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

[Rubi]

Eat bread or whatever he is eating is not going to beat Czarnik for the job.

Mangiapane is a left shooting LW and Czarnik shoots right and he either plays center or RW. They won't be competing for the same spot.

 

[Dertell]

Blurgah!

This isn't a much better deal than the one Brouwer got. I mean yeah he's a (much) better player, but we just spent more in term and AAV also. I don't know if it will ever look pretty but I guess it's gonna be ugly by Year 2 or 3. Like he's already pretty old.

He IS a good scorer for now, so at least there's that, and good heaven we needed scoring. Not that it justify this... thing or whatever you call it

 

[Janks]

Blurgah!

This isn't a much better deal than the one Brouwer got. I mean yeah he's a (much) better player, but we just spent more in term and AAV also. I don't know if it will ever look pretty but I guess it's gonna be ugly by Year 2 or 3. Like he's already pretty old.

He IS a good scorer for now, so at least there's that, and good heaven we needed scoring. Not that it justify this... thing or whatever you call it

He’s 30 going on 31 at the start of the season? How is that pretty old?

Despite what you may think, teams should have a mix of youth and veterans. He brings a lot of what we needed last year.

I think you also answered why we did this - he’s a much better player than what we had last year and gives us a chance to win now.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Blurgah!

This isn't a much better deal than the one Brouwer got. I mean yeah he's a (much) better player, but we just spent more in term and AAV also. I don't know if it will ever look pretty but I guess it's gonna be ugly by Year 2 or 3. Like he's already pretty old.

He IS a good scorer for now, so at least there's that, and good heaven we needed scoring. Not that it justify this... thing or whatever you call it

I’m not a fan of this contract or Ryan’s. But let’s stick to Neal. Had this been 5 million per @ 4 years, everybody league wide would have been praising Treliving. Tre showed some patience, Neal didn’t get the 6 years initially he was hoping for. I’m sure there were multiple teams offering 5 million at 4-5 years, so Tre made the offer to get the player to fill the biggest hole on his roster without giving up any assets.

I don’t like the contract, but I credit him for getting his hands dirty and getting the job done.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Blurgah!

This isn't a much better deal than the one Brouwer got. I mean yeah he's a (much) better player, but we just spent more in term and AAV also. I don't know if it will ever look pretty but I guess it's gonna be ugly by Year 2 or 3. Like he's already pretty old.

He IS a good scorer for now, so at least there's that, and good heaven we needed scoring. Not that it justify this... thing or whatever you call it

He will be a compliance buyout for sure. If he survives the next expansion draft.

Which is great, way better than wasting a compliance buyout on Shane O'Brien.

 

[DCDM]

Why are we thinking about years down the road anyways? Maybe let's see how this coming season goes before writing him off as a buy-out three years down the road.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

He will be a compliance buyout for sure. If he survives the next expansion draft.

Which is great, way better than wasting a compliance buyout on Shane O'Brien.

The expansion draft is gonna be a blessing for us. I can’t help but think that’s why Tre indulged the way he did.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Why are we thinking about years down the road anyways? Maybe let's see how this coming season goes before writing him off as a buy-out three years down the road.

Because three years at 5.75 thanks to a compliance buyout makes this signing way more exciting?

I'm still pissed about other teams getting off Scott-free on their Wade Reddens and Vinny LeCavalier albatrosses. We deserve one too.

 

[DCDM]

Because three years at 5.75 thanks to a compliance buyout makes this signing way more exciting?

I'm still pissed about other teams getting off Scott-free on their Wade Reddens and Vinny LeCavalier albatrosses. We deserve one too.

I'm just saying it seems silly to have that be the thing to look forward to 12 hours after the signing is done, rather than the number of goals he might score for the team. Or potential playoff success. It's just not all about dollars. Just IMO.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I'm just saying it seems silly to have that be the thing to look forward to 12 hours after the signing is done, rather than the number of goals he might score for the team. Or potential playoff success. It's just not all about dollars. Just IMO.

That's a given, but looking at this as 5.75 x 5 means he BETTER score 25 and 25 a season into his mid 30s... Looking at this as a 5.75 x 3 means we get to have our cake and eat it too, bitches. I'm thinking two Cups and a whole barrel of salty Oilers fans after the next lockout.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I hope we wouldn’t have to buy out Neal, because that means he’s doing his job and playing up to his contract. But I also know Treliving is a calculated guy and has accounted for every year of the cap that his players are signed for. I just think he knows that he’s going to have a couple of outs if he needs them, but he would never admit that.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

The expansion draft is gonna be a blessing for us. I can’t help but think that’s why Tre indulged the way he did.

I think Treliving indulged because he's getting super fired if the Flames miss the playoffs again.

Also one thing I would've liked to have seen would be a front-loaded contract for Neal. That way if he does fall off a cliff he would've been more tradeable to whichever team happened to be having money issues that year.

 

[Volica]

Fine with Dollar and term. Like most said, we'll get a compliance buyout if it's bad. But I doubt it. His play hasn't fallen off a cliff or anything. The guy was one of Vegas' better players last season.
If he scores 25 goals, money.

He's going to get a look on the PP, he could push 30 here. If we get a 30 goal scorer out of him... you could spend 6 and I'd be happy.

 

[Dertell]

If we can compliance buyout our way out of his later years, that's good. But even so, fair to assume it's just one buyout per team. That mean we don't have anymore shots at spending big like this for a while. So Neal must scores 5.75 M$-esque goals next year because otherwise this wasn't a good decision.

In any cases, hopefully it's confirmed there's no signing bonuses.

 

[InfinityIggy]

I know we’ve pencilled in Neal on the top line and that makes the most sense, but the thought of Tkachuk and Neal causing havoc at the same time is really intriguing.

 

[Baxterman]

I think by year 4 and 5 of the Neal deal the Flames are likely going to be starting a rebuild if not already in the middle of it so having that "bad" money of his deal won't matter as much.

 

[CraigsList]

I think by year 4 and 5 of the Neal deal the Flames are likely going to be starting a rebuild if not already in the middle of it so having that "bad" money of his deal won't matter as much.

Starting a rebuild? What the heck?

 

[Volica]

Starting a rebuild? What the heck?

Our on-the-fly rebuild, if it happens,will be in two years.

 

[CraigsList]

Our on-the-fly rebuild, if it happens,will be in two years.

That's more of a retool, a rebuild is starting from square 1.

 

[Baxterman]

Starting a rebuild? What the heck?

I think the team has a 2-3 year window at most before things go downhill in a hurry.

They are going to feel the effects of the missed draft picks and weak drafts around then. Outside of Valimaki, and he is a good not great prospect, there really in nothing coming up, yes Monahan, Tkachuk and Hanifin are nice young pieces but they are it for quality young guys, we have zero goaltending maybe starting this year and I think John Boy heads back East as fast as he can. We also have a terrible head coach and a GM that while decent seems ready to go down with this ship.

So rebuild would be best case if they catch it early but I think in 3-5 years this team is going to be looking at a very troublesome future.

Edit: forgot to add Gio will be toast or an anchor at that point as well.

 

[InfinityIggy]

There is also a very real possibility that Gaudreau goes back out east after this contract. With Gio declining I don’t think a mini rebuild in 5 or so years is all that unrealistic.

 

[Body Checker]

I am in favor of this future albatross contract as I posted prior to free agency. Every team has them and most teams are paying buyout/retention dollars against their cap. I love this signing. With where we are at with guys like Giordano, Backlund and Gaudreau it is now time to go for it.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

There is also a very real possibility that Gaudreau goes back out east after this contract. With Gio declining I don’t think a mini rebuild in 5 or so years is all that unrealistic.

That's why we better bank on Valimaki and Hanifin developing into studs. Also wth our 1st rounder if we finish low and one of Honka or Soderstrom is still available, we must take them, keep stockpiling our D prospects which went from a strength to a weakness once Valimaki graduates. Honka especially is special.

 

[CraigsList]

Call me crazy, but I think our team is going to be fine without Gaudreau in the lineup in the future. Tkachuk would have more experience by then and imo would already look like he's the better LW than Gaudreau. I already have had that feeling that Gaudreau is going to leave us after this contract. I just hope that we do not hold onto him like the Isles did with JT. Assuming Treliving is our GM still, we can see he's not afraid to trade away big name players if he has to.

 

[Baxterman]

Call me crazy, but I think our team is going to be fine without Gaudreau in the lineup in the future. Tkachuk would have more experience by then and imo would already look like he's the better LW than Gaudreau. I already have had that feeling that Gaudreau is going to leave us after this contract. I just hope that we do not hold onto him like the Isles did with JT. Assuming Treliving is our GM still, we can see he's not afraid to trade away big name players if he has to.

I don't think it will be a crippling blow but coupled with the other factors I think it will take the team down a notch.

If they are proactive and get a good return for him I think that would be great but I don't think teams do that very often and are usually too stubborn to make that move.