[News] Neal - I want to win. Bad.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by ---Hatrick---

I would add Bennett to that list. He's shown he won't back down to anybody and he plays with that edge

Agreed.


Between Neal, Tkachuk, Bennett, we could see a nasty-to-play-against element on each of the top3 lines. Ironically enough, it could be our 4th line that is the "softest" assuming it's made up of czarnik, jankowski, lazar, foo, etc. Well at least on nights where Peluso doesn't draw in (assuming he's the 13th/14th forward on the roster.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Neal and Mike Smith are very good friends, and given how popular Smith seems to be in the room I wonder if this bodes well for Neal's own fit on the team. From the outside looking in he certainly seems like precisely the right kind of persona the Flames have been missing for a few years now.

Agreed.

A little bit of grit, an edge and tons of skill along with an attitude.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Neal and Mike Smith are very good friends, and given how popular Smith seems to be in the room I wonder if this bodes well for Neal's own fit on the team. From the outside looking in he certainly seems like precisely the right kind of persona the Flames have been missing for a few years now.

I wondered about how Mike Smith was perceived by his teammates. I really don’t recall hearing one way or the other but if he is well liked then that does bode well.

You hear about good teams being able to absorb different personalities into their team culture. That’s why some teams will take risks on supposed bad apples. Flames don’t have the history of success to be able to brag about their culture or take risks like that. They simply need to start create a winning atmosphere.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I wondered about how Mike Smith was perceived by his teammates. I really don’t recall hearing one way or the other but if he is well liked then that does bode well.

You hear about good teams being able to absorb different personalities into their team culture. That’s why some teams will take risks on supposed bad apples. Flames don’t have the history of success to be able to brag about their culture or take risks like that. They simply need to start create a winning atmosphere.

I dont know how the NHL works, but so long as hes not a completely incompetent jerk you always love your goalie.

[ricardodw]

He wants to win bad and wants to be on the top line.

Memories of Tanguay?

He hasn't been on a #1 line for a long while. Last year he was on a great 2nd line with Haula and Perron where arguably he was the 3rd best player on that line.

I think is a great signing and the obvious spot for him is on the RW for the top line. That is exactly where I thought the Flames signed Brouwer to play.

If he is going to be a leader then I want him to talk about team goals rather than his personal.

Las Vegas has a ton of cap space. Were they in the mix to sign UFA Neal?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Yes, Neal was reportedly offered just over 25M for 5 years from Vegas prior to the trade deadline. Who knows where, or if, negotiations went from there.

He signed a bit more with the Flames at 28.75M.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

He wants to win bad and wants to be on the top line.

Memories of Tanguay?

He hasn't been on a #1 line for a long while. Last year he was on a great 2nd line with Haula and Perron where arguably he was the 3rd best player on that line.

I think is a great signing and the obvious spot for him is on the RW for the top line. That is exactly where I thought the Flames signed Brouwer to play.

If he is going to be a leader then I want him to talk about team goals rather than his personal.

Las Vegas has a ton of cap space. Were they in the mix to sign UFA Neal?

Mountain ... meet mole hill

I don't think James Neal needs to sell anyone on team first goals given his track record.

He said he's like to play with those guys, but he also said "Ill go where I fit in" and "I’ll be in the right spot for me to be, whether that’s on the top line or the second line. We have great options, which is great for our team."

Nothing to see here

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

He wants to win bad and wants to be on the top line.

Memories of Tanguay?

He hasn't been on a #1 line for a long while. Last year he was on a great 2nd line with Haula and Perron where arguably he was the 3rd best player on that line.

I think is a great signing and the obvious spot for him is on the RW for the top line. That is exactly where I thought the Flames signed Brouwer to play.

If he is going to be a leader then I want him to talk about team goals rather than his personal.

Las Vegas has a ton of cap space. Were they in the mix to sign UFA Neal?

Yeah they were rumored to be right there up until the very end and IIRC correctly the difference was they didn't want to go 5 years at that high of a salary. Would have done 4 years at that salary, or 5 years at a lower salary.

I have no issue with him talking about his personal goal totals - sometimes you need more selfish goal scorers on your team and Neal does that - and has been able to do it on teams that have great teams success too.

Over the last 3 seasons he ranks 37th in the NHL at 0.35 Goals Per Game. However if you look at raw goal totals at Even strength it's even better - he sits 14th with 65 ES goals over the last 3 seasons.

The team needed a guy who was an elite finisher, specifically at Even Strength, and they got that with Neal. The only question now is can he hold that up for 2-3 years more at least.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Yes, Neal was reportedly offered just over 25M for 5 years from Vegas prior to the trade deadline. Who knows where, or if, negotiations went from there.

He signed a bit more with the Flames at 28.75M.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports...g-with-flames/

Neal's GF denied that Vegas ever made that offer.

[Jacks]

Nice little tidbit in Friedman's 31 column


25. Asked teammate Pierre-Edouard Bellemare if, looking back at it, there was anyone on last year’s Knights who surprised him in a positive way. Someone who he wasn’t sure about upon first meeting them. “I’m not a hockey nerd like some other players,” Bellemare replied. “I had to Google some of the guys. I would say James Neal. I saw him, saw how he carries himself like a superstar, and I was not sure. But the more I got to know him, the more important I realized he was. In the playoffs, the way he talked, most of us had never gone that far. He told us what to expect and how good we could be.”
Bellemare added that he thought the Golden Knights were going to find a way to come back in the Stanley Cup final until the final few seconds of Game 5.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Jacks

Nice little tidbit in Friedman's 31 column


25. Asked teammate Pierre-Edouard Bellemare if, looking back at it, there was anyone on last year’s Knights who surprised him in a positive way. Someone who he wasn’t sure about upon first meeting them. “I’m not a hockey nerd like some other players,” Bellemare replied. “I had to Google some of the guys. I would say James Neal. I saw him, saw how he carries himself like a superstar, and I was not sure. But the more I got to know him, the more important I realized he was. In the playoffs, the way he talked, most of us had never gone that far. He told us what to expect and how good we could be.”
Bellemare added that he thought the Golden Knights were going to find a way to come back in the Stanley Cup final until the final few seconds of Game 5.

He’s the Real Deal