Player Discussion James “The Real Deal” Neal a Flame! 5 years, 28.75 million.

[DubeWheresMyCar]

#FreeTheCzar

 

[Nanuuk]

I believe Czarnik isn't getting the ice time I, and others want, is because of two primary reasons.

1. The Flames didn't expect Dube to make the club and play so well.

2. Hathaway brings some hitting, something that Czarnik doesn't do.

There are only two players on the roster that have sub 50% Corsi. Hathaway and Andersson. And neither is atrocious in that regard. Czarnik has very good possession stats along with other forwards on the squad, except Haths. So I think Peters has the luxury of sacrificing a bit of the possession game in favour of a hard hitting forecheck game.

 

[joescores]

How can you declare a bust when it's 18 games into a five year contract?

By using your vision?

 

[Rubi]

By using your vision?

I kind of have to agree with this. For the sake of this argument, lets forget about the number of goals and assists that Neal currently has. The fact is that if he isn't shooting the puck at the net, he's been relatively invisible out there.
Frankly, the way Neal has been playing without the puck, Peters may as well tell Neal that when he's on the ice I want you to stand by the O-zone blue line and when the puck enters the zone go to the spot where you feel most comfortable scoring goals from and just stand there and wait for a pass. When you get the pass, shoot the puck at the net.
Calgary's own DH... or in this case, Designated Shooter.

 

[Nanuuk]

Nealer will be fine. I'm not sure if he is a notorious slow starter, but he did play late into the season last year. And he had to move is wife and brood, lock, stock, and barrel to a new city. So new neighbourhood, new schools, new friends. On top of that, new coaches, new system, new team dynamics and bench-strength, and an early season journey to the other side of the planet. Once he pots a few and finds chemistry on a permanent line, he'll be that scorer and leader Tre wants him to be.

 

[super6646]

I know we have a thread on him, but it's gotten to the point where I feel this can be a seperste discussion. Seriously, the guy looks lost out there. 5 points in 25 games just isn't enough, regardless of the excuses we keep making for him. He can never seem to get the shot he once had off, and otherwise he looks slow as hell out there. I want to try to get a positive here, but with the money he's making? Yikes. Seems like yet another free agency dud, only this one is gonna be even more expensive to buyout.

 

[DCDM]

It's been 25 games. He hasn't looked great but I'm not willing to write him off entirely just yet. Still lots of season left to go. The one thing I will say is we're starting to see cracks in the surface of Neal. Every time he has a good scoring chance that he misses on, you can see the frustration in his face. That tells me that he isn't just a guy floating aimlessly out there, he's actually trying but gripping the stick too tight. He wants to be a part of the offense.

I'm not trying to make excuses for him because for sure he should have more goals by now, but it doesn't appear to be from lack of effort. I think he's on the verge of breaking out, personally.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Meh Free Agents usually struggle in their first year. He’s been a lot better lately

 

[Volica]

I thought he was one of the only non-4th line forwards that looked any good last night.
Him and Bennett might be the only exceptions to be honest.

 

[Calgareee]

I just keep going back to Hamonic... he was real meh last year. Seemed to take a long time for him to adjust and this year has found a good fit with Hanifin (last night was not his best game though...)

Neal is new here and has spent most of his time playing with Ryan and Jankowski. He’s not the type to drive his own line and has always been a finisher.

He’s been a disappointment for sure but I’m hopeful that there can be some adjustments by him and the team to improve on the investment they made in him.

Curious what a lineup of

JG-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Bennett-Neal
Dube - Backlund - Ryan
Czarnik - Jankowski - Hathaway

Would look like

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Odd timing on the thread when I thought he played pretty well last night.

 

[SKRusty]

Neal is playing very well and though the stat line only shows one shot against he attempted 5-6 that were either blocked or just missed the net. Neal was skating very well last night and was in the play not behind the play. Goal scorers tend to be streaky look no further than Laine. Before the last 8 games Laine was invisible..then the last 8 games happened and he exploded. The sad part against Dallas is he was driving the play on the third line despite playing with Czarnik and Ryan. The issue against Dallas was the first 2 lines did not play well. Johnny and Mony ended up -3 and though their play was pretty good they made some pretty big gaffs. Back's line was invisible.

When Neal is costing the Flames goals or is not doing things right then there may be room for whining. To this point Neal is working hard and nothing that I have seen in the last 4 games says that this guy has lost a step, nothing says his attitude is wrong and everything says he just has to keep moving forward and eventually he and the Flames will be rewarded.

 

[Fig]

I know we have a thread on him, but it's gotten to the point where I feel this can be a seperste discussion. Seriously, the guy looks lost out there. 5 points in 25 games just isn't enough, regardless of the excuses we keep making for him. He can never seem to get the shot he once had off, and otherwise he looks slow as hell out there. I want to try to get a positive here, but with the money he's making? Yikes. Seems like yet another free agency dud, only this one is gonna be even more expensive to buyout.

New equipment (his old stick was discontinued and he ran out of stockpile)
New team, new coach, new system. (See Hamonic comment above. He needs more time to settle in)
Snake bitten (Might be gripping stick a little tighter, compounding the issue until he throws that monkey off his back)

I think Neal will be fine. I think he is fine tuning and he will be optimized and ready to go at the perfect time later in the season. No point exploding on the scene and fading away later in the season when the games are more important. Furthermore, he's not a complete liability and he's not completely invisible. That's ok in my books.

 

[Mr Snrub]

There are already two James Neal discussion threads. Can we merge this one into one of those two?

 

[crackdown44]

There are already two James Neal discussion threads. Can we merge this one into one of those two?

The posts starts with “I know we have a thread on him already but I feel like we need a separate discussion”

Like...wut

 

[Janks]

The posts starts with “I know we have a thread on him already but I feel like we need a separate discussion”

Like...wut

Everyone wants to feel special sometimes?

 

[Calculon]

Yeah, keep the hysteria in one thread. Easier to ignore that way.

Neal will be fine. Relax a little.

 

[super6646]

Yeah, keep the hysteria in one thread. Easier to ignore that way.

Neal will be fine. Relax a little.

We've been saying that for a month and half... can he at least do something? Seriously, he's our lowest producing forward per 60 minutes, that isn't nothing when I hear people complaining about Ryan or jankowski. Hell, brouwer didn't have this long of a leash, and he was more consistent with his production.

 

[DFF]

We've been saying that for a month and half... can he at least do something? Seriously, he's our lowest producing forward per 60 minutes, that isn't nothing when I hear people complaining about Ryan or jankowski. Hell, brouwer didn't have this long of a leash, and he was more consistent with his production.

He contacted Bennett decease. Scoring is a premium.

 

[SKRusty]

We've been saying that for a month and half... can he at least do something? Seriously, he's our lowest producing forward per 60 minutes, that isn't nothing when I hear people complaining about Ryan or jankowski. Hell, brouwer didn't have this long of a leash, and he was more consistent with his production.

Brouwer was costing the Flames games because of poor efforts and defensive play. Quit equating the 2 to one-another. Neal's advanced stats are better than Brouwers were, Neal is skating is better than Brouwer's ever was, Neal is generating chances, and Neal is keeping up with his line-mates.

Neal has looked very dangerous for the last 4-5 games and at this point is snake-bitten. Just because a player is not producing points at a high level does not mean he is playing poorly. Bennett's start to the season was very similar last year and this year. This year Sam kept doing the right things and it turned around for him. Neal is doing the right things and everyone but a select few see that.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Sam Bennett is on pace to match his point totals from two previous disappointing seasons; the only way he's turned it around is adjusting his play to be more of a physical third line grinder type.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Sam Bennett is on pace to match his point totals from two previous disappointing seasons; the only way he's turned it around is adjusting his play to be more of a physical third line grinder type.

And even then I haven't loved his game nearly as much the past few games. Last night he had one particularly noteworthy move, but otherwise wasn't nearly as effective for me.

 

[Bounces R Way]

We've been saying that for a month and half... can he at least do something? Seriously, he's our lowest producing forward per 60 minutes, that isn't nothing when I hear people complaining about Ryan or jankowski. Hell, brouwer didn't have this long of a leash, and he was more consistent with his production.

Uhhh... yes he did. Much much longer in fact.

Neal has been getting better for a while now. Actually pretty happy with him defensively, which I thought was going to be a big shortcoming. Usually gets the puck out and makes the smart play. The effort and physicality have been improved somewhat. My only complaint is he's got to start burying some of these chances, that's what he's getting paid for.

 

[joescores]

Actually, he has been great this season, looks superb now. It's coming ..and you know it.

 

[Mobiandi]

Neal's doing all the right things. He gets about 1 big scoring chance a game. Eventually, they have to start going in. I'd move him up to the first line and move Monahan down with Tkachuk and Bennett. If they stink up the joint, just reset the line's during the game.

What's the worst that can happen?