Teammates rally around Huberdeau after ‘humiliating’ benching

A day after the most expensive benching in Calgary Flames history, Jonathan Huberdeau’s teammates were eager to rally around the struggling veteran forward.

Huberdeau, in the first season of an eight-year, $84 million contract that makes him the highest-paid player in team history, didn’t see a shift in the third period of Tuesday night’s 4-2 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators.

On Wednesday afternoon, Huberdeau, who has six points in 12 games this season, patiently answered questions about the benching and his offensive slump. This season, he’s playing 34 seconds more per game (17:26) and more than a minute more per game on the power play.

“It was difficult,” Huberdeau said. “You want to be out there and help your team…it’s on me to be better…it’s humiliating. You don’t want to be on the bench and see the guys work hard on the ice.

“There’s no pointing fingers. You’ve got to look in the mirror. I’ve got to be a better player.”

Teammates have rallied around the popular Huberdeau, known in the dressing room for his easygoing demeanor, positivity, and willingness to mentor younger players. 

“He’s the most positive guy I’ve been around and he’s a hell of a player and a hell of a person,” forward Dillon Dube said after Tuesday’s win.

“He’s just a stand-up guy,” blueliner MacKenzie Weegar said Wednesday. “He handled it like a true pro…I’ve got nothing but so much love for Huby.”

Weegar also touted his long-time teammate’s work ethic.

“He works as hard as anybody. I don’t think there’s anybody harder on themselves than Johnny,” Weegar said. “I know he wants to be the best player he can be. Maybe he’s putting too much pressure on himself. I just know he wants to be the player he once was, and I know he’ll get there.”

Huberdeau sounded exhausted Wednesday when asked for an explanation for his slow start. He has 61 points in 91 games as a Flame, a stark decline from two seasons ago in Florida where he set the NHL record for points by a left winger with 115 in 80 games. 

“If I found a solution, I probably wouldn’t be sitting on the bench last night,” he said. “It’s something you work at every day…at the end of the day, it’s about work. You’ve got to put the work in. It’s not been easy since I got here, but you want to be positive.”

Huberdeau and head coach Ryan Huska spoke a couple of times about the benching, which Huska attributed to the star not having his “A-game.” 

“It was positive, for sure,” Huska said of those conversations. “Everybody goes through a stretch like he went through last night at some point.”

Huska also applauded Huberdeau’s growth off the ice since he came to Calgary a season ago.

“I’ve been impressed with how he’s handled himself and how he’s handled teammates,” Huska said. “He’s a caring young man, that’s for sure.”

While the organization views Tuesday night as a one-off, there are reasons to be concerned.

Huberdeau is on pace for 41 points and looks less engaged than he did a season ago, despite the new, more player-friendly head coach and environment in Calgary. He is creating more in the offensive zone but finishing less. Defensively, his stick checks, loose-puck recoveries, blocked passes, and puck-battle wins are all down from the 2022-23 campaign.

More than 90 games into his Flames tenure, Huberdeau still doesn’t have a regular line, instead shuttling between Elias Lindholm and Nazem Kadri and a rotating cast of right wingers.

“Obviously I’m trying, but sometimes you’ve got to try smarter,” he said.

The hope internally is that Huberdeau’s benching ignites a spark and helps him reset a season that’s been a disappointment.

Huberdeau’s personal success and Calgary’s team success are very much tied to one another, and they desperately need their alternate captain to live up to the expectations that came with that massive contract.

“I have to be a better player on this team,” he said. “I can wake up and feel sorry for myself, but I won’t. That’s just not who I am.”