BruinDust
Registered User
- Aug 2, 2005
- 24,522
- 22,232
Always difficult to sell high or buy low... but those who cant manage this never get ahead
My gut feeling is the price for neal is too high today. Hes always been streaky. Buying him in the middle of his career best start would be ill advised i think.
But if im vegas... my message to my fans is... yes we dealt an impending ufa but look at the haul we got.
Its the same message they told their fans at the expansion draft.
I fully expect he will be dealt at some point... i fully expect the ask will be picks/prospects.
If he cools off before the trade happens maybe it wont require the 2018 first rounder... so lets wait
Depends on where they are come deadline day.
If they are in a very good position of qualifying for the playoffs, and Neal is their most productive forward, how do you sell trading arguably you're best player to a new fan-base?
Not all fans are like the die-hard hardcores we are around this place. I know more hockey fans who don't give two you-know-whats about team building, and salary caps, and prospects and draft picks, than I do guys/gals like us around here.
A number of my co-workers are also hockey fans, and if I talked hockey with them the way we talk about around here, they'd look at me like I had three heads.
New fans, and casual fans, not to mention corporate sponsors, see win-loss records, and winning streaks, points/goals. Vegas I doubt thought they'd be a playoff contending team this season, and it's early, but what if Vegas is in a very good position to make the playoffs come March?
New/casual fans and sponsors see that, then they see their best player dealt for a late 1st rounder, essentially a lottery ticket, and some prospect they've never heard of before.
Awful message to send to a fan-base they are trying to grow from the ground up. They need all the momentum the can get early on to grow the sport and brand in Vegas, gain an early foothold, especially before the Raiders come to town.
If they come back down to earth, all bets are off, and he will likely be re-signed or dealt.