"Jonathan Huberdeau is trying to sabotage the Flames": Fans flame $84,000,000 forward after point-less streak extends to 11 games

In the NHL, the pressure on players to perform at a high level consistently is immense and this was painfully evident in the case of Jonathan Huberdeau. The recent performances of the Calgary Flames' highly-paid forward have left fans bewildered and frustrated.

The Flames made a significant financial commitment towards Huberdeau, signing him to an eight-year, $84,000,000 contract on Aug. 4, 2022. With an annual salary of $10.5 million, expectations were high for the forward to be a key contributor to the team's success. However, Huberdeau's current numbers are far from meeting those expectations.

One of the glaring concerns is Jonathan Huberdeau's goal-scoring drought. He hasn't found the back of the net in his last 16 games, spanning over a month. He last amassed points against the Seattle Kraken in a 4-3 win on Nov. 20, when he contributed a goal and an assist. Following the Flames' 5-3 defeat against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, his point drought now extends to 11 games in December.

The discontent among Flames supporters has spilled over onto social media platforms, where fans expressed their frustration and disappointment.

One fan went so far as to suggest that Jonathan Huberdeau might be intentionally sabotaging the team. He said:

"I assume Huberdeau is trying to sabotage the Flames because believing this is his best is the bigger insult."

One fan said,

"The fall off of Huberdeau needs to be studied"

Another fan called for a deeper examination of Huberdeau's decline:

"Man this Huberdeau thing is bugging me so hard, it makes ZERO sense to me. How are Coleman and Backlund playing well and have good analytics, yet the player on their line has a team worst +/-, hasn’t scored a point in 11 games now. How is Zary better than this dude?"

Jonathan Huberdeau's struggles and point-less streak

Huberdeau moved from the Florida Panthers to the Flames ahead of the 2022-23 season. However, he has since struggled to find his footing in Calgary.

Last year, questions arose about whether Jonathan Huberdeau's performance dip was a result of a team change or perhaps coaching issues. However, as the current season unfolds, it seems the Flames forward is facing challenges that go beyond coaching issues.

The once prolific scorer, who amassed an impressive 115 points in his last season with the Panthers, managed only 55 points last year. This season, he has contributed a mere 15 points in 33 games, averaging less than a point per NHL game.