One year later: how do you feel about the Lucic/Neal swap?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by New Era

Still hate it. Lucic is a no talent caveman that has a contract that greatly handicaps the team in addressing more pressing needs. If he would play his damn role and roll someone in the corner or beat the #### out of someone every now and then I might change my tune, but to stand around and not be the deterrent the Flames were hoping for is just not acceptable.

I can't argue with that in a sense. Lucic isn't worth what he's getting paid.

But I just don't get the crowd that focus so much on Lucic and his contract as if there was an option to not have Lucic but still move Neal. Clearly there wasn't.

The "no talent guy with a contract that handicaps the team in addressing more pressing needs" ship sailed with the Neal contract, not the trade.

[FlamesAddiction]

Pretty much a nothing trade for the Flames. We still have dead weight that is practically immovable. There was no doubt that Neal had to go though.

I would have at least tried to lose him for nothing on waivers before trading him and taking Lucic back. If no one took him, then trade him and take bad another bad contract.

For the Oilers, while Neal is inconsistent and annoying, players that can score 20 goals and 40 points are more of an asset than what Lucic is at this point.

[ForeverFlameFan]

The fact that Andersson couldn't answer Leslie about Neal being on the team said it all for me. He was just a locker room cancer, the only thing he did right was put Mike Smith in his place when Smith tried to blame the team for his incompetent goaltending.

Lucic is happy here, and he is much better suited for the bottom 6. Yes, he is overpaid, but at least we aren't paying 5.75 + 750k retention for Neal's service. Lucic and Ryan have had good chemistry and can pretty much take any rookie under their wing, so that's a big bonus when we are trying to get rookie players acclimated into the system. They need vets they can rely on.

[N-E-B]

I feel great about it. Neal is a joke and I’m glad he’s gone. That alone is worth it.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

The fact that Andersson couldn't answer Leslie about Neal being on the team said it all for me. He was just a locker room cancer, the only thing he did right was put Mike Smith in his place when Smith tried to blame the team for his incompetent goaltending.

Lucic is happy here, and he is much better suited for the bottom 6. Yes, he is overpaid, but at least we aren't paying 5.75 + 750k retention for Neal's service. Lucic and Ryan have had good chemistry and can pretty much take any rookie under their wing, so that's a big bonus when we are trying to get rookie players acclimated into the system. They need vets they can rely on.

Yeah I think it's in the teams best interest to put lipstick on a pig so I think there's some of that.

But the Rasmus Andersson thing was pretty raw. Lucic responding to the staff not getting paid. Lucic getting mentioned often for presence in the room.

Pretty hard to argue it wasn't a room upgrade.

The Andersson thing was undeniable.

[TheScorpion]

The guys on the team rave about Lucic. Everyone I've talked to in the media waxes poetic about him forever, from Leslie to Francis to Loubardias. It's clear to me that there's something there in terms of a fit. And you need that on a team. It's a bunch of people with personalities.

And I just like him more as a player.

[Vinny01]

Personally I think Neal is done. He was extremely focused and had a huge chip on his shoulder when things started in Edmonton. He got some bounces early and confidence grew but as the season wore on he really started to become useless for them. After what happened in Calgary he was extremely focused and worked very hard to set himself up for some success.

I also think due to his second straight Cup final and freshly minted 5x5.75M deal with the Flames he came into camp in 2018 out of shape and did a poor job of endearing himself to the coaching staff and his teammates. He thought he could work his way through the slump but Lindholm took off on the top line and Neal was not a fit on the shutdown line so he was stuck with Bennett and Jankowski

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Put me squarely in the "ask me after the playoffs are over" camp.

[codynw]

James Neal might be my most hated Flame of all time. But, I won't be able to make my feelings on this trade final until I see what happens with Lucic's contract and the expansion draft.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Coach

Meh.

The money's a wash and Lucic seems to mesh better with the team so I'd call that a plus.

The real minus was signing Neal in the 1st place, although it didn't look terrible at the time.

Oh I beg to differ.

[dino7c]

Flames would have been tied 2-2 with Avs coming home if Neal bothered to back check when up by a goal in the third period of a playoff game

[Strange Brew]

IMO you have to look at the trade this way.

Would you rather four years of Lucic at his current salary (net of retention).

Or

2 years of Neal at his salary, then likely a buyout which leaves four more years of dead money.

In that scenario, I take Lucic in a close call.

Does everyone fully understand the expansion facts? There are two scenarios.

Lucic doesn't waive, in which case Flames have to expose someone they didn't want to lose or give up an asset. That would make this a bad trade.

Or Lucic waives and nothing happens. Because Seattle is not claiming him.

[FireGilbert]

I'm thinking in military terms this trade was a tactical victory for the Oilers while being a strategic victory for the Flames.

You can't argue that Neal did have a hot start and has put up more points than Lucic with the Oilers ahead of the Flames in the standings. Longer term though I like this for Calgary. They replaced a locker room cancer who was negative factor in the playoffs with somehow who adds leadership and toughness while not being a liability defensively. I can see Lucic contributing on the 3rd line in Calgary for a least a couple years before retiring due to injuries while Neal's 2nd half has shown he might be done in the league and will be nothing but a long term dead cap hit for Edmonton.

[dammage79]

Was fine with it then, fine with it now. If Neal was that big a d hole in the locker oof I'd have taken pronged or clarksons contract to get rid of him. Lucic has been fine. He's in his intended role right now even if he is being paid as a top 6 winger.

[kyuss275]

Liked the trade then and like it even more now. I hated the signing of Neal and that’s when I thought we would get a couple of years out of him. Neal was absolute horrid. Far far worse than Brouwer. If both get bought out Lucic will get another contract. I’m not sure Neal would.

[MrMike]

If Lucic is convinced to waive his NMC, what would you be willing to part with to convince Seattle to take his contract?

[SportsJunky]

Neither player came as advertised. Don’t like either one, especially at their cap hits. Still, if I’m picking one, I guess I’d rather have Lucic. I just hope he develops a hate for all things Oiler when they next play.

[Jiri Hrdina]

The mistake was signing Neal.
It is clear they weren't going to keep him around, and it also seems like the owners were not going to allow a buy-out.
Neal had a hot start in Edmonton, but apart from that - was exactly the disinterested and lazy player we saw here.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The mistake was signing Neal.
It is clear they weren't going to keep him around, and it also seems like the owners were not going to allow a buy-out.
Neal had a hot start in Edmonton, but apart from that - was exactly the disinterested and lazy player we saw here.

Could you imagine 8 years of Neal’s money counting against the cap? I’m with the owners on this one.

[TheScorpion]

Yup might as well get some use for the money. Nothing worse than dead cap IMO.

Looch scored 8 goals in like 40 games to finish the year. That's not just adequate... it's pretty good.