Jonathan Huberdeau

Matthew Tkachuk refused to sign with the Flames, so instead of trading him for a package loaded with high-end futures, Flames GM Brad Treliving moved him to the Panthers in exchange for Huberdeau and top-four defender Mackenzie Weegar. Huberdeau finished second in the NHL in scoring a season ago with 115 points in 80 games, so Calgary did well to acquire him. The question now is how will the move impact Huberdeau's production moving forward? He's joining a club with considerably less talent than the one he previously played for. Huberdeau will play on the Flames' top line and top power-play unit and that alone should allow him to threaten a point-per-game pace, but don't draft Huberdeau with the expectation he will crack the century mark once again in 2022-23.

With another strong season under his belt, Huberdeau has officially established himself as a premier offensive threat. He racked up 20 goals and 61 points, including 24 power-play points, across 55 games last year. He tallied another two goals and 10 points in six postseason appearances. The 28-year-old has now recorded four consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals and 60 points while shooting at least 13 percent. During those four seasons, Huberdeau is ninth in the NHL with 300 points and tied for ninth with 106 power-play points. The 2011 third-overall pick will once again have a prominent role in Florida's top-six and should score over a point per game for the fifth straight season.

Huberdeau enjoyed another highly productive season in 2019-20, picking up 23 goals, 55 assists and 29 power-play points while throwing 152 shots on net. The 27-year-old winger and Aleksander Barkov form a dynamic duo on the Panthers' top line and first power-play unit, and they've been the driving forces behind Florida's offense since they both broke out in 2017-18. Huberdeau may have trouble cracking the 30-goal mark, a feat he acheaved in 2018-19, again during his career, but he can be counted on to play at above a point-per-game pace while potting at least 25-goals over a full season for the foreseeable future, making him a highly valuable fantasy asset. That doesn't even take into account that he hasn't missed a single game over the past three campaigns, a level of durability that is hard to come by in the NHL and a quality that is invaluable to virtual managers. Huberdeau will be worth every bit of a second or third-round pick in this year's fantasy drafts.

Huberdeau had never quite lived up to expectations as the third overall selection in the 2011 draft -- until the past two seasons. He broke 60 points for the first time with 69 in 2017-18, then took a major leap up to 92 points in 2018-19. Huberdeau should continue to be productive while sharing the ice with Aleksander Barkov in both even-strength and power-play situations, though it's fair to wonder whether he can match last season's 34 power-play points after never previously reaching 20 with the extra man. While last season was no fluke for Huberdeau, there's a good chance we've seen his ceiling.

After an injury-shortened 2016-17 campaign, Huberdeau came back stronger than ever last season. In his age-24 season, the winger registered career highs in goals, assists and points with a 27-42-69 stat line. The Quebec native recorded 19 of those points on the power play, played all 82 regular-season games for the first time in his career and averaged over 19 minutes of ice time per game. Heading into his seventh NHL season, Huberdeau is in prime position to produce another 60-plus points in 2018-19. He'll make a strong impact in all fantasy formats and should be drafted with confidence.

Expected to take his place among the league’s highest scorers after trending up for two straight seasons and verging on 60 points in 2015-16, Huberdeau instead was limited to just 31 games due to an Achilles tendon injury last season. However, he still managed to tally 10 goals and 26 points in a very frustrating campaign for the entire team. That pace would've put Huberdeau on track to score nearly 70 points over the course of a full season, and with the 24-year-old expected to open 2017-18 in full health, he’s primed to make this his breakout year. Talent has never been a question for the 2011 draft’s third overall pick, who’s packed on a lot of muscle since his rookie year, and he'll combine with Aleksander Barkov, forming a dangerous duo to spearhead the Panthers’ offense. As long as he stays on the ice, Huberdeau has a chance to finish in the top 25 in league scoring.

Huberdeau set career highs with 20 goals, 59 points and a plus-17 rating in 2015-16, and he should continue to grow along with the rest of Florida’s collection of talented young forwards. The third overall pick in 2011 offers a strong combination of upside and safety, as he’s already established himself as a solid two-way player despite his youth. The Quebec native saw his ice time spike by more than a minute last year, reflecting increased responsibility in all phases of the game. He projects to slot in as the first-line left wing for the Panthers, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Huberdeau top last year’s numbers in that role.

As the Calder Trophy Award winner from 2012-13, Huberdeau has already lived up to the promise of being the third overall pick in 2011. After a down sophomore season, Huberdeau bounced back in a huge fashion in 2014-15, seeing top-line ice time and scoring 15 goals and 39 assists and to lead the Cats with 54 points. At just 22 years old, Huberdeau has plenty of room to continue improving. A key contributor on the power play last season, Huberdeau failed to score a goal with the extra attacker, which drained his value a bit in leagues that weigh special-teams goals heavily. However, he did pick up 12 assists on the man advantage, so with a little more puck luck, look for him to bag some more power-play goals in the upcoming season. Huberdeau's overall goal-scoring upside is limited since he's preferred to set up teammates at every step of the ladder, but a huge jump in total points this season certainly isn't out of the question.

Coming off a spectacular rookie campaign in which he won the Calder Trophy, expectations for Huberdeau were very high last season -- perhaps too high. While he saw his point total fall to just 28 in 69 games in 2013-14, Huberdeau was coming off hip surgery last spring, which kept him out of the beginning of training camp and limited his explosiveness. Now healthy and reunited with his former junior hockey coach who helped mold his game for the NHL, Huberdeau will be searching for redemption. The combination of good health and a comfortable environment could help the young winger get back on track to fulfilling his potential as the team’s offensive star. If someone in your league is selling Huberdeau out of concern that he is a one-year wonder, take advantage and get him on your squad. He should be owned in every league and be a top-flight player in the coming years.

Huberdeau, the third overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, had a really nice rookie season with the Panthers in 2013, recording 14 goals and 17 assists while playing all 48 games. What made his season even more impressive was the fact that he put up those numbers while playing with a hip injury for the majority of the year. He's still just 20 years old, so it's reasonable to expect some improvement from year to year. He's a kid that most people probably haven't heard of because of the limited exposure the Panthers got last season, but there is a ton a fantasy potential to be had here.

Huberdeau, the third-overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft, is ready to make the leap to the NHL after scoring 177 points (73 G, 104 A) in 104 games over the past two seasons with Saint John of the QMJHL. A budding power forward, Huberdeau has an excellent two-way game and is expected to be a top-six forward for the Panthers during the upcoming season. Huberdeau's solid offensive game has him as one of the better long-term keeper options out there and a potential steal on draft day, be prepared to call his name in keeper leagues.