Ongoing thread for Neal/Lucic discussion - Page 143 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

tfi racing · 10-09-2019, 10:03 AM

It's the start to a long season. Now that teams will be paying a bit more attention to Neal as a scoring threat,look for his production to drastically fall off, no way he keeps it going at this pace.

blankall · 10-09-2019, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfi racing

It's the start to a long season. Now that teams will be paying a bit more attention to Neal as a scoring threat,look for his production to drastically fall off, no way he keeps it going at this pace.

You mean he won't score 164 goals this season?

Yrebmi · 10-09-2019, 10:32 AM

Gagner got 8 points in a single game.
It's early. Im still not convinced we even get the pick.

powderjunkie · 10-09-2019, 10:35 AM

It is kind of funny how so many people have convinced themselves that last year was the most 'true' version of Neal, not the injury prone ~30 goal pace guy he was the previous 5 seasons.

The Boy Wonder · 10-09-2019, 10:43 AM

Don't worry ... I picked Neal up in Fantasy today so he is certain to start to #### the bed

Robbob · 10-09-2019, 10:44 AM

6 goals in 3 games yet still not a plus.

stang · 10-09-2019, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbob

6 goals in 3 games yet still not a plus.

+/- is such a useless stat.

habernac · 10-09-2019, 10:49 AM

https://www.nhl.com/news/oilers-neal...th/c-309905190

"Last year was tough," Neal said. "I didn't play much, I was kind of in a checking role that I'd never really been in before. It was just kind of weird overall. I just really never felt like I got a chance to play there. It's kind of weird when you sign a five-year deal and you think you're going to go in and be a top player, and it's not really the way it worked out. Obviously both teams wanted to make a change. I was really happy that it worked out. Everything's great so far.

Geeoff · 10-09-2019, 10:51 AM

I'm still not convinced we're gonna get that 3rd

Johnny Makarov · 10-09-2019, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stang

+/- is such a useless stat.

Sort of like wins for Oiler fans.

nik- · 10-09-2019, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbob

6 goals in 3 games yet still not a plus.

This is pretty desperate.

DFO · 10-09-2019, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbob

6 goals in 3 games yet still not a plus.

PPG's?

Vedder · 10-09-2019, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

https://www.nhl.com/news/oilers-neal...th/c-309905190

"Last year was tough," Neal said. "I didn't play much, I was kind of in a checking role that I'd never really been in before. It was just kind of weird overall. I just really never felt like I got a chance to play there. It's kind of weird when you sign a five-year deal and you think you're going to go in and be a top player, and it's not really the way it worked out. Obviously both teams wanted to make a change. I was really happy that it worked out. Everything's great so far.

Translation "I expected to be gifted a top 6 spot, didn't deliver when given multiple opportunities, and subsequently sulked instead of providing anything resembling an honest effort."

The Yen Man · 10-09-2019, 11:05 AM

I still think this trade is worth it for the Flames. I'll be honest, I didn't think that 3rd round conditional pick was even realistic. Now I'm pleasantly surprised it's actually in the realm of possibility. I still have my doubts Neal can get 20 though. Watch, he's gonna go 1 goal in his next 20 games. And on a team level, he basically replaced Chaisson's scoring from last year, which means Alex is probably gonna get 5 goals this year if he's lucky.

868904 · 10-09-2019, 11:07 AM

I love draft picks so i'm thrilled that the Flames will be getting an extra 3rd round pick! Especially with how this team drafts now.

As for Neal's comments: haha, I don't think any coach would be dumb enough to put Neal in a checking role. Just because he wasn't playing in the top 6, doesn't mean he was expected to check or put into a checking role. Flames expecting him to generate offence, he didn't do it and he sulked.

1Nite · 10-09-2019, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 868904

I love draft picks so i'm thrilled that the Flames will be getting an extra 3rd round pick! Especially with how this team drafts now.

As for Neal's comments: haha, I don't think any coach would be dumb enough to put Neal in a checking role. Just because he wasn't playing in the top 6, doesn't mean he was expected to check or put into a checking role. Flames expecting him to generate offence, he didn't do it and he sulked.

Just wait for later in the season when him and Smith start playing the blame game, because the oilers are No good.

The Cobra · 10-09-2019, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Won't lie though, helping out the Oilers does not leave a good taste in the mouth regardless if we receive a 3rd out of it. I would've traded him anywhere else for anything else before helping out the Oilers. if Tre still wanted Milan Lucic, hey that's fine, just make sure you get 50% retention and a couple 1st rounders out of it.

The only players Neal and Lucic could have been traded for was each other.

Neither really wanted the other player, they each plugged their noses and got something better (for them) than they gave up. For Calgary, it was lots of money and a player that could provide some much needed toughness. For Edmonton, it was a guy who might score some goals.

Geeoff · 10-09-2019, 11:23 AM

Keep in mind that Neal had a handful of games last season where he looked as good as advertised. They just didn't happen all in a row at the beginning of the year and he wasn't quite as productive in those games. I still think it's likely that the James Neal from last year will show up in the majority of games

neo45 · 10-09-2019, 11:27 AM

This is a huge blessing in disguise. The more the Oilers play Neal the worse off they are. He is a terrible two way player.

Plus minus isn’t a useless stat, it’s just useless out of context. But here is the context, his team is 3-0 and he has 6 goals (4 even strength?) yet is still isn’t positive. That means he has been on the ice for a bunch of goals against. And what happens when the scoring inevitably dries up? It’s not like he has any defensive acumen to make up for that

Classic_Sniper · 10-09-2019, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Cobra

The only players Neal and Lucic could have been traded for was each other.

Neither really wanted the other player, they each plugged their noses and got something better (for them) than they gave up. For Calgary, it was lots of money and a player that could provide some much needed toughness. For Edmonton, it was a guy who might score some goals.

I think there were other options available, had to be, every team has a bad contract or two, I just think the player we'd be getting back would've been slightly worse than Lucic. But if you're not helping out a hated divisional rival, then that might honestly be worth it because Brad will be hearing about this trade for the rest of his life. Neal is the type of player who needs a puck dominant center who can create time and space for him to be successful and Tre basically gave James Neal his dream center who can do that.