[Signing] Flames sign James Neal (5 years, 5.75 AAV)

[The Yen Man]

Come on, it hasn't even been 30 games yet into the 1st year of his contract. Talk about Chicken Little thinking. Has Neal been great? No. But let's have a little patience here. If management gave into every knee jerk reaction, Brodie would have been long gone after the bad couple of years he's had. I guess by end of next year and James Neal is averaging 10 goals a year, then I'll gladly give you the satisfaction of giving me a "I told you so!"

And to be perfectly honest, I'd rather not need to give up assets at the trade deadline for a rental. I'd rather sign one for free. Oh wait, we did that. I think his name was James something.

And if you think this will seriously mean not being able to sign Chucky, well, I guess I'm just a little more optimistic than you.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

I’m sorry but that’s a ridiculous comparison. Lucic makes more, is signed for FOUR MORE YEARS, and doesn’t do anything other than exist out there. Neal is at least is showing signs that production might come. His shooting percentage is unsustainably low for a player of his caliber. Lucic also plays in the top six, Neal on the third line.

If you think Neal is in the same realm as Lucic you need to start watching games and stop just looking at the stats column. Either that or your ability to assess a hockey players effectiveness is extremely poor.

I can’t wait until Neal starts scoring and all these ridiculous overreactions stop. Take a deep breath, the Flames are in 1st, there’s no need to be outraged at Neal. Absolutely none. Grow up.

“Grow up.” ? Sorry if your argument is clinging to an unsustainable shooting percentage as an indication Neal will turn it around I don’t know what to tell you either.
He looks slow, and more often than not pucks are getting turned over the other way, than anything dangerous heading towards the oppositions net.

I hope Neal does turn it around, but what I’ve seen this year is alarming.
The comparison to Lucic is extreme, but for what he’s paid if he continues to be a peripheral player that’s where it’s trending.

[David Struch]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

No way Bennett gets 3.5 unless he really changes things offensively. The flames should be able to dump stone or definitely frolik in the offseason too

Alright, let's drop Sam's number down a bit and trade off Stone & Frolik (assume two ,925 players in return)

Gaudreau 6,75 Monahan 6,375 Lindholm 4,85
Tkachuk 8,0 Backlund 5,35 Neal 5,75
Bennett 2,5 Ryan 3,125 Czarnik 1,25
Dubé ,778 Jankowski 1,675 Forward ,925
Forward ,925

Giordano 6,75 Brodie 4,65
Hanifin 4,95 Hamonic 3,857
Välimäki ,894 Andersson ,755
Kylington ,730

Goalie 1
Goalie 2

Salary Cap $83,000,000
Cap Hit $72,488,375
Buyouts $1,500,000
Bonuses $565,000
Cap Space $10,511,625

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Yoho

“Grow up.” ? Sorry if your argument is clinging to an unsustainable shooting percentage as an indication Neal will turn it around I don’t know what to tell you either.
He looks slow, and more often than not pucks are getting turned over the other way, than anything dangerous heading towards the oppositions net.

I hope Neal does turn it around, but what I’ve seen this year is alarming.
The comparison to Lucic is extreme, but for what he’s paid if he continues to be a peripheral player that’s where it’s trending.

Flames are in first place, but let's endlessly talk about the warts...

I can imagine how you're the life of the party... Eeyore endlessly searching for a black cloud to moisten his wet blanket.

[Red Slinger]

Way to early to judge this contract. New player, new team. Saw a similar thing with Hamonic.

I will say that only Frolik and Neal are guys that have experienced deep playoff runs. That experience could be very valuable later in the season.

[442scotty]

Having never really paid any attention to or watched any of Neal before the Flames got him I was on the excitement band wagon like everyone else. But having watched him with the Flames , he's slow... like real slow, and seems to have zero chemistry with anyone! His compete level is real low either that or the game has passed him by before his time.

I'm sorry and people can defend him all they want but if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck its a duck. Get rid of him.

[Northendzone]

nice metaphor. Thank you for being a ray of sunshine in my day.

when the flames signed the real deal, i figured that they would get about 2.5 seasons where the deal was fine and then hate themselves for the balance; however, it has been a tough start for neal, but i guess i will wait until about this time next year to fully formulate my opinion.

I'd imagine almost every team in the league has a Neal on it.

Originally Posted by nobles_point

Flames are in first place, but let's endlessly talk about the warts...

I can imagine how you're the life of the party... Eeyore endlessly searching for a black cloud to moisten his wet blanket.

[Robbob]

Flames are first in the Pacific with games in hand with the teams chasing them. Can't we just be happy and let the season play out and see what happens? Flames are where they are knowing they aren't firing on all cylinders. TBH, I think Neal is getting better as the season is going on. He line is getting some decent zone time cycling the puck and letting another line come on against that tired line.

[Scroopy Noopers]

“This player is useless! Trade him because obviously other teams would take him”.

[chummer]

Brian Burke-

"You guys have a 1st place team and you're putting James Neal on the stake"

[Split98]

Scoring hasn't been much of a problem I don't think... and we still have James Neal to get going. That's pretty exciting IMO.

I also don't worry about the cap too much. I think Tre has earned quite a bit of respect for what he does with contracts, and we have a good handful of outs to get it done. He's definitely not going to be blindsided trying to sign Tkachuk and a goalie, but I'll bet he'd love to do it without losing much more than Stone.

Neal was signed knowing that Tkachuk was coming up, we have no NHL goalies under contract, and with hope that Tkachuk would be playing his way to a big contract. There's a plan, and I'd be shocked if there aren't a litany of backup plans.

[Toonage]

^ Agreed

James Neal isn't a concern so far as next year's cap goes. He wouldn't have been signed for as long as he was at the price he was if that were a concern moving forward.

Stone & Frolik will be moved out. Tkachuk will be signed and goalies will be secured. All with Neal still on the team.

My concern about Neal, as dumb as it sounds, was his happiness. I wasn't sure he really wanted to be here, and when he didn't get the line assignments he was expecting I wondered if that soured him.

Having heard him speak on the subject, I don't think that anymore.

[Vinny01]

I think we need to keep Neal through this season because I think his leadership and experience will be crucial come playoff time. An interesting trade thought maybe in the summer if it doesn’t work would be back to Vegas for Reaves?

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think we need to keep Neal through this season because I think his leadership and experience will be crucial come playoff time. An interesting trade thought maybe in the summer if it doesn’t work would be back to Vegas for Reaves?

Depending on where Vegas is, I wouldn't be too surprised to see Reaves here at the deadline.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by redforever

I put most of the less than stellar poor play of Hamonic or regressing play of other Flames players at the feet of GG. I don't blame much of it on settling in.

Well, Hamonic does. He said so.

[GioforPM]

BTW, if Hanifin doesn't swoop in and stuff that puck in that trickled through Bobrovsky, Neal has a goal last game. He was right there as well.

[BigFlameDog]

Aaahh, I'm going to cut him some slack...he and they just need to find that sweet spot IMO. I am going to give him until game 48 before I even really pay attention to what he's doing.

I will save my outrage for important things like traffic and politics.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Split98

Depending on where Vegas is, I wouldn't be too surprised to see Reaves here at the deadline.

I doubt it. He still has another year left on his deal.

[btimbit]

He's at least playing decently apart from not scoring. It seems all our free agents don't put it together until year two, as much as I hope it doesn't take that long, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt

[CalgaryFan1988]

If you watch him play, for the most part he's stealing the puck, causing turnovers and playing well along the boards.

I've never been a huge fan of Neal, but he is contributing positively to his line, even though he doesn't score. Only gripe I really have is that he shoots from anywhere, but that could be him feeling the pressure and forcing it.