Huberdeau needs to 'bring that swagger' next season, new Flames GM says

CALGARY --Jonathan Huberdeau struggled in his first season with the Calgary Flames, but new general manager Craig Conroy is confident he can bounce back in 2023-24.

The forward was acquired from the Florida Panthers, along with defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, forward prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional first-round pick at the 2025 NHL Draft in a trade for forward Matthew Tkachuk and a fourth-round selection in 2025 on July 22, 2022. He signed an eight-year, $84 million contract ($10.5 million average annual value) with the Flames on Aug. 4.

But after he had an NHL career-high 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists) in 80 games with Florida in 2021-22, Huberdeau had 55 points (15 goals, 40 assists) in 79 games with Calgary this season.

Conroy, who was named Flames general manager Tuesday, said he is hoping to help Huberdeau get back on track next season.

"I want to talk to him and hear his thoughts, see what went wrong this year," Conroy said. "I wasn't at the year-end meetings, so I didn't hear what 'Huby' actually said. So, I'd like to sit down and talk to him and pick his brain and see where he's at."

Huberdeau who turns 30 on June 4, was selected by the Panthers in the first round (No. 3) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He played there for 10 seasons before being traded to the Flames.

"He's a proud guy and he wants to do well, there is no doubt in my mind," Conroy said. "He's probably training already getting ready for next season. As a player, you know when you have a good season and a bad season, and you're not going to blame it on anybody. You know it, and you want to prove them wrong the next year.

"If you look over the last five years, he's one of the top five players in the NHL, and we need to get him back there. And how do we do that? Hopefully, we can work together and come to some kind of (solution) and then move forward."

Huberdeau finished fifth in scoring for Calgary this season behind Tyler Toffoli (73 points; 34 goals, 39 assists), Elias Lindholm (64 points; 22 goals, 42 assists), Nazem Kadri (56 points: 24 goals, 32 assists), and Mikael Backlund (56 points; 19 goals, 37 assists). All are under contract for 2023-24.

The Flames (38-27-17) finished two points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. They mutually parted ways with GM Brad Treliving on April 17, and Darryl Sutter was fired as coach May 1 with no replacement named.

"When I talk to Huberdeau, last season is last season, that's gone, I'm never going to talk about it again, we're going to move forward," said Conroy, who was an assistant GM for Calgary the past nine seasons. "I want to see him bring that swagger back. I could see him downstairs (in the locker room) and you talk to him and you felt like he felt bad. Don't feel bad, bring that swagger.

"I could see it towards the end of the year, he had a little more jam on the ice, and you could see it coming. He's a proud guy, he wants to do well and I'm looking forward to working with him moving forward. But I do think this team, if we left it as is, could make the playoffs."