The Calgary Flames Have A Major Decision In Jonathan Huberdeau

Now we’ve had a few days to fully process that Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers trade. Everyone thought the Calgary Flames would trade him to either the St. Louis Blues or Carolina Hurricanes until the Panthers entered the picture and said “hold my mojito!” The fact the panthers had a spare Jonathan Huberdeau laying around also helped a lot.

The early consensus seems that Calgary won that trade by giving up their franchise leader in points, a top pairing defenseman in Mackenzie Weegar in addition to a prospect and a first-round pick. Huberdeau is a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of next season. How Calgary approaches Huberdeau likely determines how the next season will go for them.

Calgary Flames fans have lost a lot in the past few weeks. If they keep Jonathan Huberdeau, they might still be able to play competitive hockey.

Calgary fans have had a rough few weeks, with their franchise top two forwards leaving behind the sea of red. It’s hard to imagine the Flames competing without the likes of Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau (him signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets feels like forever ago). The addition of Huberdeau and Weegar can change things.

With Huberdeau and Weegar, the Flames may not be as good as the Pacific division-winning team they were last season, but they should at least be in the playoff mix. If you are a Calgary fan that’s all you could want at this point.

News has emerged that the Flames might be looking to flip Huberdeau before he even puts on a Calgary sweater for the first time to get additional assets. How much Calgary “won” this trade by would likely be judged on if Huberdeau signed an extension with Calgary. Now that looks like it might be off the table.

The Flames are at a crossroads. Their first option is to prolong having to rebuild if they keep Huberdeau around. Maybe after a few months in Calgary, he would be more open to signing an extension. Huberdeau can at least give Calgary fans something to cheer for and a chance to win.

Their second option is to send Huberdeau off to the highest bidder. Unfortunately for the Calgary fans, this would all but signal a rebuilding has begun. The winning ways and playoff excitement of last season would be at least a few years away as Calgary searches for its next Gaudreau and Tkachuk.

Want your voice heard? Join the Puck Prose team!

Write for us!

Some say the rebuilt route should have been embraced by Calgary as soon as Johnny Hockey put pen to paper in Ohio’s capital. Sometimes we hokey fans aren’t the most patient bunch. As any Flames fan and they might prefer having a playoff potential season with Huberdeau. That would be more instantly gratifying than “trusting the process” like Buffalo Sabres fans have for the past decade. Even if Huberdeau leaves and they have to eventually embrace the rebuild, at least they got one last run at something special before the breakdowns and growing pains begin.

Huberdeau expressed interest in re-signing in Calgary this past Monday. We know Calgary has money to offer since Gaudreau turned down what was potentially the highest deal he was offered. Western Canada loves hockey, and if Flames fans have to rebuild while the Edmonton Oilers still get the prime of McDavid and Draisatl, Calgary fans are sure not to be happy for the foreseeable future.