Take away the 12 points in 5 games. That's 22 points in 19 games. Above a PPG. What's your point? Haha
The argument that "he's only doing well becuase he's with Crosby/Malkin is absolutely moot because he's going to be playing on team canada (in case you didn't know, they usually have some good talent)
Trying to knock Neal is absolutely ridiculous. The guy puts the puck in the net and produces. In tournaments like this you want guys that are going to go out there and get points
In 19 games. Not a very good sample size. We can extend that hot streak back farther than five games but then I'd probably get someone suggesting I was trying to make his numbers look worse than they are.
Neal does well because he's a talented player who benefits from having elite talented players around him. It usually takes awhile for that chemistry to develop. Two week tournament the place to develop that chemistry? Probably not. There's more talented more consistent players to pick from. Neal being on the team wouldn't be a travesty like it would if Kunitz makes the team, but he's not entitled to be there like some here think.
And by the way, before this hot streak, almost no one was even saying his name. I've had him on some of my mock ups for the team so don't act like I'm saying he's no good without Malkin.
Or maybe he's just a better player at 26 than he was at 23? And I say that as someone who watches him play every game and has been fairly critical of parts of his game in the past. What he's doing isn't just a hot streak. He's been fairly incredible productivity-wise for the past few seasons and he's finally added the defensive effort and hard work along the boards to his game. I think this term is tired and overused, but it's accurate...the man has been an absolute beast for a long while now. He's a more complete player than he was when he came to the Pens in just about every aspect of the game. Dismissing it as a "hot streak" is false.
Then again I really don't care who gets picked for Team Canada and if they don't take him and he gets time off that benefits the Pens, so...
Obviously he's a better player, but the same issues he had in Dallas still exist in Pittsburgh. The skills he had developed, but the core problems inherent with his game are still there.
And yes what he is doing is a hot streak. He's not a 1.42 PPG player. That would be insane to suggest. I'd argue he's closer to an .85 PPG (~70 points) player than a PPG player. He's still an inconsistent player who is prone to going on long sabbaticals from production.
I'm pretty sure Team Canada has #1 centers, so I don't see your point. It's not like Neal will play with Craig Adams.
Point addressed above. It takes awhile for Neal to develop chemistry with players. Two week tournament is not enough time to ensure he's a lock. He's a bubble player and I don't think he makes the team anymore.
