2018/2019 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[Vinny01]

Neal is struggling but I think he still is providing some value to the roster. He brings that swagger this team was missing.

I get this feeling we will remain underwhelmed with Neal for most of the season but fall in love with the guy during our playoff run

[GioforPM]

Kovalchuk would have a fit problem just like Neal. There's just no room on the top two lines unless it's at the expense of Bennett on the second. Does Kovalchuk score 14 points (only 5 goals BTW) with Ryan and Czarnik? So fars hes played a bunch with Carter and a bunch with Kopitar.

He also doesn't have a point in 9 games (last scored or assisted on Nov. 6).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Neal is struggling but I think he still is providing some value to the roster. He brings that swagger this team was missing.

I get this feeling we will remain underwhelmed with Neal for most of the season but fall in love with the guy during our playoff run

When I went to the game on Friday the Vegas fans were really bemoaning that they'd lost Neal. He got a huge hand during the game (before he punked one of their players, that is).

[H2SO4(aq)]

I think the odd man out should be backlund....

Gaudreau Monahan Neal
Tkachuk lindholm Bennett
Dube backlund frolik
Ryan jankowski Hathaway

This lineup puts everyone in a position to excel, including Bennett and Neal.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq)

I think the odd man out should be backlund....

Gaudreau Monahan Neal
Tkachuk lindholm Bennett
Dube backlund frolik
Ryan jankowski Hathaway

This lineup puts everyone in a position to excel, including Bennett and Neal.

Honestly if Jankows option to play centre is on the 4th line all year, I would be tempted to put him on the 3rd line at RW.

Leaving Frolik and Hathaway being centered by Ryan as the 4th line.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq)

I think the odd man out should be backlund....

Gaudreau Monahan Neal
Tkachuk lindholm Bennett
Dube backlund frolik
Ryan jankowski Hathaway

This lineup puts everyone in a position to excel, including Bennett and Neal.

Except a top line that would get OWNED by the other team.

Who is the defensive conscience on that line?

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq)

I think the odd man out should be backlund....

Gaudreau Monahan Neal
Tkachuk lindholm Bennett
Dube backlund frolik
Ryan jankowski Hathaway

This lineup puts everyone in a position to excel, including Bennett and Neal.

I would rather see the top 6 be

Gaudreau-Lindholm-Neal
Tkachuk-Monahan-Bennett

Agree with your bottom 6.

It would be interesting to see if Tkachuk and Bennett could bring out some emotion/aggression in Monahan

I also prefer the current top 6 but if we are going to force Neal into the lineups preference would be Lindholm to center and Backlund to the third line.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Neal is struggling but I think he still is providing some value to the roster. He brings that swagger this team was missing.

I get this feeling we will remain underwhelmed with Neal for most of the season but fall in love with the guy during our playoff run

Remember when we signed Brouwer and lots of people (including myself) thought "intangibles" were part of the reason? We were clearly wrong on that front.

This time around though I'm ready to believe. I think "intangibles" are part of the Neal signing - and while his points haven't materialized yet, our dressing room appears to be a lot stronger this year. You can chalk a huge portion of that up to Peters I'm sure, but I don't think we can blindly assume that Neal's presence isn't helping. Dude knows how to win and has been around winning/good teams for a long time.

I'm still firmly in the "I'm not concerned about Neal at all" camp.

I like James Neal, and I think he's going to be a good part of getting our PP into the top 10 going forward.

[killer_carlson]

There is no doubt we have a stronger room this year.

The young guys pushed Brouwer, Stajan and versteeg out last year.

Players are playing in their right positions and finding success.

Veterans who are struggling are accepting accountability by most reports (except an obscure reddit reference).

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Except a top line that would get OWNED by the other team.

Who is the defensive conscience on that line?

What kind of players has Neal had success with before? Treliving must have looked at that when signing him and presumably had an idea where we would slot in.

I understand the point you’re making about defense but the first line carried the team last year offensively and I wouldn’t call Ferland a defensive conscience. In fact I’m not sure that line is better defensively at all this year, is it? I bet Bingo could figure out if the current first line is giving up more high danger chances at ES over 60 minutes than last year. You can’t argue with their production.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Last year he primarily played with Perron and Haula (over 50% of the time) with Cody Eakin slotting in some times. Those were also his PP line-mates



In Nashville it looks like it was all over the place with Wilson and Jarnkrok his most common line but only 19.6% of the time. Other combos include Arvidsson and Johansen and Forsberg and Johansen. PP was Arvidsson, Forsberg and Ry-Jo.



I think Bingo has done some of that analysis but I can't find it right now. I think though that Lindholm allows the line to be successful and productive without being worked by the other team.


Source: https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/players/james-neal

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

What kind of players has Neal had success with before? Treliving must have looked at that when signing him and presumably had an idea where we would slot in.

I understand the point you’re making about defense but the first line carried the team last year offensively and I wouldn’t call Ferland a defensive conscience. In fact I’m not sure that line is better defensively at all this year, is it? I bet Bingo could figure out if the current first line is giving up more high danger chances at ES over 60 minutes than last year. You can’t argue with their production.

Lindholm is exceptional at defensive play. He dogs the puck on the way back and gets it out well. I do think Monahan is a little underrated defensively. He can make errors but generally he's in the right spots. Gaudreau could be good if he put his mind to it - I've seen it. He is decent at picking pockets. Plus, he forechecks really well, and defensive board work is similar. He just can't be physical, but then, Lindholm isn't especially physical either.

As for Neal, I think the biggest thing is that he needs (a) some room and (b) a nice passer. But I think his intangibles are showing more than Brouwer already. He was able to deal with Smith's attitude, apparently. And he owns his own play.

[Toonage]

^ Worth noting, I think Neal debunked (or tried to) the rumor that he barked at Smith yesterday during an interview between periods. He took a second to address that and "get it out of the way".

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

^ Worth noting, I think Neal debunked (or tried to) the rumor that he barked at Smith yesterday during an interview between periods. He took a second to address that and "get it out of the way".

I hadn't heard he barked at him. I heard more like he wanted Smith to own his own play. I did see a pretty serious convo between them at one point.

[dammage79]

I wonder which incident Neal was reffering to, the one rumored in the locker room where Smith was allegedly blaming the D and Neal allegedly yelled back at Smith "Make a frickin' save", or the one that was caught on camera during a TV time out. Where he was obviously pretty heated.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I wonder which incident Neal was reffering to, the one rumored in the locker room where Smith was allegedly blaming the D and Neal allegedly yelled back at Smith "Make a frickin' save", or the one that was caught on camera during a TV time out. Where he was obviously pretty heated.

That latter one, it seemed like he dealt with Smith pretty well, they weren't joking, it was pretty serious, but they ended on a good note.

The former one I"d heard about. But even there, I hadn't heard "yelled" and I bet Neal could put that comment in at least a calm way that would set Smith right. I would never trust a denial afterwards though - what else is he gonna say.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Last year he primarily played with Perron and Haula (over 50% of the time) with Cody Eakin slotting in some times. Those were also his PP line-mates



In Nashville it looks like it was all over the place with Wilson and Jarnkrok his most common line but only 19.6% of the time. Other combos include Arvidsson and Johansen and Forsberg and Johansen. PP was Arvidsson, Forsberg and Ry-Jo.



I think Bingo has done some of that analysis but I can't find it right now. I think though that Lindholm allows the line to be successful and productive without being worked by the other team.


Source: https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/players/james-neal

Thanks. Haula certainly had a breakout year last year, but Perron nothing special. I guess the Flames equivalent would be with Tkachuk and Backlund. Which to me makes some sense, only if he makes that line better than either Bennett or Frolik. Which to date, has been a no.

Even just forgetting about defense, (as I’m not totally sold Lindholm has had a dramatic effect on the top line in that regard even though logically he should) Neal could not replace the production we are seeing IMO.

Neal’s increase in production could from the PP. And he’s not one of the top 4 forwards, so he won’t be getting time the top unit barring injury.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Neal is struggling but I think he still is providing some value to the roster. He brings that swagger this team was missing.

I get this feeling we will remain underwhelmed with Neal for most of the season but fall in love with the guy during our playoff run

Yeah if Neal remains angry and vocal about his ice time, player commitment, and winning games, then the contract is worth it for that alone.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I hadn't heard he barked at him. I heard more like he wanted Smith to own his own play. I did see a pretty serious convo between them at one point.

I thought he was refrencing that reddit rumor that he told Smith in the locker room to "make a f'n save"

I didn't mean the talk they had at the bench during the Colorado game.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Thanks. Haula certainly had a breakout year last year, but Perron nothing special. I guess the Flames equivalent would be with Tkachuk and Backlund. Which to me makes some sense, only if he makes that line better than either Bennett or Frolik. Which to date, has been a no.

Even just forgetting about defense, (as I’m not totally sold Lindholm has had a dramatic effect on the top line in that regard even though logically he should) Neal could not replace the production we are seeing IMO.

Neal’s increase in production could from the PP. And he’s not one of the top 4 forwards, so he won’t be getting time the top unit barring injury.

Lindholm is excellent defensively and very fast. He cannot be held responsible for the defensive play of the entire line.

Neal has neither of Lindholms speed or defense.