Ongoing thread for Neal/Lucic discussion

[TheSquatch]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I’ll be interested to see if Lindholm gets to C line 2, and Lucic gets a look on the top line at some point. (Johnny / Monny don’t play a straight line speed game)

If for no other reason than to troll Neal, giving Lucic what Neal thought he was getting, and send him in to a minimum half season long sulky funk.

No way. And the reason is, we only have 3 RW on the roster at this point as far as I can see, and Lindy is one of them. If he moves to center, we have Frolik and Czarnik as the right wingers.

Something's gotta give here, this team's getting stacked up funny.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Posted earlier.

Well ####.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by GGG

Exactly, the players have no value so only contract flexibility matters

We lost buyout flexibility and expansion draft flexibility in exchange for 7 million in cash and 500k in cap hit.

Minor details. What team lost the cup due to expansion draft flexibility? And being cheap? Calgary spends to the cap every year. Plus they allowed their GM to try and fix another UFA mistake with another mistake. Cheap. HahahhaHhaha.

[TheSquatch]

This is an almost meaningless trade, really.


We had hoped for a Neal bounce back, seemingly not gonna happen, and maybe there's locker-room issues or something that meant they needed to get Neal out of town, I dunno.

But I think most of us hoped that if we got rid of Neal it would be to somehow gain some cap space or something if we took back another "problem".

This deal doesn't do much for me, just loads up LW even more, and doesn't do much cap work. So I'm a bit baffled.

But at the end of the day, it's one past-his-prime-and-overpaid for another.

Time will tell, but probably both teams "lost" this trade.

[Owen15]

Bold prediction, Lucic outscores Neil next year.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GGG

Exactly, the players have no value so only contract flexibility matters

We lost buyout flexibility and expansion draft flexibility in exchange for 7 million in cash and 500k in cap hit.

But Lucic does have some value in that he takes Hathaway's spot. So instead of a guy that doesn't fit anywhere in the lineup and costs $5.75M, he is $500k cheaper, plus he replaces a guy on the 4th line that would have cost $1 - $1.5M.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Well ####.

My sentiments exactly.

Player for player I’d take Lucic all day every day. It’s the contract implications that frustrated me.

[Owen15]

Originally Posted by Owen15

Bold prediction, Lucic outscores Neil next year.

And CP erupts because we screwed up getting the conditional third.

[Enoch Root]

This trade looks to me like the Flames wanted Neal off the roster no matter what. There must have been concerns in the room.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

This trade looks to me like the Flames wanted Neal off the roster no matter what. There must have been concerns in the room.

I have some intel that says you're right. But I don't think it's worth getting into at this point. He's out.

[tkflames]

The more I absorb this the more I like it. Ownership and the Flames management was never going to buy out Neal...at least not for 3 more years until Brouwer is off the books. The choice is basically a big guy that hits and a bug guy that shoots. Both are roughly the same age (Lucic younger), same length of contract, same expansion eligibility.

So the question on the upside is:
1. Would you rather have Neal at 20 goals (best case scenario given where he slots) and no physical presence or Lucic at 10-15 goals and one of the top hitters in the league.

2. Worst case scenario, Lucic gets 3-5 goals and is one of the best hitters in the league. This would be like last season of Neal +200 hits and a fighting deterrent.

Neal was never going to significantly rebound here because he likely would not have received the ice time. This applies whether Neal scores 5 goals or 30 for Edmonton next year. Neal's PP ice time now goes to Bennett which is the same if not better for the team and the team shed 500K in salary.

The risk is much greater for Edmonton. Higher cap hit, if Neal is not scoring he is useless, if they buy him out next year its 6 years and they lost the nuclear deterrent for McDavid. Who scares you on that team now?? The cave man?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But Lucic does have some value in that he takes Hathaway's spot. So instead of a guy that doesn't fit anywhere in the lineup and costs $5.75M, he is $500k cheaper, plus he replaces a guy on the 4th line that would have cost $1 - $1.5M.

That’s where a buyout works better. A 3.5 million player plus a 2 million dollar cap hit is better than the current situation for the next 5 years.

I’m not overly upset but I think the trade does not make sense.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

This is an almost meaningless trade, really.


We had hoped for a Neal bounce back, seemingly not gonna happen, and maybe there's locker-room issues or something that meant they needed to get Neal out of town, I dunno.

But I think most of us hoped that if we got rid of Neal it would be to somehow gain some cap space or something if we took back another "problem".

This deal doesn't do much for me, just loads up LW even more, and doesn't do much cap work. So I'm a bit baffled.

But at the end of the day, it's one past-his-prime-and-overpaid for another.

Time will tell, but probably both teams "lost" this trade.

There is no loss for either team here.

Both guys were terrible contracts, bad value for money

I wouldn’t be surprised if they both improve, Lucic has a role where he slots well (not necessarily full value for the 5.25), but hey, the Flames save 500 K, and don’t get worse

Mind you, Edmonton is now paying 6.5 for Neal

[zamler]

Did some of you actually watch Lucic play last season? The guy is sloooooooow and didn't give a rats arse lumbering around the ice. One game in Edmonton he took an idiotic penalty just so he could get out of the game. Now I get it, the Oil will suck the life out of any player so I guess it's possible Lucic finds a new passion for hockey and becomes a decent player. But he's still gonna be slow as frozen whale ####.

Now if this was only a deal to get Neal out of town then okay, gotta do what you gotta do but this talk of Lucic actually being a good addition to the team, hmmmm. Suppose a week ago someone said, hey you would what would be cracking deal? Neal for Lucic plus a 3rd rounder somehow I doubt anyone here would have said yes, I love that get it done Tre.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

We had hoped for a Neal bounce back, seemingly not gonna happen, and maybe there's locker-room issues or something that meant they needed to get Neal out of town, I dunno.

Neal was producing at a 0.5 ppg pace in the final 25 games.

I don't think a bounce back for him is unlikely at all. It seems like a pretty reasonable thing to expect.

[VilleN]

Before this trade we had a boat anchor contract, and after the trade we have a boat anchor contract with a slightly lower AAV and the chance to gain a 3rd round pick. Meh.

[868904]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

No way. And the reason is, we only have 3 RW on the roster at this point as far as I can see, and Lindy is one of them. If he moves to center, we have Frolik and Czarnik as the right wingers.

Something's gotta give here, this team's getting stacked up funny.

Why are people making such a big deal out of this? So what if there are more left shots in the forward group? There are more left shots period in all of hockey. Neal was a left shot. Guys always play the off wing.

Lucic could likely play the RW because it’s not like we need his hands. He just needs to be a presence out there. Stand in front of the net, screen the goalie and bang in rebounds.

[868904]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Neal was producing at a 0.5 ppg pace in the final 25 games.

I don't think a bounce back for him is unlikely at all. It seems like a pretty reasonable thing to expect.

And then he got benched in the most important game of the season in favour of Austin Freaking Czarnik.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by GGG

That’s where a buyout works better. A 3.5 million player plus a 2 million dollar cap hit is better than the current situation for the next 5 years.

I’m not overly upset but I think the trade does not make sense.

Buyout looks better if you just look at 1 year. 8 years of 1.9 wasted cap is tough to swallow

Look at the oilers. 4.9 mil wasted cap. Buyout neal next summer it goes to 6.6. Plus a neal buyout next summer is 1.9 wasted for entire McDavid deal. I really hope neal doesn't bounce back. They are killing themselves buying out their garbage yearly.

Throw on 750k to 1.9 mil too. Just terrible cap management

[flamesforcup]

Honestly this was probably the only trade in the league to get Neal off the team and we probably had to cause of locker room issues. Still hate it would have rather bought him out.