Jonathan Huberdeau quietly flounders as the Flames struggle

At his current pace, Huberdeau is on track to register just 43 points on the year. That total would go down as the second-worst total of his entire career. He hasn’t had fewer in a full season since 2013–14, his sophomore season in the league when he was just 20 years old. His 13 goals would also be the second-worst total of his career, ahead of only his 12 goals in 2023–24. Meanwhile, 30 assists would be the second-worst total, also trailing his 2013–14 sophomore year. Reminder that this is a guy who hit 85 assists just five years ago.

In terms of points per game, Huberdeau is sitting at a dreadful 0.57 on the year. Again, his worst rate of production since his sophomore season, when he had 0.41 points per game in 69 games. Not exactly what you want to see from a player locked down for another five years at an AAV $$10.5M.

Among the least efficient top-six forwards in the NHL

Huberdeau’s current production would be fine for a middle-six winger making a few million dollars a season. Not someone making double digits as one of the highest-paid forwards in the entire NHL. Below are the least efficient skaters in the NHL in terms of dollars per point. Only forwards with at least 20 games played and making $$5M or over were considered. were considered. Numbers courtesy of puckpedia.com.

Oh, hi there, Yegor Sharangovich. The Flames currently possess two of the least efficient top-six paid forwards in the NHL. Huberdeau, however, makes the most of anyone on this list by quite a wide margin, even making a million more than Brayden Point, who at least had 82 points last season.

The Flames are currently paying Huberdeau a whopping $808,000 for every single point he gets. Not exactly a good look for a team that is unwilling to rebuild in fear of losing a few dollars to ticket revenue.

The least efficient double-digit AAV forward in the NHL

How about among other forwards with double-digit AAVs across the league? Well, Huberdeau looks even worse.

There are currently just 13 forwards in the entire NHL making $10M a year or more. Other than Aleksander Barkov, who is currently injured, every single one of them has at least five more points than Huberdeau. In fact, Auston Matthews is somehow the only one even close to Huberdeau when it comes to lack of production. Every other forward paid at least $10M has at minimum 22 points this season. Huberdeau has just 13.

Using the Flames’ offence isn’t exactly a good excuse either. The Canucks are similarly terrible offensively with just 2.88 goals per game, yet Elias Pettersson still has 22 points in 27 games. Last year, David Pastrnak had 106 points on a Bruins team that finished fifth last in the NHL for goals.

You’re being paid $10.5M a season; you should be producing well above 0.57 points per game regardless of how bad your team is. 43 points for a player making as much as Huberdeau is unacceptable.

A nightmare contract continues to look worse

Somehow, Huberdeau has managed to slip below already low expectations. The 32-year-old is producing at a truly terrible rate for one of the highest-paid forwards in the league. With another five years to go on his contract, Huberdeau’s value to the Flames is currently at an all-time low.