As far as Neal is concerned, it’s exactly what he needed. He already feels better here than he felt in Calgary and training camp hasn’t even started yet.
“I just didn’t feel like myself (last year),” he said, adding it’s a much better vibe this year. “Coming in and getting a house early, seeing the facilities here, everything about it feels good. The rink is amazing. You spend a lot of your time in it and that dressing room is pretty awesome.
“I had a great summer of training, I’m in great shape, I put in a lot of work and I feel good, I feel confident coming into camp, whereas last year I didn’t feel like that.”
“Last year, you don’t want to use excuses but it was tough for me. If you go to back-to-back Stanley Cup finals, the wear and tear on your body and your ability to recover and get back to where you want to be is just not there. That’s the reality of it.
“I was worn down. Then going to a new town, moving, was a big change for me. And where I was playing (in the lineup) was really hard.
And the 'real' reason...
“I’ll talk to Tip (Dave Tippett) and we’ll go through the specifics of it when we get to camp, but of course
I want to be in the top six. I’ve proven I can play in that role and I can put the puck in the net. I’ve scored 20-plus goals for 10-plus seasons. I know I can score.”
TYCHKOWSKI: Neal fully expects to rediscover his scoring touch with Oilers