You could see by the expression of Jonathan Huberdeau that the goal was a special one.
His final marker of the 2025-26 season. Fresh off a one-goal, three shot performance in a game that saw the Calgary Flames take the Battle of Alberta season series to a 3-1-0 tune, the team announced on Wednesday that left winger Jonathan Huberdeau will be undergoing a hip resurfacing procedure and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
Per a medical update from the team, the 32-year-old forward had been dealing with hip issues for the entirety of the season. A campaign that saw Calgary’s highest paid forward amass only 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 50 games.
“After extensive evaluation, this was determined to be the best course of action for Jonathan’s long-term health and performance,” said Flames General Manager Craig Conroy in the press release. “While it is difficult to lose a player of his calibre, our priority is ensuring he is fully healthy moving forward. Huberdeau has been managing hip-related symptoms throughout the season. The decision to proceed with surgery was made in collaboration with Jonathan, his representative, our medical staff, and specialists to support his long-term well being.”
The St. Jerome, Quebec product now has roughly eight months to recover before the 2026-27 regular season commences in late September.
What’s Next?
Second among Flames forwards in ice time and yet fifth among Flames forwards in points at 25, it will be interesting to see who steps up to utilize those minutes.
Conversely, the Flames have also been leaning more on the first power play unit over their second. Huberdeau has been out for 59% of Calgary’s time with a man advantage and averaged 2:55 per game totalling three PP goals and three secondary assists over 145:40.
Despite being a prominent member of Calgary’s first power play unit, Huberdeau sits in eighth place in power play points per 60 at 2.88.
PP Points per 60 – 2025-26
Matvei Gridin: 8.07
Connor Zary: 4.59
Nazem Kadri: 4.28
Morgan Frost: 4.03
Matthew Coronato: 3.61
Yegor Sharangovich: 3.13
Mikael Backlund: 3.04
Jonathan Huberdeau: 2.88
Those aren’t great numbers. Over the three seasons prior, Huberdeau was producing at a much healthier 5.04 points per 60 on the power play. Looking at point totals, Huberdeau put up 62 points over 81 games last season for 0.77 points per game. This year, 25 in 50 gives him a nice, even 0.50. It’s fair to say that this issue is affecting his performance substantially.
We’ll see someone stepping up into those minutes on the left side. It’s worth noting that the Calgary Wranglers have been deploying Rory Kerins on the left side in their last two games.
Hold On
Is it the right time to call up Rory Kerins to fill those minutes once Flames action resumes on Feb. 26 against the San Jose Sharks?
Currently, no. Kerins is on a cold streak. Ten games without a goal and only three assists in that span. He has time to bounce back. The Wranglers play eight games before the 26th.
One other call-up candidate? Sam Morton, who has four goals in his last three games.
Back to Reality
The Flames have more than enough middle six wingers to fill the deployment vacuum that Huberdeau’s need for surgery has produced. John Beecher and Blake Coleman (who miraculously has zero points in 50:30 of power play time this season) will likely re-join the lineup after the break. The lines will likely look like this upon resumption of play:
Farabee-Kadri-Gridin
Sharangovich-Backlund-Coleman
Zary-Frost-Coronato
Lomberg-Pospisil-Klapka
Beecher
Bahl-Whitecloud
Kuznetsov-Weegar
Hanley-Parekh
Beecher will get the tap if anyone is too banged up to play. With Calgary’s current surplus of one-way deals, it might be time for general manager Craig Conroy to examine moving out a veteran or two.
Zary’s Comeback
On the tail of Connor Zary’s ninth goal of the season, a Zach Whitecloud point shot that deflected off the 24 year old forward’s torso, this may be a good opportunity to dig into a solid turnaround from the Saskatoon product.
21 games into the season, the 2020 first round pick had recorded only two points; a goal and an assist. Head coach Ryan Huska mentioned a couple times that Zary was banged up, so maybe there is some latent clarity there.
Since then? Zary has been right back on track. His eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points ranks him third on the team since Nov. 22 behind only Mikael Backlund and Nazem Kadri.
If we really want to make Connor look good, we can shave it down to a three-point night on Dec. 20. Zary is second on the team in scoring since the beginning of that 6-3 win over the Golden Knights.
Since Dec. 20 – 21 games
Mikael Backlund: 15 pts (5g, 10a)
Connor Zary: 14 pts (5g, 9a)
MacKenzie Weegar: 12 pts (1g, 11a)
An extraordinary recovery. That bounce-back has slowed down a bit, with only a goal and an assist in eight games in the post-Andersson era, but a goal against the Oilers on Wednesday night is a step in the right direction.
Speaking of the post-Ras era.
Gridin Steals a Spot
With two goals and three assists in eight games, 19-year-old Matvei Gridin ranks second among all Flames in scoring since Rasmus Andersson was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights. Only Nazem Kadri’s two goals and four assists has outpaced the 28th overall draft selection from 2024.
Not bad. As noted above, Gridin’s power play prowess has far outshined any other Flame. His 8.07 PP points per 60 nearly doubles the next up; Connor Zary at 4.49.
His above average speed and uncanny strength on the boards have been a surprise to the Calgary market and the Kurgan, Russia product is still developing in those areas. Not to mention his lethal-quick shot as displayed on Wednesday night.
Gridin and defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz have been assigned to the AHL Calgary Wranglers in order to pick up some extra ice time during the Olympic break.
Stats courtesy of the National Hockey League.
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