The deal, which will start in 2023-24 and run through the 2030-31 season, will have an average annual value of $10.5 million. "I'm thrilled to be part of the Calgary Flames organization long-term," Huberdeau said. "I'm excited for this new chapter and I am committed to this team. I'll give everything I have, on and off the ice and I can't wait to play in front of the passionate Flames fans." He amassed 30 goals and 115 points in 80 games last season with the Florida Panthers. He was traded to Calgary this summer in a blockbuster deal that sent Matthew Tkachuk to Florida. 

Huberdeau along with his former Panthers teammate MacKenzie Weegar were acquired by Calgary as part of the Matthew Tkachuk. The Flames are going to look very different with Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau gone, but the additions of Huberdeau and Weegar will certainly do a lot to keep the Flames from regressing. “I think, obviously, it’s a really good team,” Huberdeau said. “I’m excited to join these guys. They want to win. It’s not a rebuild. This team is good. Obviously, they have their guys and we’re coming in and we’re going to help them get to the next level. Me and Weegs are in this league to win the Cup. I think there’s a good squad there already and we’re going to help them.” Weegar largely echoed Huberdeau's sentiments. The X-Factor in all of this though is their contracts. Huberdeau and Weegar both have just one year left until they become UFAs. If the Flames can't re-sign them, then they might trade them during the season to avoid a repeat of Gaudreau's situation.

Given that the Panthers agreed to trade Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar as part of the package to get Tkachuk, that's not hard to believe. “We feel … this is by a long shot the very best deal available to us,” Treliving said. "Speculation in the media was incorrect in terms of the number of teams, the teams themselves. To me, it wasn’t close in terms of what was available to us in the marketplace. Once you talk about Jonathan and MacKenzie, once those names became things we thought were real, we pursued that path. We think it gives us the best return on dealing a player of Matthew’s stature. Dealing a 24-year-old player like Matthew…we didn’t choose this path. We felt at the end of the day we were able to deal with it the best possible way given the circumstances.” Treliving did also give credit to Tkachuk for being clear on what his intentions were. That allowed the Flames to be proactive and not only trade him, but deal him to a team Tkachuk wanted to play for long term. As part of the trade, Tkachuk agreed to an eight-year, $76 million contract, which was doubtlessly a major factor in the Flames being able to get so much from Florida. Huberdeau and Weegar meanwhile still need to be re-signed by the Flames or they'll become UFAs in the summer of 2023. If Calgary isn't able to re-sign them though, they will have the option to trade them before the deadline.

The Flames certainly managed to get a huge haul for Tkachuk, who made it clear that he wasn't interested in a long-term deal with the Flames. That said, the Flames might end up in a similar situation with Huberdeau, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Of course, if the Flames can't re-sign Huberdeau than they can trade him too, increasing the overall return they've gotten from Tkachuk in the process. If they can re-sign him though, then Calgary will be securing one of the best offensive talents in the game. Huberdeau had 30 goals and 115 points in 80 contests last season.