Flames games now that he has the time so expect to see him in Scotiabank Saddledome in 2023-24.

In addition to his three-on-three games, Jonathan also has a skating coach in Montreal, and plays on a team in the LLBLL Summer Hockey League, once again alongside Sébastien. The team is currently in the midst of a playoff run, looking to capture the championship.

"He's the reason I play hockey," Jonathan said. "It's always cool, in the summer, to have a chance to play with your brother."