TSN: Nashville Aquires James Neal from Pittsburgh for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling

[Byrddog]

either.

Both played about 16:20 a game.

Smiths is easier to explain since he does not play a lick of defense and the team was 4th in the league in PK minutes that hurt him there and to a lesser effect Wilson as well.

That will also be a task Lavy will need to address we will miss Spaling on the PK and Goose and Fish will have even more minutes on the PK if things do not change.

There was much said about the increase in minutes Goose played but the PK was a big part of it. Even the number of faceoffs he took on the PP added to his minutes.

Cutiting down the PK is a must Neal will need to reduce his PIM's to lower than Horni"s level just to remain equal to last season. It is doable

 

[PREDy 4 the Cup]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=724674&cmpid=nhl-fb

Looks like Neal is ready to tear it up as a pred!!

 

[Jarnberg]

Centers for James Neal (not all goals scored with this center but got most of his points with this center):

2008-2009 - 24 goals in 77 games with Mike Modano
2009-2010 - 27 goals in 78 games with Brad Richards
2010 - 2011 - 21 goals in 59 games with Brad Richards
2010 - 2011 - 1 goal in 20 games with Jordan Staal
2011 - 2012 - 40 goals in 80 games with Evgeni Malkin
2012 - 2013 - 21 goals in 40 games with Evgeni Malkin (although 9% of his points came from playing the PP with Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz)
2013 - 2014 - 27 goals in 59 games with Evengi Malkin

 

[triggrman]

Smiths is easier to explain since he does not play a lick of defense and the team was 4th in the league in PK minutes that hurt him there and to a lesser effect Wilson as well.

That will also be a task Lavy will need to address we will miss Spaling on the PK and Goose and Fish will have even more minutes on the PK if things do not change.

There was much said about the increase in minutes Goose played but the PK was a big part of it. Even the number of faceoffs he took on the PP added to his minutes.

Cutiting down the PK is a must Neal will need to reduce his PIM's to lower than Horni"s level just to remain equal to last season. It is doable

Nashville had 398:31 minutes in penalty kill time last season, only 4 teams had fewer.

We had the 4th least times being shorthanded, not the 4th most, you're reading it wrong.

So your statement that we spent the 4th most time on the penalty kill in the league is not accurate.

Smith's even strength numbers put him at about 104th. I guess technically that's the bottom of the top 6 (120th rank)

 

[Jarnberg]

I'm sure James Neal is pumped going from Malkin to Jokinen. Surely that'll help him make up the difference in goals lost from Hornqvist!

 

[Mass]

I'm sure James Neal is pumped going from Malkin to Jokinen. Surely that'll help him make up the difference in goals lost from Hornqvist!

Good thing Neal won't be anywhere near the third line then.

 

[RCola88]

Don''t know if this was posted, but I just read our package for Spezza was Hornqvist + 11th pick. Im okay with it not going through now, means we probably would have not gotten Neal. So we would be in the same boat, except looking to fill a winger position instead

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun -
"Senators GM Bryan Murray wasn’t too happy that he couldn’t move Jason Spezza for a deal that included the Predators first round pick and Patric Hornqvist."

So Neal + Fiala for Hornqvist + Spaling? Ill take that every day.

 

[Paranoid Android]

Don''t know if this was posted, but I just read our package for Spezza was Hornqvist + 11th pick. Im okay with it not going through now, means we probably would have not gotten Neal. So we would be in the same boat, except looking to fill a winger position instead



So Neal + Fiala for Hornqvist + Spaling? Ill take that every day.

Seeing what Spezza actually went for, either Poile was grossly overpaying or that rumor was wrong (it's been quoted from multiple sources).

 

[PredsV82]

If those rumors are correct then Lavy must have told Poile to get rid of Hornqvist because that would have been a Godawful overpayment for a one year rental. Thank you Spezza, for saving us from ourselves. The Neal trade is substantially better

 

[token grinder]

I heard from a bird that the Ottawa offer was Ekholm and the 1st for Spezza, and had been on the table and agreed to for darn near a month.

 

[Armourboy]

Once again thank god Spezza turned it down.

 

[Enoch]

I heard from a bird that the Ottawa offer was Ekholm and the 1st for Spezza, and had been on the table and agreed to for darn near a month.

Wow.

 

[RCola88]

I heard from a bird that the Ottawa offer was Ekholm and the 1st for Spezza, and had been on the table and agreed to for darn near a month.

Probably why word didn't come out about MDZ till after it was declined by Spezza

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

I heard from a bird that the Ottawa offer was Ekholm and the 1st for Spezza, and had been on the table and agreed to for darn near a month.

 

[klt2001]

http://video.predators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=1501

 

[Gnashville]

http://video.predators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=1501

they almost got #22 and #23 for the 11th pick also but Poile wanted Fiala

 

[Predsboro]

they almost got #22 and #23 for the 11th pick also but Poile wanted Fiala

yeah ... at least Poile stood his ground on the picks and kept 11 ...

 

[Filip Forceberg]

http://video.predators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=1501

It's clear that they think Fiala is going to be something special.

 

[OpenWheel]

It's clear that they think Fiala is going to be something special.

The last time Poile was high on a forward, it was Colin Wilson. ("We've been looking for a guy like him for a long time.")

Nice draft.

And getting Neal, even better. Best wishes to Hornquist and Spaling though, both good players and good guys.

 

[RCola88]

So was the deal Neal + 22 + 23 for Horqvist + Spaling + 11? And I assume when Poile said "he's our next star player" he was referring to Kevin Fiala?

 

[Privy]

So was the deal Neal + 22 + 23 for Horqvist + Spaling + 11? And I assume when Poile said "he's our next star player" he was referring to Kevin Fiala?

That's what it sounds like to me.

Edit - Poile mentions quantity over quality. I think he's referring to the draft picks. Not sure if Poile or Mario shot down the picks or if Rutherford couldn't get the second 1st. Either which way, I prefer how it turned out.

 

[NSH615]

That's what it sounds like to me.

Edit - Poile mentions quantity over quality. I think he's referring to the draft picks. Not sure if Poile or Mario shot down the picks or if Rutherford couldn't get the second 1st. Either which way, I prefer how it turned out.

I'm pretty sure that Poile shot down the picks. I think he wanted Fiala that bad and knew he would be gone if he had to wait until 22.

 

[Privy]

I'm pretty sure that Poile shot down the picks. I think he wanted Fiala that bad and knew he would be gone if he had to wait until 22.

I agree. Poile called the kid a "gamechanger". Everyone seems to think highly of Fiala. Looking at the forwards that would have been available, Poile made the right call.

 

[Predsrule]

Anyone remember when the trade was done? Like after witch pick. I think Nylander and Ehlers were still not drafted at that point to be fair the star player could of been one of them and to save face he's talking up fala? Though seeing who was drafted at 22 and 23 would of been happy with that as well. In the end all things said and done we made out very well in tutus trade so all good.

 

[PredsV82]

Anyone remember when the trade was done? Like after witch pick. I think Nylander and Ehlers were still not drafted at that point to be fair the star player could of been one of them and to save face he's talking up fala? Though seeing who was drafted at 22 and 23 would of been happy with that as well. In the end all things said and done we made out very well in tutus trade so all good.

Well, afterwzrds Poike said they had identified Fiala back in December as someone they liked who looked to be available in the range where we were likely to be drafting, so I think it was Fiala all along