Flames’ Huberdeau suffers setback in recovery from hip resurfacing surgery

Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau may not be ready to go for the start of the 2026-27 season after sustaining “a little bit of a setback” in his recovery from hip resurfacing surgery, general manager Craig Conroy said Wednesday.

In an interview with Jock Wilson on QR770 in Calgary, Conroy emphasized that the Flames are prepared to be patient with Huberdeau as he recovers from the operation on his hip, which prematurely ended his 2025-26 season after he underwent it back in March.

“This is a major surgery, so he had a little bit of a setback maybe two weeks ago with his skating,” Conroy said. “With that, we just want to make sure we do the right thing for him, and if it is to take a little bit more time and have him 100 percent feeling good about the hip, that’s what we’re going to do.

“In the gym, everything else is real positive. We just want to make sure that when he’s on the ice and taking that physical contact, that he’s ready. But it’s coming, and it’s still on his schedule. We’re not going to rush him into something. We feel that at the beginning of the [season], he’s going to be pretty close. It’s just when — we’re not 100 percent sure yet.”

Huberdeau, 33, appeared in 50 games with the Flames during the 2025-26 season, collecting 10 goals and 25 points. The veteran winger dealt with pain in his hip throughout the year and played through it before being shut down in late January.

Now, Huberdeau is attempting to battle his way back into the NHL after undergoing a highly invasive procedure that has ended far more careers than it has prolonged. Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane is one of the few players who has returned to playing a high level after undergoing hip resurfacing; many more, including Ed Jovanovski and Ryan Kesler, struggled to play in the NHL at all after the surgery.

Huberdeau has five years and $52.5 million left on the contract he signed with the Flames back in 2022. The Flames acquired Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 first-round pick (Cullen Potter) from the Florida Panthers in exchange for winger Matthew Tkachuk, who subsequently won back-to-back Stanley Cups in his new locale while Huberdeau struggled to live up to expectations in Calgary.

Across his four seasons to date with the Flames, Huberdeau has collected 65 goals and 194 points in 291 games. The Saint-Jerome, Quebec product enjoyed his best year with the Flames in 2024-25, scoring 28 goals and 62 points in 81 games while drawing positive reviews for his commitment to a more physical, two-way game; however, the Flames still missed the playoffs, as they have in each year of his tenure.

The Flames are scheduled to open their 2026-27 season at the Scotiabank Saddledome against the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 1.