Struggling Flames get some brutal injury news

The Calgary Flames announced today that star forward Jonathan Huberdeau will miss tonight's game against the New Jersey Devils and is out day to day with an upper body injury.

Check it out:

It's unclear exactly when Huberdeau suffered his injury, so we can only speculate as to what the problem might actually be. He played over 16 minutes last night in a loss to the New York Islanders and did not miss any shifts or leave the game for any significant length of time. The 29 year old star forward who was acquired from the Florida Panthers in a blockbuster trade involving Matthew Tkachuk has just six points in 11 games with the Flames this season. It's also worth noting that Huberdeau has just one single point during full-strength, five on five play this season. He's looked decent on the powerplay, but has been pretty ineffective otherwise. Last season with the Panthers he led the entire NHL in assists with 85 on the campaign.

It's unclear what head coach Darryl Sutter will do with his team's lineup in Huberdeau's absence, but it's likely that 23 year old forward Adam Ruzicka will slot in on the 3rd or 4th line while others bump up to replace Huberdeau. Ruzicka has just one game played for the Flames this season.

Suffice it to say that this is NOT what Flames fans have been wanting or expecting from Huberdeau this season. He signed a massive eight year, $84 million deal that will pay him an annual average salary of $10.5 million starting NEXT season. If you're Flames GM Brad Treliving you have to be absolutely sweating bullets these days. Especially when you consider that Tkachuk has been tearing it up in Florida, putting up five goals and 17 points in just 12 games. But, to be fair, the entire Flames' roster has struggled this season not just Huberdeau. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom has been pretty abysmal to be perfectly honest and it's clear that some of the team's new additions are still adjusting to Sutter's system. Personally, I think this team has too much talent and experience to continue down the path they're on. I suspect they'll get things back on the rails in short order.