Around the NHL Thread - Found the Missing #16

[InfinityIggy]

Neal will cool off, inevitably. He will get bumped down because he’s a liability and then he will pout and quit on his team. If Neal is so good, why does he bounce around from team to team every couple of seasons? It’s because his attitude is terrible and his teammates don’t like him.

Nah man he is definitely going to keep scoring at a *checks notes*.... 47.9 shooting percentage.

 

[DFF]

Nah man he is definitely going to keep scoring at a *checks notes*.... 47.9 shooting percentage.

He doesn't have to shoot

The puck just sees James Neal and goes in on its own

 

[Rubi]

Oilers are now 5-0 to start the season with a 4-1 against the Rangers. Draisaitl scores 2 and has 1 assist. James Neal held scoreless.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Neal sucks.

 

[Mobiandi]

Murray Edwards is laughing

 

[Anglesmith]

The Oilers have had a soft schedule to start the year. I don't think worrying is necessary. They don't look like juggernauts, but they're definitely improved under the new stable regime.

 

[GAMO1992]

The Oilers have had a soft schedule to start the year. I don't think worrying is necessary. They don't look like juggernauts, but they're definitely improved under the new stable regime.

This I think cannot be understated enough. They have a well respected and veteran GM of the YEARS of success in wins from Detroit in Holland. They have a stable-ish coach(for now).
I've been saying for years the reason the Oil have been the circus that they have been is no real leadership from the top down. Looks like with Holland at the helm things are finally starting to stabilize for them.

Now, remains to be seen if it lasts the entire season, but if this is the start of them leaving the 'laughing stock' territory then good on them. it's been far too long.

Hopefully this makes the BoA THAT much better.

 

[McFlyingV]

Neal will cool off, inevitably. He will get bumped down because he’s a liability and then he will pout and quit on his team. If Neal is so good, why does he bounce around from team to team every couple of seasons? It’s because his attitude is terrible and his teammates don’t like him.

Got a source for the bolded? I have only ever heard good things about Neal from his teammates and how well he is liked in the dressing room prior to coming to Calgary. I remember watching a video that followed him around in the dressing room and his everyday life in his time in Pittsburgh and it showed a very positive reflection of how his teammates regarded him.

 

[Mobiandi]

Gonna be great when Lucic gets a 5 goal game against the Oilers

 

[Rubi]

Got a source for the bolded? I have only ever heard good things about Neal from his teammates and how well he is liked in the dressing room prior to coming to Calgary. I remember watching a video that followed him around in the dressing room and his everyday life in his time in Pittsburgh and it showed a very positive reflection of how his teammates regarded him.

Looks like there are two sides to the coin with regards to Neal in the Pen's locker room..

"Here’s Rutherford on the Neal trade:
Any move of this magnitude goes beyond stats and cap figures. Neal was a divisive player, with multiple suspensions and some scuttlebutt about difficulties in the Penguins locker room.
Rutherford danced around that a bit in talking about the trade, but dropped some cryptic confirmation. There was talk about “changing the mix” with the Penguins. There was the emphasis on Spaling being “a good locker room guy.”
And when asked point blank about Neal’s controversies, Rutherford said: “Everything comes into play when we’re possibly looking at moving a player.”"

Jim Rutherford on why the Penguins traded James Neal (Video)

 

[McFlyingV]

Looks like there are two sides to the coin with regards to Neal in the Pen's locker room..

"Here’s Rutherford on the Neal trade:
Any move of this magnitude goes beyond stats and cap figures. Neal was a divisive player, with multiple suspensions and some scuttlebutt about difficulties in the Penguins locker room.
Rutherford danced around that a bit in talking about the trade, but dropped some cryptic confirmation. There was talk about “changing the mix” with the Penguins. There was the emphasis on Spaling being “a good locker room guy.”
And when asked point blank about Neal’s controversies, Rutherford said: “Everything comes into play when we’re possibly looking at moving a player.”"

Jim Rutherford on why the Penguins traded James Neal (Video)

Thanks. Sounds like it could be a mix of him wearing out his welcome (the video I watched was from early on during his time in Pittsburgh).

 

[DFF]

Got a source for the bolded? I have only ever heard good things about Neal from his teammates and how well he is liked in the dressing room prior to coming to Calgary. I remember watching a video that followed him around in the dressing room and his everyday life in his time in Pittsburgh and it showed a very positive reflection of how his teammates regarded him.

Not sure of exact source but all the teams were more than willing to let him go. Teams do not get rid of good teammates

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Got a source for the bolded? I have only ever heard good things about Neal from his teammates and how well he is liked in the dressing room prior to coming to Calgary. I remember watching a video that followed him around in the dressing room and his everyday life in his time in Pittsburgh and it showed a very positive reflection of how his teammates regarded him.

Well Neal was traded out of Pittsburgh after essentially having 2 PPG seasons for a lesser player in Hornqvist. Neal had insane chemistry with Malkin was hands down regarded as a topline winger at the time and he was traded for a 2nd/3rd line guy that is more of a grinder than scorer. Then he goes to Nashville and has 3 decent seasons at producing at over a 0.5 PPG pace, has an amazing clutch run to the finals in his 3rd season, and what do the Preds do, they expose him to Vegas just dump him for you guessed it, nothing.

What I know here is that the coach flat out didn’t like him. Multiple media persons have said this. It’s also been said that Neal openly speaks his mind in that if he doesn’t like something a teammate does, he will let you know. In some instances this could be a good thing because you know where you stand with him, but it would also certainly rub others the wrong way. It’s pretty obvious how he was thought of here.

Neal easily had more value than Lucic, but the Flames were so desperate to move on from him that they dealt him for one of the worst contracts in the league, a player who is in decline and has an unmoveable contract. These are all facts, not opinion and when you factor in Neals on ice history in the past and some of the shit plays he’s been a part of, it doesn’t paint him in a favourable light at all. I’m so glad he’s gone and he’s probably my least favourite player in the league behind only Kesler.

 

[Khrox]

Guys, Hathaway just got the only assist on a PowerPlay Goal. Washington is actively using Garnet Hathaway on the PP. I mean, good on him for making the most of it, especially since Washington definitely has a skilled and effective powerplay, but it still makes me wonder why he's on the PP. Still, I miss him, and hope he has a great year with the Caps.

 

[Anglesmith]

Guys, Hathaway just got the only assist on a PowerPlay Goal. Washington is actively using Garnet Hathaway on the PP. I mean, good on him for making the most of it, especially since Washington definitely has a skilled and effective powerplay, but it still makes me wonder why he's on the PP. Still, I miss him, and hope he has a great year with the Caps.

They made Brouwer a PP guy. Hathaway is clearly better than Brouwer. So I can see it. I think a plug is the magic ingredient for their PP or something.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Hathaway is a big body presence, and has half-decent hands in close.

 

[DFF]

Yeah when janks leaves, he will instantly become a scorer like Neal and Hathaway ....

BT should use that for marketin

 

[Corpus X]

Wrong thread... Go Sabres!

 

[Lunatik]

The Oilers have had a soft schedule to start the year. I don't think worrying is necessary. They don't look like juggernauts, but they're definitely improved under the new stable regime.

They're being outplayed regularly by some pretty poor teams. I'd give it a couple months before suggesting they are improved.

 

[Saltcreek]

They're being outplayed regularly by some pretty poor teams. I'd give it a couple months before suggesting they are improved.

This is not really true. The Devils most definitely outplayed the Oilers and I believe so did the Canucks but other than that the Oilers have outplayed their competition. Do not get me wrong, they are no contender but I think they will compete for a wild card. For the first time in a long time they look like an actual NHL team.

It is very early in the season so a lot will change but at least they are not a complete embarrassment right now. I still have a lot of concerns over the bottom 6...

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Remember when the Flames started the season 12-2-2 only to miss the playoffs?

Pepperidge Farms remembers.

 

[Kipper933]

Remember when the Flames started the season 12-2-2 only to miss the playoffs?

Pepperidge Farms remembers.

Oilers are the first team ever to win their first 5 games with the other team scoring first each game.

#unsustainable

 

[DFF]

Why are you guys watching the oilers?

 

[DCDM]

Might it be time to consider the Oilers are actually good?

considers it

Nah

 

[Anglesmith]

Might it be time to consider the Oilers are actually good?

considers it

Nah

I think we can consider them not a tire-fire. To be good, they have to actually play some quality competition and show it.