CALGARY – Jonathan Huberdeau is well aware that the three goals he has scored and the 10 ten points he claims after 18 games are far from satisfying supporters of the Flames de Calgary.
Especially at the dawn of the return of Matthew Tkachuk in Calgary. A return with great fanfare that the former Flames will celebrate on Tuesday evening, where he will storm the Saddledome with his Panthers teammates.
While the Quebecer is still looking for his bearings within his new team, Tkachuk dominates the Florida Panthers with his 10 goals and 29 points collected in 20 games. Monday night in Edmonton against former foes Alberta, Tkachuk scored a goal and added an assist in a 4-3 loss to the Oilers. It was the tenth over-point game in 20 games.
Comparisons between the Huberdeau and Tkachuk records are inevitable. They also serve as a backdrop for duel Flames-Panthers by mardi. They could even assure Tkachuk of a triumphant return to Calgary where he could be given a standing ovation rather than the copious booing that is often the case when a polarizing player makes a comeback in front of his former fans.
These comparisons, the impatience displayed by Flames fans towards him and the direct criticism of his head coach Darryl Sutter did not destabilize Huberdeau.
At least, they don’t seem to destabilize him.
In fact, while he agrees that the impatience and criticism towards him is justified, he is confident that he can not only stifle it. But reverse them well.
“It’s going to unlock,” which Jonathan Huberdeau confidently launched during an interview with RDS.CA in the Flames’ locker room on Tuesday morning.
Huberdeau gets that confidence from playing better and better.
“I haven’t gotten to where I want to be. Where I must be. But at the start of the season, I was playing really badly. That’s a fact. I was not just one, but often two seconds behind the game. I couldn’t find my teammates on offense and I was missing plays on defense,” the Quebecer agreed.
Game speed and system
The general speed of the Flames and the system of play advocated by Darryl Sutter partly explain Huberdeau’s slow start to the season. The injury that kept him sidelined for three games didn’t help either.
“That doesn’t excuse everything, but everything was new for me here at the start of the season: the city, the amphitheater, the teammates, their habits, those of the team. It took me some time to adapt to all of this. In addition, the game is slower here. Playing with fast guys like Anthony Duclair and Sam Bennett opened up the game a lot. In Florida, the Panthers system was much more focused on offense than here where players are asked to be much more responsible defensively. parades the left winger who set a new NHL record last year with 85 assists en route to a season-high 115 points.
Despite telling stats on offense, stats that prompted Flames general manager Brad Treliving to secure his services – and those of defenseman MacKenzie Weegar – in return for Matthew Tkachuk before offering him an eight-year contract. worth $84 million, Jonathan Huberdeau doesn’t mind having to focus more on the defensive side of the game.
“It’s not a bad thing, because it will make me a better player. A more complete player. A player who can be effective longer over the course of my career. But it’s up to me to make the necessary adjustments to establish better chemistry with my linemates. To maximize my performance and improve my offensive production,” analyzed Huberdeau with great openness.
Sutter criticizes… and implores patience
Coming back from a six-game trip to the East Coast, a trip during which Huberdeau welcomed his return to Florida by scoring in the shootout to help lead a 5-4 victory over the Panthers and Matthew Tkachuk, the Flames did not practice Tuesday morning.
Huberdeau therefore expected to find Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli in the first line. A more favorable trio for the left winger than the third completed by Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman in which he found himself after Darryl Sutter expressed his dissatisfaction with his performance.
Tuesday morning, at a press briefing, the head coach of the Flames was much more tempered in his remarks. He even invited everyone to show patience towards Jonathan Huberdeau.
“It takes time for a player to get to know a new team and a new coach well. It also takes time for a coach to get to know his new players well. We know that Jonathan and our new guys – let’s add the names of Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weeger and Adam Ruzicka who is trying to carve out a regular place in the roster – are good players. Let them play,” Darryl Sutter asked reporters.
Sutter agrees, however, that after the quarter of the season, it is imperative that his team improve their performance.
“Training is like a game of blocks. You move them to find the best shape possible. The strongest form. But after 20 games, we’re only playing for .500 (9 wins, 9 losses, two overtime losses and another in a shootout). And playing for .500 isn’t enough to make the playoffs. To compete with the leading clubs, we will have to play for more than .600 by the end of the season. The adaptation period must therefore lead to results”, which Sutter launched as a goal.
Snowy rockies or golden beaches?
On a personal level, Jonathan Huberdeau is also learning to deal with his new environment.
How does the transition from the golden beaches to the snow-capped Rockies take place? Between the luxury sports cars and the big “pick-ups” that take up all the space, or almost, in the streets of Calgary?
“It’s a big change, that’s for sure. After 10 years in Florida, the sun, the sea and the beaches were part of my life. Let’s say with the cold today – Calgary is in the grip of Siberian cold for the next 10-14 days it seems – it would be nice to be warm in Florida, but I still love my new city and my new life. It is very beautiful here. The Rockies are really special. I went to discover Banff and I really liked it. I just moved into my new house. We still have a lot of things to do to really settle down, but I’m starting to have new landmarks, new restaurants and everything. I already feel at home here ”, that Jonathan Huberdeau assured Tuesday morning.
Because Matthew Tkachuk’s return to Calgary and the first match against the Canadiens in a Flames uniform will be special games, Huberdeau was already surrounded by close friends who came from Montreal for both occasions.
But contrary to the habit created over the past few years, in Florida, it will not be his sister Josiane who will sing the national anthems during the Habs’ visit to the Saddledome.
“She did it in my first game here last month, but now she’s in Florida,” Huberdeau said at the end of the interview with RDS.CA.
With the cold paralyzing Calgary, it is easy to understand his decision…