4 trades that revived Jonathan Huberdeau's career

Prior to the 2022-23 season, Jonathan Huberdeau was coming off a five-year run as one of the top five forwards in hockey before joining the Calgary Flames.

He was an elite scorer and point producer who played in the MVP debate as the Florida Panthers' focal point and was a perfect fit for their up-tempo style of play.

But since the Flames failed to re-sign Matthew Tkachuk, they traded him to Florida in a blockbuster deal that sent Huberdeau to Canada West, where he will sign an eight-year, $84 million contract.

A year after that deal, it's already looking like one of the worst contracts in the NHL, as Huberdeau has produced some of his former Panthers performance and struggled to adapt to Calgary's style of play under two different head coaches.

Everyone involved needs change.

So let's take a look at some potential trade ideas that could help get his career back on track and give everyone a fresh start.

When you have a contract like Huberdeau's, there's only one way to move him, and that's to find another team with a bad deal he's willing to get rid of.

Say hello to the Chicago Blackhawks and quarterback Seth Jones.

It may be a swap type of contract, at least a small possibility if it is offered.

From Chicago's perspective, it would be Huberdeau's up-tempo style of play along with a budding megastar in Connor Bedard. That might be enough to keep his offensive production at least close to his expected level and allow his career to bounce back.

From the Flames perspective, Jones isn't a bad player, he's just a bad contract player. But even in that context, that's still a year shorter than Huberdeau's deal and $1 million less per season.

After trading Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin at the deadline this year, the defense needs more help.

Money works. Team needs work.

It can even work from a hockey perspective.

Another potentially bad contract swap that also makes sense.

While Huberdeau has struggled to adjust to the Flames, Pierre-Luc Dubois was one of last year's biggest disappointments in his first season with the Los Angeles Kings.

You can bet the Kings will find some way to get out of his eight-year, $68 million contract, especially since they don't have to worry about his no-movement clause until July.

They can trade him anywhere without his permission.

Both players' contracts run through the 2030-31 season, while Huberdeau's deal is worth an additional $2 million.

LA needs more offense, and Huberdeau can at least be a difference maker, especially if he has the right talent around him.

The Kings have strong center depth and players who can get him the puck (as well as finish his game), while the Flames need help at center. He might not be happy there for long, but he probably won't be happy anywhere until he comes to Montreal.

Huberdeau could be just what the Kings need offensively.

In the summer of 2022, many mistakes were made across the NHL.

The Flames' decision to pay Huberdeau and Johnny Gaudreau's decision to sign Columbus were two of them.

So let's wipe it all out in one big trade.

Maybe Gaudreau and the Flames have run their course, but his time in Calgary was the most successful of his career and his time in Columbus isn't going as planned. That could give him a chance to return to an environment where he's worked well, while Huberdeau will head to a place with less expectations.

That could open the door for him to become a big scorer again, especially as he starts to make his presence felt on a team with a core of young talent.

Will two bitter, long-time rivals want to help each other get out of their jams and improve?

Maybe not. No way.

But it's an idea worth at least exploring because, like the previous three scenarios, it's a case where money and all the work come together.

Huberdeau's style of play seems tailor-made for the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl Oilers, and if Edmonton doesn't make it to the Stanley Cup Finals this season (or even the Western Conference Finals, depending on what happens in Game 7 against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday). night), changes are bound to happen.

Nurse's contract has been a problem in Edmonton since he was signed, and he's not even one of their most reliable back four right now.

His contract is a year shorter than Huberdeau's and about $1.5 million less than the cap, so it would be a very manageable swap.

It begs the question whether these two rivals are willing to help each other in the current situation.