Ongoing thread for Neal/Lucic discussion

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

where did you read that gaudreau called lucic?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1152371125663358977

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Where did you read that Gaudreau called Lucic?

Oh man CanadaMatt is going to say I'm making stuff up!

I saw it a few times ... Gaudreau, Giordano and Iginla.

I can try and find it though.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

https://twitter.com/user/status/1152371125663358977

Awesome!

Now I'm back with the idiots that believe what they read, and not the ones that make stuff up.

[TheOnlyBilko]

Originally Posted by Robo

Didn't know lucic is good friends with Iggy and talked to iginla about be traded to the flames. Iginla told him to jump at the opportunity to play for us

Yup they played 2013/14 on Boston together and they were linemates as well.

[CanadaMatt]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Oh man CanadaMatt is going to say I'm making stuff up!

I saw it a few times ... Gaudreau, Giordano and Iginla.

I can try and find it though.

Originally Posted by Bingo

Awesome!

Now I'm back with the idiots that believe what they read, and not the ones that make stuff up.

Did you want me to post all the ‘made up arguments’ that Neal defenders have been ‘making up’ all year?...or would you prefer I let it go?

Your call Bingo, if I don’t hear from you, I’ll assume you’ll want me to post the ‘made-up nonsense’

[TheScorpion]

CanadaMatt, for the last time, nobody effing cares.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Bingo

1. Guys like Gaudreau calling Lucic tells me the Flames top to bottom really wanted Neal gone
2. Which certainly pushes me to think it's more than the coach that had a problem with the guy

I think you're reaching with your last two points here - not necessarily that maybe other guys wanted him gone, or had problems with him, but I don't think them being excited for Lucic has nothing do with Neal.


Rather, I suspect it's more because they know, or think, they were missing that physical element last season and expect Lucic to provide it.


But I honestly don't think they're getting excited to get someone just because someone they didn't like went the other way.

[Racki]

It’s a long thread and I’m sure it’s been mentioned a bunch but what sticks out the most to me, despite my concerns about this trade is how excited the Flames (past and present) seem to be about adding Lucic.

I’m not sure if that’s really about the Lucic addition or the Neal subtraction? Maybe a little from column A and a little from column B ?

[TheScorpion]

For a big, rough-and-tumble guy, Lucic is surprisingly durable.

He's missed 13 games total over the last 9 seasons.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Bingo

So you do it extremely often but don't enjoy it?

I mean, they've won 1 playoff game in 3 years and 4 rounds in 30. It is hard to realistically talk flames and not have some negativity. Like this trade for instance.

Neal was a different beast in Calgary though. Not sure you can find the examples of Neal getting moved to the bottom of the roster or the press box in the other locales.

And maybe he wasn't a problem in the room. The Gaudreau Lucic call makes it seem that way but I certainly don't know.

I don't know that I can infer much about whether a guy is a problem or what a phone call might mean, all I know is the #### around the deadline never sat well with me and I don't know that the flames werent quietly exploring options to move Neal as early in the season as his 21 game goalless streak.

I think these things take time and if the flames were exploring moving him at the deadline then they had probably started to look at moving on from him at least a month or two prior.

I think it was all wrong basically right away. Peters may be a bigger part of that than I originally thought. He doesn't strike me as a guy with a long shelf life.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I don't know that I can infer much about whether a guy is a problem or what a phone call might mean, all I know is the #### around the deadline never sat well with me...

I don't remember this, refresh my memory?

[TheOnlyBilko]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I thought Flames won the Ronnie Stern for Dana Murzyn deal.

Vancouver killed us on the Paul Reinhart & Steve Bozek trade though

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Don't know about desperation but Lucic has looked done for a while now and probably had the worst contract in the league. To move Neal for him after giving him just one year in the organization seems like a panic move. Not to mention it's not really a ringing endorsement for future ufas.

This could be another side benefit of this deal, if UFA’s do not want to sign with the Flames it will be a longterm win. UFA’s seem to have about a 70 percent fail rate in the League, overpaid with too much term is usually the story on most UFA’s.

[the2bears]

Not a huge fan of adding Lucic and his contract, especially having spent the last few years mocking the Oilers for it.

But... I don't look at it from a "Treliving traded for a worse contract" perspective. He's smarter than that. I think of how serious he was about getting rid of Neal. He wanted him gone, needed him off the team, so badly that he traded him for Lucic. Let that sink in. Getting rid of Neal was worth adding Lucic.

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by the2bears

Not a huge fan of adding Lucic and his contract, especially having spent the last few years mocking the Oilers for it.

But... I don't look at it from a "Treliving traded for a worse contract" perspective. He's smarter than that. I think of how serious he was about getting rid of Neal. He wanted him gone, needed him off the team, so badly that he traded him for Lucic. Let that sink in. Getting rid of Neal was worth adding Lucic.

I don’t think it was so much that we needed to get rid of Neal, more that Neal had no use whatsoever on the flames. Even if lucic is a physical bottom 6 we need that. We got rid of something we didn’t need and got something we did need. We also saved $500k.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by the2bears

Not a huge fan of adding Lucic and his contract, especially having spent the last few years mocking the Oilers for it.

That’s the beauty of treating hockey as nothing but fun though.

Lucid last week? “Garbage! lol stupid Oilers.”
Neal last week? “Primed for a bounce back, he was just really tired, you’ll see!”

This week?
“Neal was locker room cancer and Lucic will strike fear in the hearts of many. lol stupid Oilers.”

If there’s one thing I can get behind, it’s enjoying every single minute of hyping the Flames and trashing the Oilers, both for any reason available.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Truth. I’ve been saying this for a long time. It doesn’t even start with Brouwer and Neal. It goes farther back to guys like Raymond, Bollig, Hiller and etc for me. Some of the pro scouts on this team deserve a long and critical evaluation for the many misfires over the years in my opinion. The amateur scouts are skating circles around these guys right now.

Back on topic though. I hated the move when I heard it, but I have since softened up my stance. I do hate that we’re helping out the Oilers, but overall, I think this move will ultimately help out the team. Neal was never going to be successful on this team because he was a one trick pony who just didn’t fit anywhere in the lineup. He’ll probably score 20+ with McDavid feeding him easy lay ups now.

But Lucic should be able help the Flames in other areas like in the corners, along the boards, in the forecheck, in front of the net. These were things that Neal didn’t excel at. I would implore anyone to watch the following highlights and to watch Lucic closely. I think for anyone who hates the trade, I think it’ll change your opinion of him like it did mine. He’s not just a face puncher, he can play.


https://youtu.be/di7a1Y7HxK0


https://youtu.be/zlDfCy1QbTA

I have to say....i like Lucic in the first video at the 1:00 minute mark. Worth watching. Exactly the type of play we could use.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by CanadaMatt

Did you want me to post all the ‘made up arguments’ that Neal defenders have been ‘making up’ all year?...or would you prefer I let it go?

Your call Bingo, if I don’t hear from you, I’ll assume you’ll want me to post the ‘made-up nonsense’

Up to you man, I couldn't care less.

I do ask though if you're going to take this little "I was so right!" weekend project to that degree that you do a good job of also looking for quotes that would support each and every instance and eliminate each and every one of them.

Oh and you'll need actual proof that they were wrong too.

If I say Neal has six toes on his right foot you won't find supporting reports that back me up, but unless you can find a picture of his feet you're pretty much SOL for saying I made it up.

Have fun, I'm going to hang with my wife. Good luck!

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Ped

I think you're reaching with your last two points here - not necessarily that maybe other guys wanted him gone, or had problems with him, but I don't think them being excited for Lucic has nothing do with Neal.


Rather, I suspect it's more because they know, or think, they were missing that physical element last season and expect Lucic to provide it.


But I honestly don't think they're getting excited to get someone just because someone they didn't like went the other way.

Absolutely ... that's why I used a phrase like "pushed me to think" and not calling it a fact.

I'm I'm James Neal though and there's two or three guys trying to convince the other player to come resulting in my exit I'm not sure I would feel they were heart broken I'm leaving.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I mean, they've won 1 playoff game in 3 years and 4 rounds in 30. It is hard to realistically talk flames and not have some negativity. Like this trade for instance.

I'm a fan.

I don't see a lot of joy finding the downside in most things when being a fan. I hope to do my best to stay as objective and planted as I can be, but I certainly don't look to be the negative guy in most topics.

You thrive on it.

Fill your boots.