While Huberdeau risks playing all of December without a point, seeing whether his passing abilities jive with Sharangovich's shooting skills and speed is worth the look
Jonathan Huberdeau has a 17-game goal drought and gone through one dozen games without a point.
Andrew Mangiapane has scored once in 17 games.
With the season at a tipping point, now is a golden time for Calgary Flames coach Ryan Huska to try flipping those two struggling forwards on different lines in the hopes of igniting their game.
During Thursday’s practice in anticipation of Sunday’s home clash with the Philadelphia Flyers, Huberdeau skated on a line with Elias Lindholm and Yegor Sharangovich — a trio attempted at the start of training camp.
In turn, Mangiapane was alongside Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, who were an effective group for a chunk of last season.
Huberdeau, Calgary’s highest paid player and seen as the key return in the trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in the summer of 2022, struggled last season and is even further behind that pace with only four goals and 15 points in 35 games.
The Flames (14-16-5) are five points out of a wild-card spot heading into Friday's action.
Although the Huberdeau-Lindholm-Sharangovich combination had no chemistry a few months ago, much has changed that it is worth giving it another shot.
Lindholm remains a very solid two-way centre who plays an intelligent style of hockey, while Sharangovich has adjusted to his new team and rounded his game into shape since then.
Most importantly, his shooting skills should mesh with Huberdeau’s passing abilities. Sharangovich’s speed could help Huberdeau’s pace of play, too.
The caveat, Huska pointed out, was that it will only work if all three players are able to find chemistry.
“They have to work together, that’s the biggest thing,” Huska told reporters after the practice. “They have to figure out how to get on that same page. … They need to find a way to come together and get the job done for us.
Knowing the team has little choice but to find some way for Huberdeau to show the skills that made his a 115-point player two seasons ago, the Flames will try almost anything to improve his play, which has been beset by a steady stream of turnovers and far too little offence.
Huska, however, is hammering the importance of Huberdeau’s defensive play being the first building block necessary.
“His challenge is to make sure that he’s committed to doing things away from the puck as hard as he can to put himself in positions where he gets to play with the puck,” Huska said. “From there, it’s making sure your feet are always moving so you have multiple options when he’s looking to pass.”
For his part, Huberdeau has shown more drive in his game lately. Whether he can springboard that into success at both ends of the ice and rebuild his game remains to be seen.
“I think I’m making plays and it’s just not going in. Maybe that’s not what everybody sees, but in my opinion I’m making passes and getting chances,” he said. “It’s a matter of time. … I feel like I’m making good plays out there.”