Question about Neal vs Hornqvist+Spaling trade

[Shady Machine]

crosby did fine with kunitz and dupuis, so we traded for essentially another kunitz albeit improved...and now we have to watch malkin play with dupuis and sutter

That line is a significant upgrade with Hornqvist there over Duper. Now we need to bring in another winger for Geno.

 

[Phil68]

That line is a significant upgrade with Hornqvist there over Duper. Now we need to bring in another winger for Geno.

Well that line hasn't produced much of barely anything at even strenght fiy.. Hornqvist is a younger version of Kunitz just a bit more skill...

 

[Ogrezilla]

Well that line hasn't produced much of barely anything at even strenght fiy.. Hornqvist is a younger version of Kunitz just a bit more skill...

A younger version of Kunitz with a bit more skill is an excellent hockey player.

 

[Shady Machine]

Well that line hasn't produced much of barely anything at even strenght fiy.. Hornqvist is a younger version of Kunitz just a bit more skill...

It's been 6 games. People really need to stop freaking out. JR, Johnston, Tocchet, etc have all talked about the season as a process with the end goal of preparing and playing the right way for the playoffs. Many of us applauded them for this attitude and accepted that there would be a significant adjustment period. Now 6 games into the season, people are wigging out and trying to trade Malkin and Letang.

Calm the hell down (not directed at you but at a larger group of overreacting fans).

 

[jstreet]

I definitely say win-win at this point.

 

[Sureshot]

James who?

 

[66-30-33]

James who?

Neal.

Neal: 8G 3A 14 GP (they are playing the 14th game right now)
Hornqvist 9G 9G 13 GP

 

[Malkin112*]

Neal.

Neal: 8G 3A 14 GP (they are playing the 14th game right now)
Hornqvist 9G 9G 13 GP

fixed

and it's much easier to score in the east

 

[66-30-33]

fixed

and it's much easier to score in the east

I had it edited before you fixed it.

 

[Ogrezilla]

fixed

and it's much easier to score in the east

is it? Or are teams from the east harder to stop from scoring? Do eastern teams score less when they play against the west?

 

[Captain Hook]

It's been a while since we've had a trade that's worked out this well for both sides. We kind of ripped off Dallas to get Neal, which is good in a way but this deal feels more fair. An offensively challenged team like Nashville needed a pure goal scorer and you can certainly argue Hornqvist, his right shot and overall style are a better fit for our group.

 

[The Greatest 101]

Neal in Nashville>Hornqvist>Neal in Pittsburgh. I'm torn.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Neal in Nashville>Hornqvist>Neal in Pittsburgh. I'm torn.

Neal is a excellent hockey player, but I have never seen him single handedly drag his team from a blowout into a solid hockey game like Hornqvist did last night. He was a man possessed. Exactly the type of thing we will need in the playoffs.

 

[Mr Wu]

Playoff warrior > playoff primadonna

 

[LionelHutz*]

Neal is a excellent hockey player, but I have never seen him single handedly drag his team from a blowout into a solid hockey game like Hornqvist did last night. He was a man possessed. Exactly the type of thing we will need in the playoffs.

QFT, He was a 10000 ft tall 8000 ton fire breathing radioactive lizard last night.

 

[Gallatin]

QFT, He was a 10000 ft tall 8000 ton fire breathing radioactive lizard last night.

Hornzilla is born.

 

[Will Hunting]

Eh, Neal is the weakest link (still not weak though) on a line with Forsberg & Ribeiro. 2 goals in his last 15 games, had a fine for repeated diving.. He´s not producing that much and he´s playing with 2 very good players. Had a good start as usual, but he´s looking like a pretty normal hockey player now. Hornvist isn´t red-hot either but he´s bringing the right attitude to this team and that can´t be underestimated. Spaling, while criticized here is on a pace to attack a 40-point mark, which is not horrible. Still looking like a solid trade.

 

[PKV Jungle Friends]

Liked it the day it happened when people around here were setting themselves on fire and I still like it today.

Horns makes the team better than Neal did. Period.

 

[Captain Hook]

Neal is a excellent hockey player, but I have never seen him single handedly drag his team from a blowout into a solid hockey game like Hornqvist did last night. He was a man possessed. Exactly the type of thing we will need in the playoffs.

Yeah, I think that's one of the biggest differences between Neal and Hornqvist. Neal has incredible shooting skills but Hornqvist plays with way more heart. Seems like that heart/effort is always the #1 thing Preds fans say they miss about him outside of his net front presence.

 

[Human]

Neal is a excellent hockey player, but I have never seen him single handedly drag his team from a blowout into a solid hockey game like Hornqvist did last night. He was a man possessed. Exactly the type of thing we will need in the playoffs.

you got Hornqvist mixed up with Malkin for last night. I agree that Hornqvist is relentless but he can't drag anything single handedly, he is a nice complimentary guy.

 

[mpp9]

you got Hornqvist mixed up with Malkin for last night. I agree that Hornqvist is relentless but he can't drag anything single handedly, he is a nice complimentary guy.

********. Guys with heart can absolutely drag a team back into a game. Downie is proof of that. Hornqvist was a big reason why last game was close. Dude plays to the bitter end. We need more of that.

As bad as we need legit top 6 forwards, I've been very happy with how the team has played so far this season.

 

[T1K]

Eh, Neal is the weakest link (still not weak though) on a line with Forsberg & Ribeiro. 2 goals in his last 15 games, had a fine for repeated diving.. He´s not producing that much and he´s playing with 2 very good players. Had a good start as usual, but he´s looking like a pretty normal hockey player now. Hornvist isn´t red-hot either but he´s bringing the right attitude to this team and that can´t be underestimated. Spaling, while criticized here is on a pace to attack a 40-point mark, which is not horrible. Still looking like a solid trade.

Not to nitpick, but I feel that the Nashville line goes Forsberg>Neal>Ribero. That's not a slight to Ribero, and I don't really have the stats to support this claim, but I just feel that Ribero benefits more from being on a line with Forsberg and Neal rather than Neal benefitting from being on Ribero's line. Again, I might be talking out of my *** so don't hold me to that. The few Nashville games I've caught though Neal has gotten pretty unlucky with posts. Still, I prefer Hornqvist+Spaling over him. Neal is one of the most natural goal scorers in the league and Nashville is really only a 1 line team offensively. The competition he is facing is greater than he did in Pittsburgh in both the matchups he faces game to game, but also the fact that the West is much stronger than the East. Clearly Neal benefitted from being on our power play and playing with Geno, but he is far from a normal hockey player in my opinion. His time in Pittsburgh ran out, and his immaturity/bad penalties is a big part of the reason he is no longer a part of this organization. Really, in my opinion moving Neal was necessary in order to change the culture of this team along with the firings of RS and DB. Long-term it's very probable we lose this trade, but if we win the cup in the process then I truly have no regrets whatsoever. Hornqvist is a part of the solution for us. The thing is it's really unfair to compare Neal and Hornqvist's stats because of the reasons I stated above. Neal is the superior scorer, but what Hornqvist brings was a bigger need for us.

 

[maxpenguins6630]

Give me a team full of Hornqvist. I know my hockey a lot but never really looked at Hornqvist when playing in Nashville. I was confused with the Neal trade. Thought we didn't get much.

Hornqvist just bring things that doesn't necessarily show on the scoresheet. I mean this guy is a forchecker. He gives everything out there. He hustles to loose puck. He blocks shots, screen the goalies, he backchecks. He is a very good skater. He does all the little details right. Even if he doesn'T score he'll play the right way and do so many things for your team.

Neal is one dimensional offensive player. He is a shooter, a sniper. He has size but doesn't punish the opponent.

I do this trade in a heartbeat 100% of the time now that I really observed Hornqvist. He will be valuable in the playoffs. Even if he doesn't score, he won't be a liability.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Neal in Nashville>Hornqvist>Neal in Pittsburgh. I'm torn.

Actually it's:

Neal in Nashville>Hornqvist>Neal under Bylsma

Would love to see a Forsberg - Malkin - Neal line under MJ.

 

[ETA]

This might have been said already but there have been at least 3 or 4 Pens goals this year where Hornqvist didn't get a point but was instrumental in the goal being scored because he was in the goalie's face.