Jonathan Huberdeau: Proposed trade could bring him to Arizona

When a trade involving a major player happens it usually helps both teams. The Calgary Flames need to unload the huge contract of Jonathan Huberdeau worth $10.5 million through the 2030-31 season. The Coyotes need a star player to keep their disheartened fans interested in coming to attend games. The Coyotes have the cap space witht $28 million and need to spend at least $6.23 million to get to the cap basement. See, now it gets interesting. NHL rumors will be flying high from now until the NHL Draft in a couple of weeks.

Adding Jonathan Huberdeau Could Really Help Arizona Coyotes

The Calgary Flames signed Huberdeau to an eight-year $84 million deal on August 4, 2022. The deal kicks in on July 1st. But, see that really puts the club in salary cap hell with just $1.25 million available to spend. When teams get in over their heads like that, they are forced to look into the possibility of trading their most expensive contracts. Huberdeau, 30 has had exceptional success offensively especially when he was with the Florida Panthers. He collected 196 goals and 416 assists in 671 games while in Florida. Then, he was traded to the Flames and under a restrictive style of play he only managed 15 goals, and 40 assists in 79 games.

Now, the Coyotes could really use his offensive prowess as they were ranked 27th in the NHL with just 2.74 goals per game. Adding Huberdeau could really add some excitement to the Coyotes offense. Just projecting possible linemates, it would be amazing to have him on a line with Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton. Plus, there is a possibility that Nick Schmaltz could be traded. Keller and Huberdeau could create some magical scoring plays.

The Details of the Proposed Deal

The Flames may be willing to swap their 16th overall pick plus the following three players in exchange for the Coyotes’ 2023 12th overall pick and a third-round pick. The Arizona club has three other third-round selections besides their own.

Most Coyotes fans realize that not only does the team’s offense need to improve, so does their defense which ranked 24th, allowing 3.60 goals per game. After trading away Jakob Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators, the blueline is a little bare. So, in this proposed trade, the Yotes would receive D-man Oliver Kylington. The 26-year-old Swede possesses a unique blend of skill and speed. He tallied nine goals, 22 assists in 73 games. Kylington missed the entire 2022-23 seasons due to personal reasons not related to a drug problem. He stayed in Sweden but notified the team that he will return next season. He carries a $2.5 million contract through the 2023-24 season.

No doubt, he is still young enough to add to the rebuild Coyotes’ GM Bill Armstrong is constructing.

The other player to be involved in this proposed trade would be Matthew Phillips. At 5′-7″, 140 pounds he has not been given an opportunity to prove himself at the NHL level. In the AHL, he has some pretty impressive numbers. In 66 games, he tallied 36 goals and 40 assists in 66 games. He has blazing-fast speed and great puck-handling skills. Sorta like a replacement for Conor Garland.

Final Analysis

While the Coyotes may not like that Huberdeau will be in his late thirties at the end of his contract, he has the skills the Yotes need to get back on track. They probably won’t get near the cap limit, but adding a player of Huberdeau’s status will definitely be a plus. Besides Keller, there is no star player on the Yotes. They would still get a first-round pick, just slipping down four spots. Giving up a third-rounder is insignificant since they have four picks in that round.

When it comes to relieving the cap issues that the Flames face, they would gain $13.75 million in cap space and that can allow new GM Craig Conroy some breathing room to make some deals. We are not sure if he would sign off on this proposed trade scenario, but he should consider it.

For the Coyotes, they gain a star player who can bring fans into the small arena they’re in and give the supporters of the team some hope going forward that they can become a playoff team. Huberdeau doesn’t have a no-movement clause in his eight-year deal until 2029-30 where he can list 12 teams he wishes to be traded to.

We all know there will be wheeling and dealing before the NHL Draft which will take place June 28-30. Will this be a deal that goes down?