Jonathan Huberdeau's $84M deal slammed as NHL's worst contract amid sharp performance drop
NHL analyst Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic has ranked Jonathan Huberdeau's eight-year, $84 million contract with the Calgary Flames as the worst in the league—citing a steep decline in production and an ever-widening gap between salary and value.
Huberdeau, who once lit up the league with 115 points in his final season with the Florida Panthers, mustered only 62 points across 81 games last season.
A once-elite winger now struggling to meet expectations in Calgary
Jonathan Luszczyszyn's model evaluates a player's projected performance against their salary cap hit. Huberdeau, earning $10.5 million annually, reportedly delivers a 'Net Rating' nearly nine goals below expectations for someone at his pay grade. 'While it's not impossible that Huberdeau can bounce back toward a high-end first-line level, it is very unlikely.
Especially with Calgary, a team devoid of much capable offensive help," Luszczyszyn wrote.
Contract value drops sharply with age and Flames' limited support
At 32, Huberdeau is approaching a stage in his career where most players start declining, and Luszczyszyn's model reflects that. While he still ranks as a decent top-six forward—worth over $6 million—his cap hit remains among the most bloated in the NHL. Even more damning: this is the second consecutive year Huberdeau's deal tops the list of the league's worst contracts.
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The analyst added that while the original deal was slightly above his market value at the time (estimated around $9.9 million), 'no one could have predicted such a dramatic drop-off in his play.' He also noted that Huberdeau may thrive in a better offensive environment, but 'at $10.5 million a year, he's far from delivering on that value.'
Making things worse, Huberdeau's former team—the Florida Panthers—have appeared in three straight Stanley Cup Finals and won two, while Calgary continues to flounder. 'It's a tough beat for the former superstar. He's spent the last two seasons struggling to live up to a massive cap hit,' Luszczyszyn concluded.
Also Read:
NHL Trade Rumors: Erik Karlsson sets clear condition for Penguins exit amid rebuilding talks
Now, Flames fans and analysts alike are left wondering: is this the beginning of the end for Huberdeau's stardom—or simply a bad fit in Calgary?
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