Quote:
Originally Posted by Poe969
A couple of weeks ago I thought neal just needed rest and would bounce back. After finding out he didnt want to be here, my attitude toward him changed. The more I read about him, the more I thought he would be perfect for the oil. I was really surprised to read about people talking to Looch to convince him to come to the Flames, it made me think there was more to him than I originally thought. I brushed off his advanced stats because he was an oiler (and I'm not a huge fan of advanced stats) but it's hard not to get excited when you compare them to Neal's stats. Another thing is that neal was supposed to be "rough and/or dirty and wasn't at all, Looch always at least has that and the Flames really need that on the team imo.
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We don't really have the perspective to qualify if Neal had an entitlement issue or wanted out of Calgary. It certainly fits the current narrative and helps justify the trade. But I am always skeptical that this is a good reason for a trade.
I am sure he was frustrated. The year before he was producing on a line with quality line mates in Vegas and was a highly sought player. Last season he spent most of his time with players like Bennett, Jankowski, Czarnik, etc and his production tanked. Now he was considered an albatross. Most players would be frustrated.
When he did get a chance in the top 6 it was on the shutdown line. He had very limited opportunity on the top line, and only when it was struggling. The coaching staff also seemed reluctant to move Lindholm to C to play with Neal and balancing the lines. I like our coaches and they had good reason, but you can't fault a player for being frustrated in that situation.
Keep in mind that this guy signed a 4 year deal in Calgary when he had a number of options. He was also considered a quality team mate and leader on his previous teams. It is likely a rebound in his second season would have cured any supposed attitude issues.