Brad Treliving on Pinder & Steinberg

[ramil600]

Brad Treliving: Clinching a playoff berth, expectations and Calgary's defencemen

https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/pinder-...es-defencemen/

Brad Treliving talked to the hosts of Pinder & Steinberg. Among other topics I would like to bring up his comments about the importance of James Neal on the team spirit, him being popular in the room and his mentor relationship with Dillon Dube.

Treliving:

• He (Neal) has been a great value to us since pretty much he is out there. He is really popular guy around the team.
• Brad Pascal was in Stockton chatting with Dillon Dube at the dinner and asked him about his NHL stunt. Dube wanted him to know how important James Neal was to him around the training camp and part of the main season, taking him under his wing and explaining the challenges of the season and what to expect from it.
• When Dube was sent down to Stockton, first message he saw when he landed was from James, telling not to get upset and to know that this all is just the part of the process, and how the games in Feb/Mar are different from the games in Oct/Nov.Neal told him what to expect from this time of the year and if you go cold for 3-4 games not to get frustrated, since the games are not like in the start of the season.

Treliving was asked about young D and the depth they have and the blue line.
He said Ryan Huska (D coach, last year Stockton head coach) had a huge impact in kids development, he is very underrated, but since he knew Ras, Kylington and Jusso(rookie and development camp) he had very big comfort level with these players, and players also trusted him back.
Brad told he would be lying if he told that he expected Kylington and Jusso to be ready from day 1, but during Valimaki's progress when they saw his development, they made the trade in the beginning of the year to make the room for him.(Kulak to Montreal)
Ryan's story is underrated, because no other team was relying on couple rookie defensemen who consistently played the whole season.
He mentioned that Jusso played just under 26 minutes in his last game in Stockton, and he wouldn't be surprised to see him up here at some point during the remaining games.

[Huntingwhale]

God bless Brad Treliving.

[GioforPM]

I know we often poo-poo the "good in the room" stuff, but I sense with Neal, it's true. Wasn't he the guy who put Smith in his place once when Smith started to blame defence for a goal? A guy who's been as deep in the POs can do that even in an off year.

[Hot_Flatus]

I've watched a lot of James Neal over the years, on a variety of different teams, in different conferences. He's been a reliable and effective scorer everywhere. I'm just not convinced this is the end of the story for him. Does he have flaws, sure. He's still way too good of an offensive talent to simply just lose it all in one season.

I fully expect this IR stint to have cured what ales him and honestly believe we will see a brand new player once he hits the ice again.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I know we often poo-poo the "good in the room" stuff, but I sense with Neal, it's true. Wasn't he the guy who put Smith in his place once when Smith started to blame defence for a goal? A guy who's been as deep in the POs can do that even in an off year.

We've also all been on teams where the most vocal player is one of the worst on the roster. I hope this isn't the case but his lack of speed and intensity on ice concerns me.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

I've watched a lot of James Neal over the years, on a variety of different teams, in different conferences. He's been a reliable and effective scorer everywhere. I'm just not convinced this is the end of the story for him. Does he have flaws, sure. He's still way too good of an offensive talent to simply just lose it all in one season.

I fully expect this IR stint to have cured what ales him and honestly believe we will see a brand new player once he hits the ice again.

If James Neal comes back and starts consistently scoring its going to be one hell of a May.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

If James Neal comes back and starts consistently scoring its going to be one hell of a May.

Neal is a 20 goal scorer. So other than consistently scoring 20 goals, he's your typical game-to-game inconsistent scorer. They'll come in bunches, then he'll go on a dry spell, etc. etc.

After Christmas and prior to his injury, what we were seeing was a return to that 20 goal/.5ppg player that had a consistent effort level. He and Bennett were getting in on the forecheck, playing a grinding game, and getting themselves and pucks to the net. I'm stoked to see him get back in the line-up, and playing well into June!

[Waldo]

I know there is a ton of value in the advance stats, and I have bought into them myself. But it would always grind my gears when certain Flames media writers would discredit intangibles and act as if they weren't really a thing. It was a big topic during the Brouwer signing and while he was not a great player the intangibles are so important for the rest of the team.

I'm glad Neal has found another way to contribute and I am sure he and the rest of the team will take it up a notch come playoff time.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by Waldo

I know there is a ton of value in the advance stats, and I have bought into them myself. But it would always grind my gears when certain Flames media writers would discredit intangibles and act as if they weren't really a thing. It was a big topic during the Brouwer signing and while he was not a great player the intangibles are so important for the rest of the team.

I'm glad Neal has found another way to contribute and I am sure he and the rest of the team will take it up a notch come playoff time.

I think part of it is the vague definition of ‘intangibles’. You could easily argue that while you believe intangibles are important, Brouwer didn’t bring them, at least in the way that was expected. And because intangibles are even more closely dependent on interpersonal relationships/chemistry than pure skill, it’s never a guarantee that they translate between teams. Hendricks apparently was the glue in Edm but would be an afterthought on most other teams.

I think it takes guys of Jagr’s and even Neal’s status to automatically inherit that respect from teammates. But the league has demonstrated time and again that ‘rough and tumble’ intangibles trail off well before they play themselves out of the league, and if they aren’t aren’t a trusted leader in other aspects, the player just isn’t effective (eg Lucic).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Yoho

We've also all been on teams where the most vocal player is one of the worst on the roster. I hope this isn't the case but his lack of speed and intensity on ice concerns me.

Who says he's one of the most vocal? All I hear is him being helpful and I mentioned a time when he told Smith to make a save, which we all agree with.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

If James Neal comes back and starts consistently scoring its going to be one hell of a May.

In the 12 games prior to his injury, Neal had 7 points (right in the 45-55 point pace zone you'd expect). He was definitely starting to come around. If he's healthy and rested now, you have to assume that will continue and even potentially improve.

Even more encouraging was the 29 shots he amassed during that period (a 200 SOG pace) which is in line with his career norm for the course of a full season as compared to the rest of the season where his totals were substantially off that mark.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Yoho

We've also all been on teams where the most vocal player is one of the worst on the roster. I hope this isn't the case but his lack of speed and intensity on ice concerns me.

Which is why it seems realistic that he just wasn't himself for quite a while this year. Maybe I'm wrong, but I certainly will give him the benefit of the doubt when he comes back.

Lack of intensity and Neal have just never meshed. He may not be the fastest guy in the league either, but he's certainly not anywhere near the slowest.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Point production aside, James Neal is a huge asset to the team. I don't care if we are paying him quite a bit, there's a reason why wherever he has gone recently the team has had success. I'm excited to see how he does when he returns to the lineup, we could definitely use him with the absence of Monahan and Bennett.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I know we often poo-poo the "good in the room" stuff, but I sense with Neal, it's true. Wasn't he the guy who put Smith in his place once when Smith started to blame defence for a goal? A guy who's been as deep in the POs can do that even in an off year.

Neal himself debunked this during a between periods interview on Sportsnet.
(if you are referring to the rumored "make a f'n save" comment)

[FlamesAddiction]

Neal was starting to produce more just before he got injured. I also can't help but think that 4.1% shooting percentage is freakishly low.

When the playoffs come and the refs inevitably put their whistles away like always, I think he is going to thrive.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Neal himself debunked this during a between periods interview on Sportsnet.
(if you are referring to the rumored "make a f'n save" comment)

Thanks (though I wouldn't be surprised if he did say it but didn't want to embarrass Smith later).

[---Hatrick---]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Thanks (though I wouldn't be surprised if he did say it but didn't want to embarrass Smith later).

Exactly. I take what Neal said in that interview with a grain of salt. He seems like a good teammate and I’d imagine the players don’t really want the public knowing what is said behind the doors

[Toonage]

^^ Both valid points.

[Tyler]

Really, what else is he supposed to say?

Tre is the guy who signed him to a long term deal. You gotta make chicken salad outta chick **** sometimes. Not like he wants to go and throw the guy under the bus in year one and say he made a mistake.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Really, what else is he supposed to say?

Tre is the guy who signed him to a long term deal. You gotta make chicken salad outta chick **** sometimes. Not like he wants to go and throw the guy under the bus in year one and say he made a mistake.

Nothing at all? Or something less specific? I take the story for what it is.