Let Neal play on the top line with McDavid, score 20-20-40, look alright. Even let the Oiler fans laugh at us because Lucic is being outproduced. Then come trade deadline and the Oilers are well out of the playoffs, no one will take on Neal because his contract is still bad and has too much term.
Better than slotting in any random-AHL player, (see: Chiasson, Alex) letting him score 20-20-40 with McDavid, and then potentially trade him for some future assets.
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