Ongoing thread for Neal/Lucic discussion

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by bigrangy

This for me, without much of a sweetener there’s no upside to get excited about.

Trading Lucic the player for Neal the player, the Flames didn’t get any worse than they were, but I do feel Neal has a better chance of being somewhat good going forward than Lucic does, but based solely on 2018-19, the Flames got the better player.

Lucic the (retained) contract for Neal the contract should have resulted in a bigger sweetener, something like a top 20 protected first or two seconds or similar would have been what I was expecting, or at least way more retention (2mil+).

I don’t think it moves the needle, but for taking on the additional contract risk there should have been a bigger reward, or less risk.

Who the hell was going to give you a pick never mind a first fir Neal. This was a tie as to who has the bigger stinker except your asking for gold for a turd. Considering we got looch out if this not sure why people are hanging on to the delusion that neal was going to return anything nevermind a top 20. LOOCH is what neal was worth. Period.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Yeah my gut reaction was and still is the sweetener should have been more. But like a unconditional third. And I also trust that knowing the thoroughness of BT - the reason he didn't get that was because he couldn't
But expecting a first or two seconds? Based on what?

[bigrangy]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Yeah my gut reaction was and still is the sweetener should have been more. But like a unconditional third. And I also trust that knowing the thoroughness of BT - the reason he didn't get that was because he couldn't
But expecting a first or two seconds? Based on what?

Probably more based on the idiot prices Edmonton GMs have paid to fix their mistakes in the past.

And on the apparent expectation from Edmonton’s end that Neal will be somewhat useful. For how much more impactful Neal will have to be than Lucic to surrender the third, you know they’re expecting big things. I feel that could have been leveraged a little more, but obviously trust BT because he’s been way more hit than miss so far.

[Heavy Jack]

I always wanted the sweetener to be Puljujarvi and I think the only way a Puljujarvi + Lucic for Neal trade would happen would have been without the 12.5 retention on Lucic for one and before his bonus payment of 3 mill was paid out. For those two reasons I think it’s probably a good bet to pass but I guess we’ll never truly know the different things that were discussed before the finished product. I still like our chances more of this trade working in our favour and the key to that is in the 12.5 retention and the conditions of receiving the 3rd or not.

I for one am hoping we don’t receive the 3rd due to the fact of a solid year of output from Lucic which I think is possible.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I voted loved it.

Neal was bad. Really bad. No compete, all excuses. Long off season, my ass. Even the rare goals he scored were crap. His lack of effort was an insult to his teammates.

Considering Lucic, 20 points with main line mates Kassian and Brodziak is not that bad. I think people underestimate the impact of linemates on productivity.

I hear the argument that he sucked his way in to the 4th line but that doesn’t pass the smell test. He was a 50 plus point guy for 1.5 seasons and mid season, his line mates changed and he became a 20 point guy.

Kassian got some looks on the top line and went from a <20 point guy to a 40 point guy.

Maybe the explanation is the simplest one. Edmonton is no good.

Neal might get some goals with McJesus and Draisaitl. Anybody will. Chiasson did. Even Kassian did. If Neal comes in and gets 20 goals / 40 points, someone else drops away.

I laugh at highlights where McJesus just lets guys walk past him in the d zone. Add Neal’s coasting back and failing to put sticks in passing lanes to that, and you have one bad defensive duo.

In terms of the business, the 10 million real dollars they save, like someone pointed out, is about 4 percent of the cost the Flames have to pony up for the arena.

I really can’t fathom why Neal just didn’t give a crap. But I sure as heck know that logic dictates his coaches and teammates must have had enough.

Calgary simply can not provide Lucic with linemates as crappy as Edmonton gave him. They just don’t have any.

So that’s it. Lucic will be better than he was, which is already better than what Neal was. He brings some actual sandpaper, ability to win battles and control the puck on the boards. I also think he will more likely get middle six deployment than 4th line.

Not expecting Bruins era results from Lucic, but Neal just didn’t care, and I don’t think was going to fit. F him.

If Lucic is a crappy fourth liner that does something, it’s a good deal for the Flames. Anything more is gravy. And I think there is much more than 20 points on the fourth line.

[BigRed]

The best thing about this is that Neal has to spend 4 years in Edmonton.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by BigRed

The best thing about this is that Neal has to spend 4 years in Edmonton.

If he sucks next season they will buy him out

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by dino7c

If he sucks next season they will buy him out

And enjoy a 6 year cap penalty of nearly $2M

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

And enjoy a 6 year cap penalty of nearly $2M

How many players can they pay not to play? Lucic, Pouliot, Sekera... I guess Gryba drops off.

You get a buyout... and you get a buyout... and you get a buyout!

The Edmonton Oprahs

[FireGilbert]

I am so indifferent to this garbage for garbage trade I can’t be bothered to vote.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

I am so indifferent to this garbage for garbage trade I can’t be bothered to vote.

There are two kinds of garbage though.

There is entitled, unmotivated dressing room poison garbage, and there is garbage that technically qualifies as garbage because it is something that may have some use but somehow found itself in a bin full of garbage

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

And enjoy a 6 year cap penalty of nearly $2M

A 6-year cap penalty of $2 million with no player attached might end up being the most valuable piece involved in this trade.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

A 6-year cap penalty of $2 million with no player attached might end up being the most valuable piece involved in this trade.

How so?

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

There are two kinds of garbage though.

There is entitled, unmotivated dressing room poison garbage, and there is garbage that technically qualifies as garbage because it is something that may have some use but somehow found itself in a bin full of garbage

Okay I think I’m getting it. Neal is trash and Lucic is Forky.

[dino7c]

People think Neal was so amazing for the Knights...Oiler fans especially now. I keep hearing he was really good until he got to Calgary

Guy had 44 points and was -11 on a first place team. Not exactly great

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

And enjoy a 6 year cap penalty of nearly $2M

If they could have bought Lucic out for that price they would have. Now they can give Neal a shot and even if he fails they are in a better place thanks to the Flames


Flames are really taking all the risk in this deal is what it keeps coming back to for me.

Unless they unload Lucic to a team trying to reach the cap floor in the next couple years I think we will wish we could buyout Lucic for 2M/year


We called him the worst contract in the league and laughed at him all year...tough to go all fanboy now but I am trying lol

[1qqaaz]

I voted for "indifferent", but I have a slight slant towards "dislike".

It's a bad player for another bad player. Flames save a tiny bit of cap space. Okay.

But I can't get over the fact that Neal had way more shots and a lower shooting % than Lucic. Based on that, it seems like Neal is more likely to rebound, especially with a good playmaker.

I think Ken Holland knows this, which is why he made the trade. I think Edmonton wanted this trade more than Calgary did. And based on that, I think the conditional pick should have been much better. It should have been a no-condition 2nd round pick at least IMO.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I voted for "indifferent", but I have a slight slant towards "dislike".

It's a bad player for another bad player. Flames save a tiny bit of cap space. Okay.

But I can't get over the fact that Neal had way more shots and a lower shooting % that Lucic. Based on that, it seems like Neal is more likely to rebound, especially with a good playmaker.

I think Ken Holland knows this, which is why he made the trade. I think Edmonton wanted this trade more than Calgary did. And based on that, I think the conditional pick should have been much better. It should have been a no-condition 2nd round pick at least IMO.

I share some of these thoughts. Neal was horrible last year but it sure got to “we can’t bring him back at any cost” and this was the only deal they could scrounge up. Sweetener could have been a pick that improved based on performance.

I still have some hope for Lucic but haven’t watched Oilers play a team other than Flames in quite some time.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

How many players can they pay not to play? Lucic, Pouliot, Sekera... I guess Gryba drops off.

You get a buyout... and you get a buyout... and you get a buyout!

The Edmonton Oprahs

OT but...

The only difference being, unlike Oprah, Edmonton actually pays for stuff they give away (Oprah pet peeve of mine).


**edit**

I voted indifferent. A lot of hoopla, because of an inter-provincial trade but ultimately a trade of arguably the two worst contracts in the league. If this was an east-west trade, I doubt we hear much about it (outside of CP).

.

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

OT but...

The only difference being, unlike Oprah, Edmonton actually pays for stuff they give away (Oprah pet peeve of mine).

You get to go free, and you! and you!! And youuuuuuu!!!!
Everyone gets to go freeeeeeeeee!!