Confirmed Trade: [CGY/EDM] James Neal for Milan Lucic (12.5% retained) and a 2020 conditional 3rd round pick Part 2

[Hatrix]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has as many 70 point seasons as Brian Bellows has 100 point ones.

Doesn't matter. RNH just entered his prime so there's no reason to believe he can't repeat last season again with a better set of wingers.

 

[Scott Stevens]

Doesn't matter. RNH just entered his prime so there's no reason to believe he can't repeat last season again with a better set of wingers.

All the best to him.

 

[Seanaconda]

Doesn't matter. RNH just entered his prime so there's no reason to believe he can't repeat last season again with a better set of wingers.

Tbh I don't really mind how they decide to split the top lines so long as it works . Hard to imagine the McDavid drai line won't be the best option with what we have but who knows how it shakes out

 

[McRpro]

Lol yeah the Flames ruined Jagr, it had nothing at all to do with him not working out all summer then needing knee surgery

I'd say Father Time ruined Jagr more than anyone else. He's a real asshole

 

[Hatrix]

Tbh I don't really mind how they decide to split the top lines so long as it works . Hard to imagine the McDavid drai line won't be the best option with what we have but who knows how it shakes out

I can completely understand wanting to move Draisaitl to center if it made sense for the roster. Unfortunately with the lack of wing depth and RNH it doesn't. Chances are good that both RNH and Draisaitl have lower point totals if that where to happen so why break up the only successful concept the Oilers actually have? Much less use that against Draisaitl as a player when he's the second least of the teams problems...

 

[Oblivion]

I think that the situation that Neal is going into in Edmonton is an excellent opportunity for him in that he should slide into their top-6 and get some good time riding shotgun with one of the Oilers playmaking centers. I think it's a great acquisition for the Oilers and wouldn't be surprised to see him get back to previous seasons' form.

As for the acquisition of Lucic... I don't really get it.

 

[KCC]

Have no idea why CGY does this trade unless the fresh start helps Lucic...

As for Neal. 20 goals+ seems like a doable possibility. It could actually even be 25+ if everything goes perfectly.

Great job Edm. This could be the one that removes the anchor and finally turns things around.

I predict Neal gets almost 2015-2016 numbers with 28g 51 pts

It's funny because some people suddenly seem to think that Neal is done as a hockey player after last season. Dude is one of only 38 players in history to net 20+ goals in 10 straight seasons. I don't think at 31 years of age he's going to completely fall off a cliff. Calgary was just a bad fit and he never really gained any traction. He's going to have all the opportunity in the world to be in the top 6 and I think he can take advantage of it.

 

[IslesNorway]

Judging by this deal Lucic isn't half as bad as people on this board make him to be.

 

[Soundwave]

Wonder if Neal maybe requested a trade? Article on Edmonton Journal states that Neal/people in Neal's camp started to push the Flames for a move to Edmonton around July 1.

Neal and McDavid seemed to have a lot of fun playing together at the 2018 All-Star game where they were paired up.

And "coincidentally" Neal is training with McDavid this summer at the Gary Roberts camp.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Predicting Neal will score 30 goals this upcoming season, if he doesn’t I’ll use an avatar of someone’s choosing

 

[innitfam]

Predicting Neal will score 30 goals this upcoming season, if he doesn’t I’ll use an avatar of someone’s choosing

Deal.

 

[Tyrolean]

I bet Neal doesn't score 20 and therefore no 3rd rounder for Calgary. If he is at 19-20 goals and there are a handful of games left with no playoffs then, I'd healthy scratch him for the remainder of the season. Neal rebounding would be a one off anyway at his age.

Also Neal would be bought out, if he sucks. A buyout is never a good thing as it means you made a mistake in acquiring him.

 

[Iggys Dome]

Wonder if Neal maybe requested a trade? Article on Edmonton Journal states that Neal/people in Neal's camp started to push the Flames for a move to Edmonton around July 1.

Neal and McDavid seemed to have a lot of fun playing together at the 2018 All-Star game where they were paired up.

And "coincidentally" Neal is training with McDavid this summer at the Gary Roberts camp.

Wouldn’t be surprised, the Flames organization clearly did not like him either. It just wasn’t a good fit all around.

 

[Soundwave]

I bet Neal doesn't score 20 and therefore no 3rd rounder for Calgary. If he is at 19-20 goals and there are a handful of games left with no playoffs then, I'd healthy scratch him for the remainder of the season. Neal rebounding would be a one off anyway at his age.

Also Neal would be bought out, if he sucks. A buyout is never a good thing as it means you made a mistake in acquiring him.

A 3rd rounder is not that important, you can get back a 3rd rounder a dozen different ways for cheap, some GMs throw them around like peanuts.

If Neal is having a good season like that, you let him play.

 

[Seanaconda]

I bet Neal doesn't score 20 and therefore no 3rd rounder for Calgary. If he is at 19-20 goals and there are a handful of games left with no playoffs then, I'd healthy scratch him for the remainder of the season. Neal rebounding would be a one off anyway at his age.

Also Neal would be bought out, if he sucks. A buyout is never a good thing as it means you made a mistake in acquiring him.

It's kinda a good thing cuz his buyout is better than lucic .

Who yes chia made a huge mistake acquiring him in the first place but acquiring a much better buyout isn't neccesarily a mistake if neal doesnt work.

Heck even if we don't make the playoffs/ arent close I think we should let him play whatever games he wants if hes any good , no reason to be petty about a third if neal ends up being a 21 goal scorer.


If it was a first or something I'd rest him half the season but they can have the third if hes good

 

[Schred]

Lol!! NO, OUR GARBAGE IS WORSE THAN YOUR GARBAGE. Both players will suck next year, but at least looch will hit someone. Both teams lost this trade by signing these bums un the first place lol

 

[Soundwave]

Lol!! NO, OUR GARBAGE IS WORSE THAN YOUR GARBAGE. Both players will suck next year, but at least looch will hit someone. Both teams lost this trade by signing these bums un the first place lol

I'm not really sure if I agree with this. I think Neal can still play, you don't just forget how to play hockey one year after making an All-Star team and after 9 straight seasons of 20+ goals.

You have to be at a very advanced age (like 35/36/37) for that to happen or suffer some really horrible injury like an ACL tear, torn achilles, repeated concussions, etc.

Connor McDavid is gonna get him the puck.

Neal's play also improved as the season went along, even on the 3rd line his ppg rose to about 0.5 ppg in the second half of the season. Lucic by comparision had 0.17 ppg in the second half of the season.

 

[Schred]

I'm not really sure if I agree with this. I think Neal can still play, you don't just forget how to play hockey one year after making an All-Star team and after 9 straight seasons of 20+ goals.

You have to be at a very advanced age (like 35/36/37) for that to happen or suffer some really horrible injury like an ACL tear, torn achilles, repeated concussions, etc.

Connor McDavid is gonna get him the puck.

Neal's play also improved as the season went along, even on the 3rd line his ppg rose to about 0.5 ppg in the second half of the season. Lucic by comparision had 0.17 ppg in the second half of the season.

So why did Lucic fall right off a cliff? Isn't he younger?
If Neal rebounds it is because he didnt try last year. I watched every Flames game ( and admittedly only the odd Oilers game) and Neal was whiffing on wide open nets, or was too far behind the play to do anything, and not finishing hits all year. He had chances on basically every line and lots of PP opportunities.
Maybe was a product of bad usage by the coach, but to me looked like a guy that the game has passed by. Just like the reports I hear of Lucic from oilers fans.
Hopefully they both bounce back, but I think its grasping at straws to declare a winner of disappointment for disappointment trade.

 

[Soundwave]

So why did Lucic fall right off a cliff? Isn't he younger?
If Neal rebounds it is because he didnt try last year. I watched every Flames game ( and admittedly only the odd Oilers game) and Neal was whiffing on wide open nets, or was too far behind the play to do anything, and not finishing hits all year. He had chances on basically every line and lots of PP opportunities.
Maybe was a product of bad usage by the coach, but to me looked like a guy that the game has passed by. Just like the reports I hear of Lucic from oilers fans.
Hopefully they both bounce back, but I think its grasping at straws to declare a winner of disappointment for disappointment trade.

Lucic was honestly a bad fit from the get go, his point totals early on were propped up by him being force fed top unit PP time with McDavid, but I knew something was wrong when Patrick Maroon basically quickly took over the top LW spot from him.

What changed is that PP scoring dried up and Lucic then couldn't buy a goal.

Lucic also has a degenerative back condition ... it's why he has that hunch in his back. It's not bad enough to force him to retire, but I do suspect it has started to impact his ability on the ice.

 

[McRpro]

So why did Lucic fall right off a cliff? Isn't he younger?
If Neal rebounds it is because he didnt try last year. I watched every Flames game ( and admittedly only the odd Oilers game) and Neal was whiffing on wide open nets, or was too far behind the play to do anything, and not finishing hits all year. He had chances on basically every line and lots of PP opportunities.
Maybe was a product of bad usage by the coach, but to me looked like a guy that the game has passed by. Just like the reports I hear of Lucic from oilers fans.
Hopefully they both bounce back, but I think its grasping at straws to declare a winner of disappointment for disappointment trade.

Lucic fell off a cliff (like many expected) because his game was built around physical presence. Everyone knew he would not be able to play that style for much longer. Turns out he fell off, hard, sooner rather than later. He's nothing more than a 4th line grinder these days, and if we was some Joe Bloe without the 'Lucic career', he would not even be near the NHL.

 

[Soundwave]

Lucic fell off a cliff (like many expected) because his game was built around physical presence. Everyone knew he would not be able to play that style for much longer. Turns out he fell off, hard, sooner rather than later. He's nothing more than a 4th line grinder these days, and if we was some Joe Bloe without the 'Lucic career', he would not even be near the NHL.

I think the other issue for Lucic is these days players just won't engage in a fight anymore.

Too many players nowadays have gotten the message loud and clear about concussions, and not many want to risk a concussion in a fight any more.

Lucic fought a whopping 2 times last year as a result.

 

[Schred]

Lucic was honestly a bad fit from the get go, his point totals early on were propped up by him being force fed top unit PP time with McDavid, but I knew something was wrong when Patrick Maroon basically quickly took over the top LW spot from him.

What changed is that PP scoring dried up and Lucic then couldn't buy a goal.

Lucic also has a degenerative back condition ... it's why he has that hunch in his back. It's not bad enough to force him to retire, but I do suspect it has started to impact his ability on the ice.

Sounds very similar to Neal, as he was quickly passed by Lindholm and Frolik, although it is a smaller sample size.
I was more or less making a joke about fans arguing that their old player is worse lol
I think both players fill a need better on their new teams than their old ones, but don't think either guy has much left in the tank.

 

[Soundwave]

Sounds very similar to Neal, as he was quickly passed by Lindholm and Frolik, although it is a smaller sample size.
I was more or less making a joke about fans arguing that their old player is worse lol
I think both players fill a need better on their new teams than their old ones, but don't think either player has much left in the tank.

For Neal I'm not really sure if it's even as dependant on what's left in his tank more than where McDavid can take him.

McDavid turned all of Kassian (on pace for 4 goals previously), Maroon (on pace for 6 goals with the Ducks previously), and Chiasson (on pace for 12 goals with the Caps) into 25 goal rate scorers.

Neal doesn't need to have the same amount in the tank to get to the same destination (20 goals) with McDavid.

Particularly on the Oilers where he's likely going to step right onto the top 6 and onto the top unit PP because none of the Oiler forwards really like to shoot the damn puck. They're all going to be looking to pass to him.

Hockey wise I don't think he can find a much better situation for him offensively. Three very good pass first centers, no real one-shot scorer on the wing to compete with. It's like not being the smoothest guy in the world but ending up in a town with a 2:1 female to male ratio and there being a few real good looking girls and all the guys are dweebs, lol.

 

[SotasicA]

Deal.

One word.

Pierre.

 

[Schred]

For Neal I'm not really sure if it's even as dependant on what's left in his tank more than where McDavid can take him.

McDavid turned all of Kassian (on pace for 4 goals previously), Maroon (on pace for 6 goals with the Ducks previously), and Chiasson (on pace for 12 goals with the Caps) into 25 goal rate scorers.

Neal doesn't need to have the same amount in the tank to get to the same destination (20 goals) with McDavid.

Particularly on the Oilers where he's likely going to step right onto the top 6 and onto the top unit PP because none of the Oiler forwards really like to shoot the damn puck. They're all going to be looking to pass to him.

Hockey wise I don't think he can find a much better situation for him offensively. Three very good pass first centers, no real one-shot scorer on the wing to compete with. It's like not being the smoothest guy in the world but ending up in a town with a 2:1 female to male ratio and there being a few real good looking girls and all the guys are dweebs, lol.

Lol and that's all well and good for Edmonton. Neal just didnt fit with us and he had ample opportunity with our top guys.
He couldn't even get 20 points on the top seed in the west, and Lucic got 20 on a non playoff team.
It's a garbage for garbage trade. Weather Neal rebounds next to McDavid next year is irrelevant. He obviously wasnt going to here.