Jonathan Huberdeau’s road to recovery from major hip surgery this past spring has suffered a setback. As a refresher, the Flames’ highest-paid player underwent hip resurfacing surgery back in March. During a recent radio interview, Craig Conroy offered a less-than-ideal update on the veteran’s status.
A recent setback
Considered one of the toughest surgeries to recover from, Huberdeau reportedly suffered a setback with his skating in August. Here’s what Craig Conroy had to say during a recent hit on SportsOn770.
“He’s really doing well in the gym… He had a little bit of a setback maybe two weeks ago with his skating, but with that we just want to make sure we do the right thing for him. If it is to take a little bit more time, and have him feeling 100% good about the hip then that’s what we’re going to do…We feel at the beginning of the year he’s going to be pretty close. It’s just when, we’re not 100% sure yet.”
In other words, it sounds like Huberdeau’s status for October 1st’s season opener is very much up in the air. In fact, it sounds like the organization isn’t sure when he’ll be back. Given that Huberdeau was already unlikely to be ready for Game 1 of the season due to the nature of his injury, a setback this close to training camp isn’t a good sign.
What does the future hold for Huberdeau?
Make no mistake, hip resurfacing surgery isn’t an easy thing to bounce back from, especially given Huberdeau’s age. Throughout NHL history, there have only been a couple of players who returned to the NHL after undergoing the procedure. Here’s a breakdown of NHLers who have undergone the same procedure.
| Player | Age | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Jensen | 34 | Currently active |
| Patrick Kane | 34 | Currently active |
| John Klingberg | 31 | Currently active |
| Ed Jovanovski | 38 | Played 37 more games |
| Nick Backstrom | 34 | Played 47 more games |
| Ryan Kesler | 34 | Never played again |
| Carl Hagelin | 34 | Never played again |
It’s easy to spot some trends here. Huberdeau is currently 33. Six of the seven previous players to undergo hip resurfacing surgery were also right around his age. The only name who was considerably older than Huberdeau was Jovanovski, who was 38 at the time. The rest of the group underwent the surgery at the same stage of their careers as Huberdeau, with mixed results.
Hagelin and Kesler never played in the NHL again after having the surgery, while Backstrom managed just 47 more NHL games before moving over to Europe. Klingberg and Jensen meanwhile both returned to NHL action, albeit as shells of their former selves.
The most successful case is Kane, who returned to the NHL and was still able to carve out a role as a top-six winger. In terms of best-case scenarios for Huberdeau, that would be the target. With that said, Kane posted 92 points a year before surgery, and he hasn’t returned to a point-per-game pace since. Huberdeau has failed to eclipse even 65 points in Calgary pre-surgery.
Long-term health
At this point in his career, the most important goal for Huberdeau should be his long-term health. Hockey comes second right now, and the hope is that the surgery can provide him with a stronger quality of life down the line. The Flames have no reason to rush him back and will no doubt wait until he’s 110% ready to return before letting him play an NHL game.
