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

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Yeah, you gotta try a few options. I have zero doubt they'll experiment a lot in preseason and early in the season with various combinations, see if various combos pop. There is certainly merit to the idea of putting Tkachuk on a more offensive-oriented line. In any event, he will certainly be a staple on the Powerplay, if he sticks with 3m or with say Backlund and Lindholm with high defensive responsibilities 5 on 5.

Friedman even suggested a Tkachuk-Backlund-Neal line, something I hadn't considered, and this is quite tantalizing as well. Neal would surely be able to convert on all the chances these two generate much better than Frolik in that role.

It's crazy what a week can do to your hopes towards a team. It has been a long time since we've seen this kind of forward depth in Calgary.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Knock it off. "This place" is not a monolithic hive-mind.

Nope it's settled

Four people weighed in, three of which were suggesting some were borderline.

We have now all voted, it's time to lump us altogether.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Yeah, you gotta try a few options. I have zero doubt they'll experiment a lot in preseason and early in the season with various combinations, see if various combos pop. There is certainly merit to the idea of putting Tkachuk on a more offensive-oriented line. In any event, he will certainly be a staple on the Powerplay, if he sticks with 3m or with say Backlund and Lindholm with high defensive responsibilities 5 on 5.

I have my scoring lines in NHL 18 right now as Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal and Bennett-Lindholm-Tkachuk.


-Neal indicated that he’d be getting a major look with the top duo and I don’t think there is any way he doesn’t stick. Johnny is as pure a setup guy as you can get and Neal is as pure a shooter as you can get, and both are stars at it.

-After a season where scoring was an issue, and an offseason of adding scoring depth, I don’t want our best offensive weapons in a checking role if the Flames can help it. Neal could probably still score 25 even then on the 2M line, but if he stays with Monahan/Gaudreau, gets fed o-zone minutes and PP time then that number is likely closer to 35.

-Peters made mention of trying Tkachuk out in a more offensive role and for trying him out on his offwing. He specifically told Tkachuk to try stuff out on his off-wing in training, like picking it up off the wall / positioning etc. I think he picked up on how many of Matthew’s goal highlights in his draft year had him on the right side of the ice. Plus he can grab off-wing shooter tips from Neal.

-Chucky needs higher end skill/finishing to really unlock that potential. Him and Bennett looked like absolute monsters on a line together during the 2016-17 preseason too but I don’t recall that duo ever being touched again after he moved to 3M.

-Backlund and Frolik are still fine as a duo. Tkachuk is star quality though and did a lot to elevate that line, but without him they are still competent and can function adequately even carrying an anchor like Brouwer around, so they should still be great with someone like Ryan.

-Elias was the first one to get mentioned as getting a tryout with the top line. It will probably get a look at some point but I still feel Neal will run away with it. In that case you still want to put him with two higher skill players in Tkachuk and Bennett as he had even more offensive potential at the draft than Monahan. There is also the point of Lindholm much preferring center over wing as well, as his game is far more suited to it and him being used on the right was more a product of being heavily influenced by the Hurricanes nonexistent RW depth.

-I know Bennett can be bad about attempting to stickhandle past the entire opposing team but he is fast and skilled. Just needs to pick his spots, keep it simple and manage his emotions better.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Nope it's settled

Four people weighed in, three of which were suggesting some were borderline.

We have now all voted, it's time to lump us altogether.

Uh, but there is only one cdc paste eating troll on this site. We can't all be lumped in with that feller.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Borderline!?!?!?

https://thehockeywriters.com/james-n...nd-disrespect/





Don’t get me wrong, we need his grit and scoring. But... the guy is on a Marchand level. Or at least he was. As said above he’s cleaned up his game.

I hope he's cleaned up his game enough to avoid suspensions, but sign me up for obliterating Seguin while he's standing at the side of the net.

Praise God, we finally appear to have a player not named Tkachuk who understands you have to #### with the other team's stars. Heads up, McPitchman.

Coming this fall: old time hockey. Eddie Shore.

[EVERLAST]

I loved seeing seguin smoked by Neal and then cry after to the refs like this shouldn’t happen to me a star player.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

How can anyone bring up Neal’s dirty plays and not mention #AskNeal from his time in Pitt.

Never fails to crack me up.

http://www.hockeyworldblog.com/2014/...-from-askneal/

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Dp

[memphusk]

Should have a poll asking how many games will Neal miss due to suspension while with Calgary. I will say 16.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Should have a poll asking how many games will Neal miss due to suspension while with Calgary. I will say 16.

Considering that he has been suspended a total of eight games in his entire NHL career, and hasn't incurred one since 2013, I am going to take the under on that.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Considering that he has been suspended a total of eight games in his entire NHL career, and hasn't incurred one since 2013, I am going to take the under on that.

God I hate when someone uses stats to prove a point or make an argument. In fact, I do not believe ANY active player has been suspended over 16 games in there career, unless Cooke is still active?








I will say 81 games in the first season alone when he takes his skate off and tries to attack someone on the first shift.


This is basically what Neal does right?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

God I hate when someone uses stats to prove a point or make an argument. In fact, I do not believe ANY active player has been suspended over 16 games in there career, unless Cooke is still active?

Marchand has been suspended for a total of 19 games. And if the league office hadn't been playing favourites, probably would have had a dozen more, at least.

[Roof-Daddy]

Damn the more this signing soaks in the more excited I get about it.

The cap hit is awesome, and he's just the type of winger we needed. Goal scorer with size and snarl to his game who can play RW. A rich mans version of Micheal Ferland.

I don't even care one bit about the term either. 5 years is a long time, and there projects to be a lock out and an expansion draft over that time frame. Not to mention Tre actually got him signed with no NMC or NTC, which blows my mind when I think about it.

For an example, just imagine if Mark Stone goes to UFA next year (or Panarin if he tickles your fancy) and Tre gets him signed. If he can't move salary in some other way, he would be able to trade Neal for a pretty solid return if he wanted to, to whatever team he wanted. No restrictions or dicking around, just straight to the team who gives us the best return.

Not that you'd necessarily want to trade him, but just an example.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

I'll be that guy: who is Chris Kane?

I think he is someone that Friedman has said uses some reasonable assumptions and someone whom he follows. Since that mention (was it 31 thoughts podcast?), I have looked at his stuff.

[Huntingwhale]

Neal's had a rep for being a dirty player for a while now. I recall several GT where people were getting all rile up about him. At least he's cleaned up his game in the past couple years to the point where he really knows how to walk the line without going over.

IMO he's going to be a great mentor for Tkachuk. Both are skilled players with an edge and nastiness to their game. Whether the Flames are big enough to play a physical game remains to be seen. But you can bet there's going to be a whole lot more scrums and emotion to each game with Neal in the lineup.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Borderline!?!?!?

https://thehockeywriters.com/james-n...nd-disrespect/





Don’t get me wrong, we need his grit and scoring. But... the guy is on a Marchand level. Or at least he was. As said above he’s cleaned up his game.

The destruction of Seguin at the end was perfectly legal, we need this type play.

[Niemo]

Neal and Lindholm will probably rotate on the right side on the top 6.

[Beninho]

Can’t wait to have Neal vs the ####ing Ducks and their collective group of Dbags

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Beninho

Can’t wait to have Neal vs the ####ing Ducks and their collective group of Dbags

Feels good to not bring piss to a #### fight.

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

The destruction of Seguin at the end was perfectly legal, we need this type play.

Going by reputation I was expecting to much worse. The knee on Marchand was egregious, but the rest were either legal or penalized at the time appropriately. The next worst was the one on Giordano. The idea he's on Marchand or Burrows level is absurd.