Here's how I have landed on this.
Neal/lucic are going to be the flames 3rd/4th line wingers.
Neal and his skillset weren't satisfactory for that role amd he just isn't good enough to play on the flames top6.
Lucic isn't a top 6 player at all either. However, he can hopefully still play on the 3rd/4th line role.
We need to be very careful in grading the trade by comparing neal vs lucic stat lines.
Lucic's success for me looks like some minimal offense, but a guy who ends every shift in a scrum and face washingatch. That kind of play is absolutely effective in wearing down opposition who eventually will shy away when after a few scrums escalate to a challenge to fight.
If lucic cam do this night in and night out, it's exactly what the flames need more of. It's not worth $5-$6M, but it's more value than the same money got you from neal in the bottom 6.
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