Report: Calgary Flames sign Jonathan Huberdeau to eight-year extension with $10.5 million cap

The Calgary Flames have signed Jonathan Huberdeau, winger and big offseason addition, to an eight-year contract capped at $10.5 million.

Huberdeau joined the Flames earlier in the offseason along with MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk. Huberdeau is in the final year of a six-year contract this season with a $5.9 million cap, and would go on to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023.

The full contract breakdown calls for $61.5 million in signing bonuses, with a no-travel clause for all eight years and a modified 12-team no-trade clause for the final two years.

Huberdeau is coming off a career year, with 30 goals, 85 assists and 115 points in 80 games in 2021-22, all career highs for him. He finished the season tied for second in points with former Flame Johnny Gaudreau and first in assists, beating Connor McDavid by six. He also finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting and finished fourth in first-place voting with 13. This is also his fourth consecutive season where he has finished above one point per game in scoring.

Huberdeau isn’t as good on the defensive side of the game, a criticism that came up particularly when discussing the Hart Trophy, and a likely reason why he didn’t finish as high in the votes as originally expected. He has a shot attempt share of 53.52% and an expected goal share of 51.51% at even strength over the past three seasons, numbers helped by a strong ability to generate scoring chances with his ability. to play.

The Flames currently sit just under $3 million in salary cap space, though this contract won’t impact that one as it begins in the 2023-24 season. They are expected to have just over $17 million in cap space next season, largely due to Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan’s contracts ending at that time, with both contracts pricey at this point. of their two respective careers. New addition MacKenzie Weegar is also due to sign a new contract next season, so some of that space will likely go to him, but other than that, no big names are in place.