2018/2019 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CanadaMatt

Ah, as if on queue.

At the slightest criticism of James Neal, the usual suspects (you’re one of them as I’m sure you are aware) ride over the hills to defend the player.

This is the point.

You and the rest of the Neal apologists have set the bar so low for this player that a relatively innocuous game like last night, where he didn’t play badly (nor did he play particularly well) is now held up in a positive light. Gee I’d hate to see what an average James Neal game looks like in your eyes, (heaven forbid a bad one).

You’re really doing him a disservice. That was not a good game for a 5.75 million dollar player, it was ‘meh’ and, if given the chance, I’d trade him for Kovalchuk (as was the original topic)

A good play is a good play. I don't see it as "defending" anything. He played a good game. Better than most of the Flames. I'd say he, Lindholm and Frolik were the best Flames out there over 60 minutes. I guess that makes me a Lindholm apologist as well.

BTW, it's "on cue". I'm not lining up for anything.

[CanadaMatt]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I guess that makes me a Lindholm apologist as well.

I’ll just leave this there...I can’t make your comment sound any dumber than you just did

[LWcrowfoot]

James Neal has six points in his last nine games. If you can't see that he's playing better than that's on you.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by CanadaMatt

I’ll just leave this there...I can’t make your comment sound any dumber than you just did

You're not really trying, because I know you can.

[CanadaMatt]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You're not really trying, because I know you can.

No really, you’ve outdone yourself. Congrats.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by CanadaMatt

Ah, as if on queue.

At the slightest criticism of James Neal, the usual suspects (you’re one of them as I’m sure you are aware) ride over the hills to defend the player.

This is the point.

You and the rest of the Neal apologists have set the bar so low for this player that a relatively innocuous game like last night, where he didn’t play badly (nor did he play particularly well) is now held up in a positive light. Gee I’d hate to see what an average James Neal game looks like in your eyes, (heaven forbid a bad one).

You’re really doing him a disservice. That was not a good game for a 5.75 million dollar player, it was ‘meh’ and, if given the chance, I’d trade him for Kovalchuk (as was the original topic)

I do think there are two camps.

A camp that's upset with Neal's production and a camp that is hopeful that he turns it around and becomes a better free agent signing that he's been to date.

I can even see the latter camp jumping on results that are minor in hoping that they add up to more than they have.

What I don't get is the anger towards the hopeful crowd. They're hockey fans for pete's sake that want every decision made by their team to turn out.

Ridiculing and insulting them doesn't seem all that classy to me.

[The Yen Man]

I'm a lot more cautiously optimistic about Neal turning it around than Smith. Admittedly, I'm sure bias has a lot to do with it as we're stuck with Neal for another 4 years, where as Smith is gone after this season.

But even putting that aside, Neal has shown that he's got more to give and is playing a lot better lately than before.

Smith, on the other hand, has shown me nothing that indicates he's going to bounce back.

Again, that's just my opinion. I'm not harping anyone who has a different stance than me. Goaltending is the one thing that freaks me out for the playoffs. I can see the Flames being one and done because they were let down by goaltending.

[CanadaMatt]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I do think there are two camps.

A camp that's upset with Neal's production and a camp that is hopeful that he turns it around and becomes a better free agent signing that he's been to date.

I can even see the latter camp jumping on results that are minor in hoping that they add up to more than they have.

What I don't get is the anger towards the hopeful crowd. They're hockey fans for pete's sake that want every decision made by their team to turn out.

Ridiculing and insulting them doesn't seem all that classy to me.

I think you’ll find those the other camp (my camp as you put it) sees is the same way you do, but see it occurring in the opposite direction. Not one negative Neal comment can be left alone without Text, Gio, Chum and a number of other all piling on.

Bingo, myself and Neo have both been accused of hoping the team fails (by extension of wanting Neal to fail). It’s embarrassing. Let’s not pretend that one side is innocent in all of this.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I do think there are two camps.

A camp that's upset with Neal's production and a camp that is hopeful that he turns it around and becomes a better free agent signing that he's been to date.

I can even see the latter camp jumping on results that are minor in hoping that they add up to more than they have.

What I don't get is the anger towards the hopeful crowd. They're hockey fans for pete's sake that want every decision made by their team to turn out.

Ridiculing and insulting them doesn't seem all that classy to me.

Though I'm definitely in the "hope he starts to earn his contract" camp. there's also a camp I belong to which is "criticize all you want, but stick to facts" camp. Like when people said GG put Brower on the first unit all last year, which wasn't the case. Or when people say Smith always needs 4 goals from the team to win. It's just unnecessary and doesn't add anything.

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Though I'm definitely in the "hope he starts to earn his contract" camp. there's also a camp I belong to which is "criticize all you want, but stick to facts" camp. Like when people said GG put Brower on the first unit all last year, which wasn't the case. Or when people say Smith always needs 4 goals from the team to win. It's just unnecessary and doesn't add anything.

Smith has a GAA above three per game. Suggesting the Flames need four goals to win when he's in net isn't hyperbole, its fact.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by CanadaMatt

I think you’ll find those the other camp (my camp as you put it) sees is the same way you do, but see it occurring in the opposite direction. Not one negative Neal comment can be left alone without Text, Gio, Chum and a number of other all piling on.

Bingo, myself and Neo have both been accused of hoping the team fails (by extension of wanting Neal to fail). It’s embarrassing. Let’s not pretend that one side is innocent in all of this.

I haven't had a problem with a single negative comment you nor Neo have made.

I have had a problem with the insults and labeling you both have felt necessary to defend your stance.

[GioforPM]

And, OT, I think Kovalchuk's game is more likely to hit a wall, he's more likley to be a negative influence in the room and his contract is worse. He may once have defended better than Neal, but I don't think that's the case this year - I haven't minded Neal on defence as much as I thought I would, and Kovalchuk has apparently been pretty brutal. He was producing AND was benched. That tells me something.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by LWcrowfoot

Smith has a GAA above three per game. Suggesting the Flames need four goals to win when he's in net isn't hyperbole, its fact.

That's not how averages work. There have been posters who said he always does. As in every game. Well, I can name at least 5 games where that's not the case.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by LWcrowfoot

Smith has a GAA above three per game. Suggesting the Flames need four goals to win when he's in net isn't hyperbole, its fact.

By the same measure the Flames need at least three goals to win when Rittich is in net. These sorts of lazy oversimplifications don't promote a lot of useful discussion.

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

These sorts of lazy oversimplifications don't promote a lot of useful discussion.

Simple yes, lazy no.

By the same measure the Flames need at least three goals to win when Rittich is in net

Totally fine with that, that's an acceptable average.

[CanadaMatt]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I haven't had a problem with a single negative comment you nor Neo have made.

I have had a problem with the insults and labeling you both have felt necessary to defend your stance.

That seems like selective outrage as it appears to not be called out in the opposite direction....but that’s been the generally complaint around here for a while, so I’ll guess we just have to live with it.

[LWcrowfoot]

Off topic, Wrong thread. The three of us don't need to boringly re-hash the same Mike Smith arguments again.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by LWcrowfoot

James Neal has six points in his last nine games. If you can't see that he's playing better than that's on you.

I never even disagreed that he is playing better. I disagreed that he is playing good. “Best player on the ice”, “offensive driver” comments were the ones I responded to.


If we are being honest it would be super easy for James Neal to play better than he looked in December and early January. He couldn’t have been worse.

[Textcritic]

Nm

[This post is terrible]

Please sureLoss save this thread! I’d even enjoy an Eklund rumour right about now.