Flames’ latest move specifically pulled to jumpstart Jonathan Huberdeau!

The Calgary Flames went shopping on the free agent market with the main goal to get Jonathan Huberdeau back on the right track offensively. This is the reason why the Canadian club signed forward Anthony Mantha a one-year deal for $3.5 million with the hope he can jumpstart Huberdeau’s game.

Flames general manager Craig Conroy explained the team’s latest move on Flames Talk on Sportsnet 960 The Fan after signing Mantha:

“An amazing passer in Huby, and a guy that has a great shot … ” Conroy said . “(Mantha) is a guy that you give him a chance, he can put it in the back of the net. So to have him be able to play with a guy like Huby, that would be fun to watch. Still gotta see where the coach is going to put everybody, but that would definitely be something I’d love to see.”

When he spoked to the Calgary Herald, Mantha himself appeared motivated about the possibility of re-igniting Huberdeau and the idea of a French Connection element to their line.

“I was all for it,” Quebec native Mantha said about playing with Huberdeau. “If we could get that rolling for both of us, I think it would be awesome. He’s such a great passer so for me, it’s going to be kind of open up and release my shot and see where we could go from there.”

Mantha knows all too well what Huberdeau has been dealing with since moving to Calgary in the monster trade with the Florida Panthers for Matthew Tkachuk. The former Detroit Red Wing was traded to Washington where he struggled for three years, but has improved since and posted 23 goals for the first time in close to five years with the Capitals in 2023-24. The Flames are giving him a chance to prove himself with a short term contract, with the hopes that he gets Huberdeau going and can re-sign in Calgary.

The Flames have been patiently waiting for the past two seasons to see Huberdeau be that 100-point player he once was in Florida. They hope to get the right linemate in Mantha to get great chemistry going and have the Huberdeau they expected when they signed him to a hefty eight-year, $84,000,000 contract.