Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau finds himself in the spotlight again, but for reasons no player wants. According to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, the 32-year-old’s eight-year, $84 million deal is the worst contract in the NHL for the second straight year.
Analyst Labels Jonathan Huberdeau’s Deal the League’s Most Costly Mistake
Signed in 2022 shortly after his trade from the Florida Panthers, Huberdeau was expected to be the face of Calgary’s offense. The Quebec native came off a career-high 115-point season, including a league-leading 85 assists.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the situation has shifted dramatically. His contract, $10.5 million annually through the 2030-31 season, is now viewed as a major liability.
“There are still six years remaining on Huberdeau’s deal and while that gives him a lot of runway to mount a turnaround, the more likely scenario is that the 32-year-old’s game only degrades further,” Luszczyszyn wrote.
Luszczyszyn’s model projects a surplus value of minus-$32 million for the remainder of the deal, with just a 1% chance that Huberdeau provides positive value moving forward. His expected Net Rating for the upcoming season is 12.6, but he’s projected to deliver well below that mark.
From Jonathan Huberdeau to Tanner Jeannot, my annual look at the 10 worst contracts in hockey. https://t.co/wGr25TrdUD pic.twitter.com/tLartFw1W4
— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) July 31, 2025
“Huberdeau is still a good player. And in the right situation, it’s possible he can still be a great player. Still, it’s unlikely he’ll ever be a $10.5 million player again,” he concluded.
Why Jonathan Huberdeau’s Struggles Continue To Haunt the Flames
Huberdeau’s struggles in Calgary have been both surprising and frustrating. Despite a better 2024-25 campaign with 28 goals and 62 points in 81 games, it still fell short of justifying the massive cap hit.
Huberdeau remains a top-six forward, but the sharp contrast from his Panthers years is hard to ignore.
What makes matters worse is the full no-move clause attached to his contract. Unless Huberdeau agrees to waive it, the Flames are essentially locked in.
Reports suggest Montreal, his hometown team, could be a potential landing spot. A rumored trade proposal would send Huberdeau to the Canadiens in exchange for Josh Anderson, Arber Xhekaj, Owen Beck, and a 2026 second-round pick.
While such a move is purely speculative, it underlines just how far Huberdeau’s stock has fallen. He was once a centerpiece in a blockbuster trade for Matthew Tkachuk and is now a candidate for salary-dump discussions.
Huberdeau’s steep decline remains one of the league’s biggest mysteries. Analysts had concerns about whether he could replicate his Florida success in Calgary, but few predicted such a dramatic drop-off.
Still, he’s maintained a good attitude, embraced a more well-rounded role, and even took on penalty-killing duties.
According to Data Driven Hockey, he ranked eighth in the NHL with 15 tie-breaking goals, despite being just 54th in total goals scored with 28. It highlights Huberdeau’s ability to deliver in high-leverage situations, even in a season where his overall numbers drew scrutiny.
View this post on Instagram
Unfortunately, effort alone doesn’t outweigh expectations in a salary cap league. And when you’re one of the 10 highest-paid forwards in the NHL, the spotlight never dims.
The Flames face an uphill battle with this contract on their books. As the organization looks to retool or rebuild, the fate of Huberdeau, both as a player and a financial commitment, remains one of its biggest questions.
