Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbob
His production this year is all smoke and mirrors and doesn't equate to the player he is. He got half of his season total by the 8 game mark. Pretty fortunate roll. Since that hot October he ran 8 goals, 3 which came on NYE. He clearly isn't a fit even in the Oilers lineup right now and were better with him out of the lineup. Add that the Oilers took on some of Lucic salary and Lucic can play in the lineup for the Flames, I would do that trade again.
If that trade never happened, Neal would have been the 13th forward on this team. He can't pay in the top 6 and doesn't have the chops to play in the bottom. He would be an insurable mope that you wouldn't want around any of your prospects, so Stockton would be out. He never would have had a bounce back year.
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Yeah Im aware of when and how he got his goal totals...which has zero to do with what I said. Again I dont want either guy on the team but i will take Neals contract 100 times out of a 100.
At worst then, you buy him out and guess what? You have cap space! Now, its possible but no one knows for sure, that the buy out scenario was squashed by ownership. I have my doubts on that and believe it was BT trying to save face on a disasterous signing, but that is all speculation either way and something we are unlikely to know for many years, if ever.
Still, cap space is something of actual value, and even more so apparently than ever before.
Not sure why this is so hard to grasp for some.