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

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by redforever

Hamonic as a new guy did the same thing last year. Neal doing so is nothing special.

And last year it was nice that Hamonic did these things, too, and is adding to it this year.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by ReinhartonD

Just looking in our division--would you trade Neal and his contract for Lucic, Eriksson or Corey Perry and their boat anchor deals? Every team has a contract or two they'd prefer to be rid of; this ain't on the level of a Clarkson or Scott Gomez's (if you remember that stupid Habs trade).

Peters is still figuring out line combos and they're tops in the Western conference. I guess we have to have something to stress over, but Neal will end up being useful before the season and playoffs are done this year.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by redforever

Nice but that is not what he is being paid $5.7 million a year for. Pretty well all the Flames are involved in community work around Calgary. There is nothing special about Neal doing so.

Originally Posted by redforever

Hamonic as a new guy did the same thing last year. Neal doing so is nothing special.

Except it's a James Neal thread and the link to his new charity commitment is nice to read for a lot us and completely independent of the current discussion on his on ice contribution. You don't need to dismiss one because of your anger over the other.

You can just scroll over that post if you don't have use for it, but no reason to lash out at because you're upset at the player on the ice. Don't become an angry and bitter person.

[burn_this_city]

Unless he starts skating hard, moving around, being elusive he won't score more than a handful of times. For the first 20ish games I figured he was finding his legs, but I don't know if he has legs anymore. I dunno how he scored 20 a season standing still at the top of the circle.

[flamesforcup]

Unpopular opinion but im not really worried about him. I have said it before but the Flames are utilizing him in a horrible way and until he is moved to one of the top 2 lines he will not produce. If he is moved to the top 2 lines and still doesn't produce than ill be worried. Snipers dont work with grinders. Bennett looked good at centre yesterday. I would do Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal until Backs is back. Please for the love of god put Neal up and Take Bennett off of his off-wing.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by ReinhartonD

Just looking in our division--would you trade Neal and his contract for Lucic, Eriksson or Corey Perry and their boat anchor deals? Every team has a contract or two they'd prefer to be rid of; this ain't on the level of a Clarkson or Scott Gomez's (if you remember that stupid Habs trade).

Peters is still figuring out line combos and they're tops in the Western conference. I guess we have to have something to stress over, but Neal will end up being useful before the season and playoffs are done this year.

[burn_this_city]

I'm not convinced you can move him up, the two way game is lacking so far. He's been a bit of a liability with his passive play.

[FBI]

I basically have no hope in Neal right now, but I DO have faith in Bill Peters.. So I'm hoping Peters can work some magic to make Neal a player again.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I'm not convinced you can move him up, the two way game is lacking so far. He's been a bit of a liability with his passive play.

Well they got him to be a sniper not a defensive player. Players like Neal are not drivers they are finishers. They need to be played with players that can pass the puck. He is not gonna produce with Derek Ryan as his centre.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I'm not convinced you can move him up, the two way game is lacking so far. He's been a bit of a liability with his passive play.

I think his defence has been pretty good. But I'm at a loss as to who you line him up with. To me the best combo would be Tkachuk and Bennett, with really sheltered starts. But then the 3M line loses its best offensive player. Mind you, Backlund tends to make most players better, so you could throw Janko up there as a winger. He's got some offence and that line would be a bear defensively.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lidstrom: scoring
Janko-Backlund-Frolik: checking
Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal: nastiness with hopefully secondary scoring
Czarnik/Hathaway-Ryan-Dube/Hathaway (scoring or energy depending on who lines up)

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

Well they got him to be a sniper not a defensive player. Players like Neal are not drivers they are finishers. They need to be played with players that can pass the puck. He is not gonna produce with Derek Ryan as his centre.

It doesn't make sense to bleed goals against trying to get a 30 year old sniper back to his average production.

[theslymonkey]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

Well they got him to be a sniper not a defensive player. Players like Neal are not drivers they are finishers. They need to be played with players that can pass the puck. He is not gonna produce with Derek Ryan as his centre.

With Backlund out and the Flames at the top, now is the perfect time to go back to Bennett playing center.

Johnny-Mony-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal

See if it gets him going. Ryan didn't seem to fit between them anyway. If it works you have two outstanding lines in your top six and Backs can return and slot in where he should be at 3C.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

It doesn't make sense to bleed goals against trying to get a 30 year old sniper back to his average production.

Well we have him for 5 more years so we better try to get him going. And again he is a sniper not a checking forward hes there for goals not to be a defensive player.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by theslymonkey

With Backlund out and the Flames at the top, now is the perfect time to go back to Bennett playing center.

Johnny-Mony-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal

See if it gets him going. Ryan didn't seem to fit between them anyway. If it works you have two outstanding lines in your top six and Backs can return and slot in where he should be at 3C.

Flyers are as good a team as any to try something out with.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by theslymonkey

With Backlund out and the Flames at the top, now is the perfect time to go back to Bennett playing center.

Johnny-Mony-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal

See if it gets him going. Ryan didn't seem to fit between them anyway. If it works you have two outstanding lines in your top six and Backs can return and slot in where he should be at 3C.

Yea Bennett looked ok back at centre. Ryan just killed any play as the second line centre. And i think one thing people are missing is that Bennett is also forced to play on his off wing. By doing that second line we put Bennett in a more comfortable spot and give Neal good players to win with. Kill 2 birds with one stone. I really hope Peters tries this.

And on another note does anyone know what Bennetts line yesterday was when he was at centre? The game was so boring i wasnt really paying attention.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

Unpopular opinion but im not really worried about him. I have said it before but the Flames are utilizing him in a horrible way and until he is moved to one of the top 2 lines he will not produce. If he is moved to the top 2 lines and still doesn't produce than ill be worried. Snipers dont work with grinders. Bennett looked good at centre yesterday. I would do Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal until Backs is back. Please for the love of god put Neal up and Take Bennett off of his off-wing.

Obviously it’s really tough to break up that first line when the chemistry is clicking so well. But I was definitely in the camp for Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal in the offseason due to this reasoning. And even though Neal was playing on lower lines previously, when he was paired with an elite playmaker (Malkin) he did his most damage, scoring 40+ goals that season.

It’s fantastic that the depth scoring is kicking in this season, and part of the reason why we’re one of the highest scoring teams in the league this year. But that top line still accounts for a huge chunk of the offense. With Backlund and Frolik both out for the near future I think you have to do a bit of experimentation to spread the offense out, particularly if the 1st line with Lindholm sees a lot of shutdown matchups.

These were the two scoring lines I had pencilled up a few months back in this thread. I’d really like to see them attempted.

Gaudreau – Monahan – Neal
Tkachuk – Lindholm - Bennett

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The team is first in the division in December for the first time I can remember in a long time and first in the Conference in December for the first time ever I can remember and here we are on page 52 of a thread for James Neal who's less than half a season into a five year contract. It seems like no matter how successful the team gets nothing trumps a thread regarding the current whipping boy.

Not sure why you can't enjoy the success of the season and also discuss the performance of a big free agent signing. The Flames will need all of their players to contribute to keep up the performance over the course of season and into the playoffs.

If I was to ask you how James Neal is playing this season, what would you say? "Don't care"?

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Obviously it’s really tough to break up that first line when the chemistry is clicking so well. But I was definitely in the camp for Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal in the offseason due to this reasoning. And even though Neal was playing on lower lines previously, when he was paired with an elite playmaker (Malkin) he did his most damage, scoring 40+ goals that season.

It’s fantastic that the depth scoring is kicking in this season, and part of the reason why we’re one of the highest scoring teams in the league this year. But that top line still accounts for a huge chunk of the offense. With Backlund and Frolik both out for the near future I think you have to do a bit of experimentation to spread the offense out, particularly if the 1st line with Lindholm sees a lot of shutdown matchups.

These were the two scoring lines I had pencilled up a few months back in this thread. I’d really like to see them attempted.

Gaudreau – Monahan – Neal
Tkachuk – Lindholm - Bennett

I like the idea of him on the top line but i dont like Bennett on the RW he isnt good on his off wing. I think something like this could work too:

Tkachuk-Bennett-Lindholm.

It gives Bennett 2 great defensively responsable wingers to help ease him into the centre roll and Neal gets to play with the top line.

[Voodooman]

Not to be overly dramatic, but if anyone is seriously suggesting breaking up Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm in order to see if James Neal can be kickstarted, they should seek immediate mental help.

51 points in the 11 games prior to last night (which I take as an outlier, given the 3 in 4 nights). Short of McJesus or Sidney, I don't break those guys up right now for any reason, let alone to try and reverse what was clearly a huge off-season error.

All the team should do is take their lumps, and keep him on the 3rd line. He's not worth disrupting the mojo.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

Not to be overly dramatic, but if anyone is seriously suggesting breaking up Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm in order to see if James Neal can be kickstarted, they should seek immediate mental help.

51 points in the 11 games prior to last night (which I take as an outlier, given the 3 in 4 nights). Short of McJesus or Sidney, I don't break those guys up right now for any reason, let alone to try and reverse what was clearly a huge off-season error.

All the team should do is take their lumps, and keep him on the 3rd line. He's not worth disrupting the mojo.

Well, you are definitely being overly dramatic. In addition, putting Lindholm on the second line while Backlund is out solves another issue as well - lack of a skilled centre on the checking/two-way line.