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

[Nanuuk]

Pittsburgh doesn't make this deal. It doesn't benefit them in the slightest.

Kessel probably declines the trade anyways.

Calgary needs cap space to extend Tkachuk, and Bennett.

Yeah I know all of that. I was just going with the flow to the suggestion that Neal should be traded. I don't want to trade him, but if we do we'd have to get back a RW that can score.

 

[joescores]

Yeah I know all of that. I was just going with the flow to the suggestion that Neal should be traded. I don't want to trade him, but if we do we'd have to get back a RW that can score.

Cool, I say

To Tampa- Neal, Stone
To us- Palat, Girardi

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Yeah I know all of that. I was just going with the flow to the suggestion that Neal should be traded. I don't want to trade him, but if we do we'd have to get back a RW that can score.

Don't get me wrong, that's the most palatable option. Also, the most difficult.

I'd rather not trade him and be required to use a high value asset to get him off the books. His buyout is $1.9 million and much more preferred IMO.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Ok. Since someone opened up the idea of trading Neal, here's one for you.

To PIT
Neal, Stone
To CGY
Kessel

Why not have Pittsburgh throw in Crosby while they're at it? If they're getting bent over they may as well make an event of it.

Rutherford laughs and hangs up the phone.

 

[Nanuuk]

Ok. Let's get crazy.

To CAR
Neil

To CGY
Ferland

 

[Dertell]

chocolate for immovable elephant poop

 

[FerklundCGY]

Ok. Let's get crazy.

To CAR
Neil

To CGY
Ferland

Who is Neil?

 

[Anglesmith]

Who is Neil?

Chris Neil.

 

[FerklundCGY]

Ok. Since someone opened up the idea of trading Neal, here's one for you.

To PIT
Neal, Stone
To CGY
Kessel

This is horrible for Pittsburgh. Horrible is a total understatement.

Pittsburgh wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole

 

[Corpus X]

Ok. Since someone opened up the idea of trading Neal, here's one for you.

To PIT
Neal, Stone
To CGY
Kessel

There aren't enough hotdogs in Calgary to make this deal make sense.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

There has been talk of PIT wanting to shed Kessel's contract and shore-up their D. They also were having some cap issues until recently. While Neal wouldn't replace Kessel's scoring he wouldn't be a slouch. Stone is an RD and if your look at PIT's roster they are chalk full of LD's. So since we're talking about a fantasy trade at best, why not?

They want to deal him because he’s Phil Kessel. However that doesn’t mean they want spare parts for him. We need to give up a piece we wouldn’t want. Like Bennett, Neal, 1st.

 

[The Gnome]

I'm starting to like the idea of Schenn. I'm just not sure I could accept the cost. Neal's salary is gonna kill us either way. If he doesn't get going, that's a lot of dead cap space that we won't be able to move.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I'm starting to like the idea of Schenn. I'm just not sure I could accept the cost. Neal's salary is gonna kill us either way. If he doesn't get going, that's a lot of dead cap space that we won't be able to move.

It would be worth it. We won’t care about the cost when we’re hoisting the Cup.

 

[DFF]

Who is Neil?

 

[Sparky93]

I think what people need to realize is that Neal is a complementary scorer. He has never been the driving force on a line. He’s been successful capping off great plays from players, much better than himself. If he gets 3-4 opportunities, he might bury one or two. If he’s playing with lesser players, that struggle to create more than a chance per game, his numbers are not going to be good.

If we want him to be better, we have to play him with better players.

 

[DCDM]

I think what people need to realize is that Neal is a complementary scorer. He has never been the driving force on a line. He’s been successful capping off great plays from players, much better than himself. If he gets 3-4 opportunities, he might bury one or two. If he’s playing with lesser players, that struggle to create more than a chance per game, his numbers are not going to be good.

If we want him to be better, we have to play him with better players.

This is pretty obvious now after he registered a point with Tkachuk and Lindholm. Can't expect him to do much on the third line with Janko and whoever.

 

[Sparky93]

This is pretty obvious now after he registered a point with Tkachuk and Lindholm. Can't expect him to do much on the third line with Janko and whoever.

Well one point, is one point, but I like the line. The only thing that concerns me, is that I have my doubts that Bennett is good enough to play on the top line.

 

[DCDM]

Well one point, is one point, but I like the line. The only thing that concerns me, is that I have my doubts that Bennett is good enough to play on the top line.

Yeah but it's one point more than he had in the last... 7? 8? games with the other line.

I agree with you about Bennett. He seems to be pretty up and down in general. I'd like to see Neal get a chance on the top line for a prolonged period of time, not just after a PK lol.

 

[Sparky93]

Yeah but it's one point more than he had in the last... 7? 8? games with the other line.

I agree with you about Bennett. He seems to be pretty up and down in general. I'd like to see Neal get a chance on the top line for a prolonged period of time, not just after a PK lol.

Neal on the top line might work, could be pretty scary in our own zone. I think ideally, Bennett works out on the top line.

I also think that a Rychel-Backlund-Frolik line, could be a pretty effective triple threat.

 

[Nanuuk]

I'd still like to see Czarnik play 1RW. Then bump Lindholm down to the 2C, Backs to the 3C, Jankowski to the 4C and Ryan to #RW.

Gaudreau/Monahan/Czarnik
Tkachuk/Lindholm/Neal
Bennett/Backlund/Frolik (Ryan)
Rychel/Jankwoski/Hathaway

I think Benny can play on the 1 line, but he is snake-bitten when it comes to scoring. Playing with Backs and Frolik will follow Tkachuk's path to gain confidence. Czarnik is highly creative (maybe not at Lindholm's level) and is a strong Corsi kind of guy. Playing with the two super stars might unlock this kid. Lindholm looked very, very good at centre yesterday and you could see he made Neal immediately better.

 

[Iggys Dome]

For our offence to reach it's full potential, I think that playing Lindholm at 2C would be ideal. Line up above is an example of something we could try. Overload PP1 with Gaudreau/Monahan/Lindholm/Tkachuk.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Bennett has been snakebit since he was 19.

 

[Double Dion]

I still like Bennett. His value isn't huge, so I'd hang onto him. He's got the tools, just very little hockey sense. I really hope it comes, because if it does he's exactly what this team needs to be a cup contender.

 

[Nanuuk]

Benny has learned every facet of the game at the pro level except how to score. Arguably he should have learned all of this in the AHL.

 

[joescores]

Berglund was told good bye today. Now can we say good bye in similar fashion to Neal. Are there any doubters?