Even though he was traded from the Florida Panthers to the Calgary Flames almost two years ago, Quebecer Jonathan Huberdeau wants to see his former teammates win the Stanley Cup.
In an interview with TVA Sports on Saturday, Huberdeau admitted to having a pang in his heart when he saw his former team succeed last year. The scenario is not the same this year.
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“To be honest, last year it seems like it affected me more. It’s been a year. This year it’s a little different. It’s still going to take a toll on me, but I’m really happy for the guys I know who work hard. I texted the guys after game three and I can’t wait for them to raise the cup.”
“A guy like [Aleksander] Barkov works hard in the gym,” he added. “Mainly for [Aaron] Ekblad, it’s been a long time and he’s one of my best friends.”
Huberdeau is not surprised by the success of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. According to him, Paul Maurice’s style of play, which is “a little more defensive”, made his task “a little easier”.
The Panthers will have four opportunities to finish the job and win the Stanley Cup against the Edmonton Oilers. In the history of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 were the only team to come from behind to win a final, after trailing 3-0.
