Player Discussion "The Real Deal" James Neal

[Ace Rimmer]

25. Asked teammate Pierre-Edouard Bellemare if, looking back at it, there was anyone on last year’s Knights who surprised him in a positive way. Someone who he wasn’t sure about upon first meeting them.

“I’m not a hockey nerd like some other players,” Bellemare replied. “I had to Google some of the guys. I would say James Neal. I saw him, saw how he carries himself like a superstar, and I was not sure. But the more I got to know him, the more important I realized he was. In the playoffs, the way he talked, most of us had never gone that far. He told us what to expect and how good we could be.”

Bellemare added that he thought the Golden Knights were going to find a way to come back in the Stanley Cup final until the final few seconds of Game 5.

31 Thoughts: Examining Erik Karlsson trade fallout - Sportsnet.ca

 

[Mobiandi]

Said it before, James Neal will be what Treliving and all of us wanted Brouwer to be. I think acquiring him was the best pickup we made all summer, for the season ahead

 

[Rubi]

LOL... I bet Neal has a few choice words to say to his buddy Commodore.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I love Commodore! What a beauty

 

[Volica]

LOL... I bet Neal has a few choice words to say to his buddy Commodore.

Kind of wondering if Mike Commodore lives beside me.

 

[Corpus X]

Kind of wondering if Mike Commodore lives beside me.

Take a picture from your window then send it to him inviting him over for a beer.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Take a picture from your window then send it to him inviting him over for a beer.

Please actually do this @Volica

 

[Volica]

Take a picture from your window then send it to him inviting him over for a beer.

I've never seen him. I live a few houses down from where he's at. Maybe I'm not paying attention. There was a painted cow for the longest time in that house's yard, from what I remember.

If so, good for Comy, at least he's not broke if he's living there.

 

[Lunatik]

He drives Uber iirc, probably does it for the shits and giggles though. I could totally see him being the type to relish the stories of a cabbie

 

[Flames Fanatic]

He drives Uber iirc, probably does it for the ****s and giggles though. I could totally see him being the type to relish the stories of a cabbie

He was at the Flames prospect game signing autographs. Had a quick laugh with him, such a chill dude.

 

[Mr Snrub]

So why's this guy suck all of a sudden?

 

[SKRusty]

So why's this guy suck all of a sudden?

This is such at silly statement. In preseason Neal unlike Lindholm was floated throughout the line-up. THen to start the season he was bumped around the line-up for a couple games and since has had to play with musical centers which hampers chemistry being formed. The best thing Peters could do is stick to a consistent center for Neal so he can get on stable footing. I still think Neal is capable of 30-40 on this team because once he finds chemistry with someone he will take off.

 

[Volica]

Neal's looking more dangerous every game.
He's going to have a game that he scores a hatty and we're all like Oh! there it is.

As long as Neal is firing pucks on net, making goalies make hard saves; it's what I want from the guy.

 

[Mobiandi]

Neal needs to start lifting the puck more

 

[CamPopplestone]

He's getting some good cgances, nothing is going in for him. Plus he has been on the third line the entire season so far.

 

[The Gnome]

He needs to be on the 2nd line and left there for a reasonable length of time. He's a vet in another new system, patience is needed. I agree he has started to look stronger, but he should also be seeing top 6 minutes and PP time. Otherwise why bother with him? He's a sniper, that's why we payed him, we should also play him that way.

There is always something to be said about never given always earned. But you can't just blanket every player with that, Neal will get going, but if we want the maximize his value he should play with some of our best players.

 

[Dack]

He's only shooting 6% so far, I wouldn't be surprised to see him double that (he has shit 12% through his career) and he only has 1 assist. The signing is still super risky but hes far better than he's shown so far.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

He's getting some good cgances, nothing is going in for him. Plus he has been on the third line the entire season so far.

He's been improving, but being on the 3rd line is not an excuse for a guy who gets paid almost 6 mil per season. Particularly not when the 3rd line is centered by Derek Ryan, who is allegedly one of the better 3rd line Cs in the league.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

So why's this guy suck all of a sudden?

Notorious slow starter.

Stanley Cup Finals hangover.

They don't make his stick anymore.

Adjusting to new coach.

Adjusting to new linemates. Sometimes more than once per game.

Even 20 goal scorers go through dry spells.

Etc.

 

[Bounces R Way]

He hasn't been that good but I don't think he's been awful or anything either. Really snakebitten, once he gets a couple he could get on a roll. Needs to shoot from the outside more, get that one timer off quicker. Developing some nice chemistry with Bennett. Ryan or Dube should be centering that line. Actually been pretty happy with his defensive game so far, seems to know when to just get it out to avoid a turnover and when to slow it down and try to make a play.

I agree with Gnome Peters should try to find him a little more ice, he's averaging more than 2 minutes less what his career average is so far. I'd hesitate to break up the top line just yet but still want to see him look there for at least a couple games in November. You could then put Lindholm between Bennett and Czarnik.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I’ve actually thought he was pretty decent in the last 6 games or so.

He will help us in playoffs if we get him there. That I am confident in

 

[JPeeper]

I feel he has looked dangerous with Bennett a number of times out there, the puck just isn't going in for either of them. If he gets an extended look with Tkachuk or if him and Benny keep grinding it out eventually the goals will come and we'll all be happy.

 

[Anglesmith]

Unlike the RW that he arguably replaced, I never get the sense that he's hurting the team when he's not scoring... but that said, I'd like him to start burying. He's getting a golden chance every game.

 

[Fig]

Neal's shot looks like crap for a sniper, so I did a little digging. I read somewhere that his "normal" stick was discontinued (Easton Mako) and he couldn't get it anymore, but I can't find the article. Supposedly, he recently ran out of the stockpile of his stick or something, so he's trying to find a replacement. Keep in mind, this is kinda huge when you realize that hockey players are apparently creatures of habit and are perhaps a little superstitious about their equipment sometimes to the point of ensuring that their hockey sticks are taped in a very specific manner.

Which Sticks are Scoring in the NHL? | The Hockey Gear Blog
Per this, Neal was using an Easton Mako once upon a time. I think it coincides with PSG going bankrupt ?(original owner of Easton and Bauer)

James Neal
Per this, he has switched to a Bauer Supreme 2S Pro

This, and I believe Neal is the type to start slow and get stronger as the season is longer... might be why I think he isn't looking great.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Bennett - Lindholm - Neal, needs to be a thing.