James Neal Buyout

[JackIsBack]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

So it's an either/or with Neal or Kostin'em?

Another deal I didn't understand... even at the time, it was at least 2 million too high.

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Turned out to be a 3rd and 6th in fact (Whynot and Beck).

This will give the Oilers a $1,916,667 cap hit until 2025. Add the Lucic salary retention to that, and it's more than $2.5 million in deal cap space.

And it only cost them a 3rd round pick to get that cap space. Shrewd move.

Edmonton’s window is this year and that is it. Then they have to resign Nurse, PullanRV etc. Mike Smith will have to get helped out of his wheelchair for the games…… what a joke of a hockey team.

[EVERLAST]

When I think of James Neal I think of a Metallica song ....so what.
Good riddance Jamey boy......oh the laughter I still hear about how the oil won the trade.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

James Neal was a terrible signing, one fraught with a complete lack of understanding of what his more recent seasons were before coming to Calgary, but the trade to Edmonton for Milan Lucic was a great one.

What scares me is that the same people responsible for that mistake compounded on Brouwer, are going into Wednesday with $18 million burning a hole in their pockets.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What scares me is that the same people responsible for that mistake compounded on Brouwer, are going into Wednesday with $18 million burning a hole in their pockets.

And from the sounds of it, they’re prepared to make the exact same mistake with Coleman.

[JackIsBack]

Originally Posted by Bingo

James Neal was a terrible signing, one fraught with a complete lack of understanding of what his more recent seasons were before coming to Calgary, but the trade to Edmonton for Milan Lucic was a great one.

I was excited when we signed Neal.... boy was I disappointed halfway through the first season, I thought the trade for Lucic was making a bad deal better, at least we got some toughness and leadership back in return for nothing. My wife loves Lucic... so there is that.

[neo45]

Wouldn’t he need to be on waivers already to be eligible for the first buyout window? Confused about the timing



Also surprised they were even close to a deal considering how bad Neal is

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What scares me is that the same people responsible for that mistake compounded on Brouwer, are going into Wednesday with $18 million burning a hole in their pockets.

Well it's been three plus years.

An optimist would suggest they've learned some lessons since they haven't repeated those mistakes for 35 months or so.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Bingo

What a story this has been. The ups and down, the arrogance from the Edmonton side. Heck even some on this site and probably happy I'm not one to go back and search and re-paste comments.

James Neal was a terrible signing, one fraught with a complete lack of understanding of what his more recent seasons were before coming to Calgary, but the trade to Edmonton for Milan Lucic was a great one.

Huge actual dollar savings, a 3rd round pick that turned into a 3rd and a 6th plus now the headache goes on for two more years in Edmonton.

By my calculations that's a total of $22.2M in cap hit over six years in Edmonton ($19.2 Neal, $3M Lucic) for a total of 41 points of production or $541K per point.

Calgary will have $21M in cap hit over four years with 43 point already and if he gets two 20 point seasons that's 83 points and $253K per point.

I don't know if it was a lack of vetting or Neal changed his tune after he got paid but he didn't train much after that signing and partied like an animal in Halifax that summer to the point where allegedly he still looked drunk playing in a charity event.

Looking at clips when he was in Vegas he looked pretty good so maybe Treliving wasn't at fault here.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by neo45

Wouldn’t he need to be on waivers already to be eligible for the first buyout window? Confused about the timing



Also surprised they were even close to a deal considering how bad Neal is

Hard to say if they were, just a comment from a reporter wasn't it?

But if so, probably something similar to Gostisbehere - give up picks to entice someone to take him. But he is much worse, so they would have had to give up A LOT.

[bubbsy]

which kid did the flames draft with the oilers pick from this trade?? Just curious as this will inevitably become my favourite prospect in the system

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Well it's been three plus years.

An optimist would suggest they've learned some lessons since they haven't repeated those mistakes for 35 months or so.

Well one year of Tanev was better than expected but Markstrom probably didn't play to the level expected and that contract probably doesn't end well.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I wanted this trade from the start it was rumoured, and argued for it as soon as it got leaked. Why? Because I am some smart guy over here? Nope. I am not smarter than anyone else on this board I think. Did I really think that Lucic would come in and be well-liked enough given his contract? Nope, I didn't see that really. I hoped for a bit of a rebound (hoped - didn't anticipate) and I am glad that it happened.


I just hated Neal. I hated everything he brought to this team. I hated how useless he was. I hated how terrible his shot was, or his effort level, or his defensive ability. I hated how he was a black hole that pulled any positivity out of every other 4 skaters that had to play with him. I mostly hated how even though all of this was so easy to see, that he thought himself better than other players on this team to go up to Peters during practice in the playoffs, and demand more ice-time. The gall to do that! Peters fricken relents (like the idiot he was - unable to pull that team out of the jitters or come up with any semblance of a counter-plan to what Colorado was doing), and he gets repaid with Neal coasting back not bothering to put in a few strides trying to stop the game winning goal against in game 4. Then Peters finally scratches him - for the first time all season/playoffs - for the last game, and I just knew that you couldn't bring this oblivious ass-hat back into that room.


I at least knew that Lucic had some sort of a contribution to make, even if it was only toughness. Throw out the analytics that stated Lucic as being a good 5on5 player (so he won't hurt you), at least he would show some more compete out there. He could be a deterrent. There was at least 'something' to add in him coming here, and it removes not only 'nothing added', but removed what was sure to become a problem.


This is the difference between Neal and Lucic. When Neal is not contributing and the coach demotes him, he will confront the coach in front of the team trying to get more ice-time. When the coach demotes Lucic, Lucic looks at himself, knows he has to be better, or that it is simply better to retire if the game has passed him by.



Lucic can play on my team any day of the week. He still isn't my preference for captain given the overall situation, but I have no doubt in my mind that he would make a really good captain all things considered.


I love that trade, period. Add the money saved, the pick earned, and then further getting even more value on those picks that could make this incredibly hilarious in the coming years - there simply is no way that a person can spin this as not a win.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

which kid did the flames draft with the oilers pick from this trade?? Just curious as this will inevitably become my favourite prospect in the system

3rd: Whynot

and they traded down to get a 6th as well: Beck (who is REALLY intriguing)

[Firebot]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...-vs-avalanche/

Neal's last shift as a Flame.



One of Lucic's first games as a Flame



The end.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well one year of Tanev was better than expected but Markstrom probably didn't play to the level expected and that contract probably doesn't end well.

Ya the Markstrom deal is one to keep an eye on for sure. He put up his lowest (.904) save percentage in years.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well one year of Tanev was better than expected but Markstrom probably didn't play to the level expected and that contract probably doesn't end well.

Tanev was the best defensive defenseman in hockey in year one, so yeah I'd say better than expected.

Markstrom's injury held him back, was lights out before. Hopefully that's the case going forward.

Talbot was a good signing.

Ryan was a good signing.

Rieder was a good signing.

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Ya the Markstrom deal is one to keep an eye on for sure. He put up his lowest (.904) save percentage in years.

Markstrom played extremely well prior to his injury and then struggled after that. He was better down the stretch to the end. Didn't help for many of those nights the defense was a complete tire fire in front of him.... I think he showed at the end when we keep the shots and quality chances somewhat under control he is a very good goaltender.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Ya the Markstrom deal is one to keep an eye on for sure. He put up his lowest (.904) save percentage in years.

He will rebound statistically because of Sutter commitment to team defence


I agree with C4L. That last shift Neal played as a Flame established that he was awful enough to be banished to no good land

[GreenLantern2814]

Lmfao