[PGT] Avs 3 Flames 2 on the brink

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Honestly, I feel like Neal would welcome the buyout. I think he is also regretting signing in Calgary and both parties are not happy. Doesn't seem like he has had much fun at all this year and I may be wrong but when is the last time James Neal was at a community event?

Wouldn't be surprised if he asks for a trade (I get no one wants him) or they agree to terminate the contract (like Jagr).

It's all hearsay but I've heard from some pretty reliable people that Neal has really not been comfortable here since Day 1, and isn't happy here.

Not used to playing in a hockey market, pressure and public focus has been tough on him, and the struggles on the ice have just made it worse.

Crazy how different things could look if Neal stayed in Vegas, they still signed Statsny, and then they maybe don't have the cap space to go after Stone.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

[/B]

No way that's happening, he might not get another contract. He's not walking away from $25MM

I know it is very unlikely but he has made about $40 million dollars in his career. I am completely guessing here but is it worth being miserable when you can spend the rest of your life living in luxury?

[Teroy]

Package him with Gaudreau and test the waters.

[Toonage]

I would imagine the two sides would work together to find a suitable landing spot for Neal if this comes to a head. The real issue at that point will be what are we paying to drop that contract on someone?

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It's all hearsay but I've heard from some pretty reliable people that Neal has really not been comfortable here since Day 1, and isn't happy here.

Not used to playing in a hockey market, pressure and public focus has been tough on him, and the struggles on the ice have just made it worse.

Crazy how different things could look if Neal stayed in Vegas, they still signed Statsny, and then they maybe don't have the cap space to go after Stone.

I remember listening to Commodore earlier in the year on the radio who mentioned how Neal was not happy at all about the China trip. I get that he is a veteran but being a new member on the team, I think he should have embraced the opportunity to bond. And, if this was really the case, that means he had a ####ty attitude to start and it's been downhill since.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Problem with trading Monahan and Gaudreau is that you are going to get lesser pieces for them. We would be rebuilding the rebuild.

Why would you get lesser pieces for them? That makes no sense. You would only trade them if you thought the deals were good.

As far as trading good young players in their prime the Flyers decided to do that and got some pretty decent deals IMO.

Carter for Voracek, 1st rounder (Couturier), 3rd rounder (Cousins)
Richards for Simmonds, Schenn and a 2nd

I'd argue Monahan and Gaudreau are at least as valuable if not moreso than Carter/Richards were at the time they were dealt.

Anyways I don't know if Treliving will decide there's a problem with one or two of those young men. But the suggestion that they won't return a boatload is preposterous. If the Flames decide to deal them they'd get a ransom for Gaudreau or Monahan. You're fooling yourself if you think otherwise.

[calgaryfox]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Here's the thing about comparing Monahan to all these elite centres:

All those elite centres have the offense run through them. There aren't many teams in the league where the offense runs through the winger.

What is so pronounced about how bad the Flames have been is how bad Gaudreau has been. There really is only so much a centre playing with Gaudreau can do because that Centre never has the puck and is never in charge of where it goes.

The entire team offense is geared through Gaudreau. If he is having an off night the entire team will look bad. Look at what just happened to Tampa. Kucherov goes quiet after getting frustrated and that entire team goes cold. The same thing happens in Chicago with Pat Kane. All of a sudden Kane starts feeling it and the entire team goes on a streak.

Monahan lacks qualities you want in your #1 centre to be sure, and he has physical limitations on what he can do on the ice in terms of his speed. However, when Gaudreau is routinely giving away pucks in transition and within 10 feet of the blueline, that is going to make a guy lacking in speed look MUCH MUCH worse than he is.

IMO the problem right now is that Gaudreau's negative energy is a black cloud over the whole team and his linemates could be Francis and Iginla and he'd be making them look bad with his ####ty passes and horrific turnovers, because those other guys are never allowed to handle the puck.

I can't disagree with any of this. Gaudreau has been awful. However, you can't run the offense through Monahan because, as you say, Monahan lacks qualities you want in your #1 centre to be sure, and he has physical limitations on what he can do on the ice in terms of his speed
There lies the problem. Who do we have who can drive the bus for the first line? They haven't created any clean entries, no odd man rushes, no forecheck to speak of except from Lindholm, and the puck is just given up cheaply resulting in the Avs coming back in odd man rushes as they are far faster than our top line.

Hate to say it but Flames can't play pretty and just dangle their way through the Avs d. Maybe plan B for game 5 should be to bring in eg Lazar and Czarnik to give more speed and grit and then dump, chase and forecheck the crap out of the Avs to at least give us some time in their zone. Not pretty but I don't want to see us go out with a whine and whimper, I want to see us play with desperation and to fight for every puck.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Package him with Gaudreau and test the waters.

Yes, let's trade Gaudreau for nothing.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It's all hearsay but I've heard from some pretty reliable people that Neal has really not been comfortable here since Day 1, and isn't happy here.

Not used to playing in a hockey market, pressure and public focus has been tough on him, and the struggles on the ice have just made it worse.

Crazy how different things could look if Neal stayed in Vegas, they still signed Statsny, and then they maybe don't have the cap space to go after Stone.

He shouldn’t have written the article for the players tribune about being a sniper if he didn’t want any attention.

He has been awful. And the narrative about being a playoff performer and showing up when it matters is out the window.

People watching are uncomfortable now too.

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Yes, let's trade Gaudreau for nothing.

Give me a break. You think that package would get us nothing.

[Toonage]

I would think the Flyers would be very interested in trading for Gaudreau. Devils too. Local kid, superstar, and recent events notwithstanding, a top producer.

[Manhattanboy]

If that was a penalty on Backlund which by any measure was a weak weak call, how does MacKinnon not get tagged for diving??????

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Give me a break. You think that package would get us nothing.

It may as well be nothing. You are purposefully gimping the return of one of our most valuable assets to get rid of a bad contract. It's beyond stupid. There's a reason why it has never been done in the NHL.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I would think the Flyers would be very interested in trading for Gaudreau. Devils too. Local kid, superstar, and recent events notwithstanding, a top producer.

I said this in the other thread as well.

Gaudreau for Hall makes too much sense if the Flames go down this route. Unless the Devils know for sure that he is going to re-sign, why not send both star players to their hometowns.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

If that was a penalty on Backlund which by any measure was a weak weak call, how does MacKinnon not get tagged for diving??????

That penalty was definitely a trip. Not a weak call at all. And MacKinnon didn't dive. I'm not excusing the officiating because it's god awful as usual but they definitely got that penalty right, it was a penalty.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I said this in the other thread as well.

Gaudreau for Hall makes too much sense if the Flames go down this route. Unless the Devils know for sure that he is going to re-sign, why not send both star players to their hometowns.

Ordinarily I would scoff at the idea of trading Gaudreau (or Monahan for that matter). Maybe this is just the raw emotion of the past week, but the idea doesn't seem all that crazy at this point. Like Jiri noted, there is no guarantee Gaudreau sticks around after this deal is up. Maybe its time to sell high.

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

It may as well be nothing. You are purposefully gimping the return of one of our most valuable assets to get rid of a bad contract. It's beyond stupid. There's a reason why it has never been done in the NHL.

Stupid??? I said "test the waters". The only thing stupid is not to try it.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Ordinarily I would scoff at the idea of trading Gaudreau (or Monahan for that matter). Maybe this is just the raw emotion of the past week, but the idea doesn't seem all that crazy at this point. Like Jiri noted, there is no guarantee Gaudreau sticks around after this deal is up. Maybe its time to sell high.

I know this may not be the big "Deciding Factor".. but Gaudreau has been here for a few years now. He still doesn't have a GF or really any real ties to city does he?

[Toonage]

Get a kick out of Lou on 960 talking up Mike Smith. Absolutely he's been awesome but maybe now isn't the time to rub it in to people who thought he was finished. Its like standing on top of the smoldering ashes of your house lauding how well that fire proof safe held up.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I would think the Flyers would be very interested in trading for Gaudreau. Devils too. Local kid, superstar, and recent events notwithstanding, a top producer.

Not that I'm advocating trading Gaudreau (I'd move others before him) but they have some intriguing young pieces too and likely want to make a push with Giroux, Voracek, JVR getting older.

Patrick, Konecny , Provorov, Sahheim, Frost are all interesting young pieces.