2021-22 Season Rewind: Jonathan Huberdeau

Using his elite passing skills to pile up points, Huberdeau’s 85 assists were not only the most by any player in the NHL this season, but also the most-ever a left winger in the history of the NHL.

“My vision has always been my strength my whole career,” Huberdeau said of his playmaking. “You get better and better every year. I try to work on vision stuff before games. I’m not the fastest guy out there, but I think I use the toolbox I have — my vision and my passing skills.”

Never going more than two games without a point, Huberdeau ranked second on the Panthers in multi-point performances, including five games with at least four points. Feeding off the crowd at FLA Live Arena, he accumulated a franchise-record 71 points (17 goals, 54 assists) at home.

Spending the majority of the season playing alongside Sam Bennett on the second line, the duo picked up right where they left off in 2020-21. During the 334:55 they shared the ice together at 5-on-5, the Panthers led 360-245 in shot attempts and 23-15 in goals, per NaturalStatTrick.com.

Of Bennett’s 28 goals, 12 were assisted by Huberdeau.

“His playmaking abilities, his ability to find plays that no one would be able to make or see, he does that like no one else I’ve ever seen,” Bennett said of his linemate. “I think one thing that really separates him from a lot of other really good playmakers is just his [high] compete level.”

Named one of the NHL’s “Three Stars of the Week” three times, Huberdeau was also honored as the league’s “First Star of the Month” in January after posting 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) over 15 games to help the surging Panthers set a new franchise mark for wins in a month (12).

In February, Huberdeau represented Florida at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game.

“I think he’s been unbelievable,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said of his longtime teammate. “He’s been leading this team the whole season. No nights off at all. He’s just really solid every time he shows up. It’s incredible how good he is and how he does those things.”

In addition to tearing up the opposition at even strength, Huberdeau, doing most of his damage operating from the left circle, led the Panthers with 38 power-play points (five goals, 33 assists), which placed him just one point behind Keith Yandle (39, 2018-19) for the most in club history.

Taking on a brand-new responsibility, Huberdeau saw plenty of time on the penalty kill as well. After finishing with 1:08 of shorthanded ice time in 2020-21, he ranked third on the Panthers in minutes (146:28) and second in both goals (3) and points (tied-5) on the penalty kill this season. When asked about this new role, he believed it had a positive effect on his all-around game.

“I’d never really done penalty killing, but it’s fun,” said Huberdeau, who was typically paired with Eetu Luostarinen up front on the PK. “You get more chances with that to take advantage of.”

Helping the Panthers advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1996, Huberdeau recorded five points (one goal, four assists) in 10 postseason games.” Finally we’re rewarded,” he said after beating the Capitals in Round 1. “Guys played hard all series long.”

Already the franchise’s all-time leader in points (613), assists (415) and games played (671), Huberdeau will continue to pad those numbers as the Panthers look to build off their strong season by taking another big step and making an even deeper postseason run in 2022-23.

“Huby is one of the most patient superstars in the entire league,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said back in January. “I think his ability to make plays is unmatched. … His ability on the ice is truly incredible. It’s fun to be on the ice with him at all times because you might be on the end of one of those silky passes. … He’s an all-star, a superstar and an MVP in this league.”

COOL STAT

How do you amass a franchise-record 115 points?

Consistency.

Taking the ice in 80 games this season, Huberdeau registered at least one point in 67 of them, including stringing together a career-long 13-game point streak from March 18 through April 15.

Especially strong at home, he cracked the scoresheet in 37 of 41 games in Sunrise.

“Consistency is the biggest thing for me,” Huberdeau said in January.

BEST GAME

Huberdeau’s hands were all over this wild comeback.

Capping off his third five-point performance of the season in dramatic fashion, he lit the lamp just 2:47 into overtime to help the Panthers claw all the way back from a four-goal deficit and claim a 7-6 win over the Maple Leafs in front of a rowdy crowd at FLA Live Arena on April 5.

“We just need one goal, a little spark, and then we get going,” Huberdeau said after the win. “We can’t do that every game. It’s a lot of fun and a lot of energy, but we’ve just got to play better defensively. We know we can score goals, but it’s not going to happen every game.”

Video: TOR@FLA: Panthers turn 4-goal deficit into 7-6 OT win

Trailing 5-3, No. 11 contributed on the final four scores for the Panthers.

After setting up Claude Giroux for a goal to bring the deficit to 5-4 late in the second period, Huberdeau pulled the Panthers even early in the third period when he fired home a goal from just outside the blue paint on the power play to even things up at 5-5. Giving the Panthers the lead soon after, Barkov followed a shot from Huberdeau and buried the rebound to make it 6-5.

Once John Tavares scored to make it 6-6 and get the game to overtime, Huberdeau provided the heroics in the extra frame when he teed up a pass from Barkov and one-timed the puck right under Jack Campbell’s pads to lock down the 7-6 win and send plastic rats flying toward the ice.

Hitting not one, but two milestones in the win, Huberdeau became the first Panther to reach the 100-point mark in a season and the first player in franchise history to rack up 600 career points.

Not bad for a single day of work, eh?

“A lot of milestones,” Huberdeau smiled. “It’s pretty cool, especially with a win.”

GOAL OF THE YEAR

Huberdeau took matters into his own hands on this game-winning tally.

Lifting the Panthers to a 3-2 win over the Ducks on April 12, the all-star winger deftly turned defense into offense when he picked Troy Terry’s pocket in the offensive zone, fired a shot on goaltender John Gibson and then roofed his own ensuing rebound into the top of the cage.

Video: ANA@FLA: Huberdeau nets OT goal upstairs off turnover

Prior to that score, Gibson had turned aside 52 of 54 shots he’d faced.

“I kind of panicked,” Huberdeau said of the goal. “I thought he was going to open up, but with the way he plays he doesn’t really open up his five-hole. I just stuck with it and tried to roof it.”

With his goal, Huberdeau also extended his point streak to 12 games.

“I thought we played well,” he said. “We ran into a hot goalie who was playing well. We had a lot of shots. I think throughout the lineup we played well. We had a check mentality. Obviously sometimes a little fancy, but I feel like overall it was a pretty good game. That’s our team.”

STAY IN TOUCH

Want to see how Huberdeau spends his time during the offseason? Make sure to give him a follow @JonnyHuby11 on both Twitter and Instagram!