Neal was a failed experiment in Calgary, and it sounds like he and Smith (who are very close) could have been distractions in the room. Whereas Lucic has been a positive in the room.
I feel he was told he would get a shot with Gaudreau, but Lindholm was started n the top line to help Monahan with faceoffs following wrist surgery.
Once Lindholm was given the top line RW spot and shone, Neal was going to have a hard time fitting in. He needs players to feed him the puck, which Gaudreau could have done well. He didn't fit well on the 2nd line, especially as that line often takes the tough matchups and it is hard to hide him with favourable ice time.
At that point, he becomes a 3rd line forward, and is not getting line drivers to elevate him, but rather is expected to drive a line. And that did not work.
In hindsight, it could have been tried more; Neal on top line, moving Lindholm to Backlund's wing. But that top line just played so well together and it is hard to break up a successful unit.
For the Oilers, if Neal scores more than Lucic, or is bought out to save cap. they win the deal on their end. They needed a winger to play with their top centres and score.
For the Flames, scoring goals from the top 6 was not the problem - it was the second PP and adding some physicality to their bottom 6 (that won't be a liability). For that role, Lucic is overpaid, but he is much more suited than Neal. The Flames win this deal if they outperform last year. The main thing they lose is the ability to buy out the deal, but with Brouwer being bought out, my guess is the Flames brass balked at a Neal buyout. If you have to be stuck with one, at least Lucic seems so far to be less of a negative, and time will tell what he can add.
Chalk it up as a bad UFA signing and move on. As for the trade it could well end up being win-win. I get that we don't want to help out a rival, but this team is in a contention window, and cannot afford to ride out a costly mistake.
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