Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
I totally see Gaskal’s point that you don’t air dirty laundry.
But the optics of Neal doing nothing, but Frolik still not being able to crack the lineup as a regular are horrible for the player. He could be healthy scratched out of a career by minding his Ps and Qs.
And for the team, all free agents considering Calgary, etc., it is exactly what it is. Not merit based.
Yep, it is ugly.
|
That is a way to look at it actually. Frolik is probably worried that after his contract is up, he either won't be signed, or will have to take a huge pay cut do to being perceived as over the hill. Still not classy to handle it in public, but maybe he tried behind closed doors already?
There is really no excuse to why Neal is getting the minutes he is. It would be different if he was working hard and doing the right things and just being snake bitten, but this is totally not what's going on. The guy looks lazy and seems to be more interested in watching the top line play while on the bench then producing himself. Perfect example of this is when he iced the puck tonight, his head was that much out of the game that he couldn't take 3 more strides to get over center ice? There is obviously some disconnect going on with him, maybe he should talk to a sports psychologist. Let's be real, if he wasn't a big UFA acquisition and didn't have the track record he does he would have been on the 4th line/ benched a long time ago. He's been that bad. It's half way through the season, it's put up or shut up time for Neal.
Maybe it is for the best that we did trade Frolik though, stuff like this can't be good for the dressing room.