Jonathan Huberdeau’s career year continues, but his focus is not on individual results
Jonathan Huberdeau knew the final goal of the Florida Panthers’ 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers could have been his. The Panthers had a two-on-zero break against an empty net and Huberdeau had possession of the puck.
Huberdeau also knew his teammate rushing down the ice with him was a goal away from a hat trick.
So Huberdeau made the pass to Sam Reinhart, who deposited the puck in the net for his second three-goal game of the season and sixth of his NHL career.
“Before the shift I told him, ‘If you’re open, I’m going to pass it to you,’” Huberdeau said of the unselfish sequence. “I saw him coming, and it was great. He’s been playing so well this year.”
The same can be said for Huberdeau, who is in the thick of the conversation for the Hart Memorial Trophy given annually to the NHL’s most valuable player.
Through games played Friday, Huberdeau leads the league in points (82) and assists (64). He recorded his third four-assist game of the season on Thursday en route to breaking his own franchise record for most assists in a season, previously 62 in the 2018-2019 season. Huberdeau needed all 82 games to get to that assist mark in 2018-2019. He has tallied his 64 assists this season in just 58 games.
The 28-year-old winger has scored at least one point in all but nine games this season and has had only one two-game stretch in which was held off the score sheet.
“He knows what’s going on all the time,” Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette said postgame Thursday. “He’s an extremely unselfish player. You don’t have [64] assists without being very aware, very perceptive, highly intelligent and unselfish. He demonstrated all of those things.”
Huberdeau, unselfish as he is, wasn’t thinking about the franchise record — or the records he can still set this year. He’s on pace to finish the regular season with 116 points, which would shatter his current personal best of 92 points and the Panthers’ single-season franchise record of 96 set by Aleksander Barkov in the 2018-2019 season.
Instead, his sole focus is on the team result.
“It’s been a good year,” Huberdeau said. “I feel we’re getting points; everybody’s getting points on our team. We have a lot of depth. It’s just been a fun year. Obviously, we’re scoring a lot of goals. I was just happy to get the two points. The franchise record doesn’t really matter.”
But his production is being noticed and appreciated by his teammates.
“It’s fun to watch and it’s even more fun to be a part of it,” Reinhart said. “I’ve always known what he’s capable of and to see it on a nightly basis is pretty exciting. You look at him leading the way and the depth following, it’s a fun way to play.”
On the road again
The Panthers now play seven consecutive games on the road spanning two separate road trips
The first trip starts Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings and continues Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks, Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights and Friday against the Anaheim Ducks.
The Panthers then have a five-day stretch without games before a three-game Canada swing against the Montreal Canadiens on March 24, Ottawa Senators on March 26 and Toronto Maple Leafs on March 27.
Florida’s next home game at FLA Live Arena is March 29.
The Panthers have won all five of their road games since returning from the All-Star break.
“We’re ready for it,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said.
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