Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
^ surprised you didn’t wait for the hysterics to stop before starting this conversation
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Maybe. But I also really liked the Lindholm and hanifin for Dougie trade on day 1 and I remember the hysteria around that one.
In a lot of ways it's the same issues that hold people back. Is Lucic we've seen in Edmonton all that's left of him? I don't think so. Peak Lucic was 60 points. Effective Lucic gets around 40+. Last two years he got 34 points and 20 points.
Everyone is complaining about Lucics speed. But his game was never built around speed, which declines quickly with age.
Instead his game is built around puck retrieval, puck control and creating space. Those skills decline less slowly with age. So Lucic shouldn't have declined this fast this quickly. So what else has happened? Possible options include lack of chemistry with linemates, non-engagement, lack of confidence. I think these issues are fixable in Calgary. And even if Lucic isn't top 6, he still fills a roll of a $2m player.
Neal might be ok in Edmonton - he still has a good release. But in Calgary he was never in the right spot, didn't go to the dirty areas, didn't create space for linemates, was not creative, didn't think the game well and was slow. I can see Neal putting up points with McDavid, but I can also see him not working out at all. And if he's not a top 6 player, he's not a player.
The risks around both players is high. But the trade makes sense to me. Neal wasn't going to work in Calgary; Lucic might.