PTO: [STL] James Neal and Michael Frolik sign PTOs with the Blues

[JTRAIN1966]

the PTO's I don't worry about too much, especially in this case as both these guys appear to just be 'camp' guys

and Im guessing Thomas doesn't like the 'bridge' deal he's being offered, but dude hasn't been able to put together a healthy season since his rookie debut
but if Sanford is getting 2m, then Thomas is worth 3. just my opinion

I couldn't agree more .

 

[Zach716]

Frolik is completely cooked.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Rooting for Neal. Covid did a number on him last season. I hope he's past it now.

yup,

Neal was good for us the year before last. Covid had lingering effects for him and I hope he's over it

 

[north49er]

They might be a decent player if you could glue them together.....

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

I wouldn't look too much into it yet, quite a few good RFA's haven't been signed yet and we still have some time before the season starts. Barbashev also signed quite late last season for example. The only fact we know now is that Thomas is in town skating with a big chunk of the Blues roster.

would have to think Army will get something done... always does

and good point about Barby

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

yup,

Neal was good for us the year before last. Covid had lingering effects for him and I hope he's over it

yeah, wonder if he's done or has a bit left after recovering. sounds like he's a good netfront presence and STL could use that

 

[TheGoldenGod]

I like it. Nothing wrong with bringing in some extra competition to training camp to push guys like Sanford and Kostin to earn their spots in the lineup.

 

[Souker]

No idea what happened to Frolik. Turned from Swiss Army knife middle 6er to healthy scratch fodder seemingly overnight.

Neal is beyond done at an NHL level.

To be honest, in the limited number of games he played last year for the Habs, the one impression he always gave is that he was completely lost and seemed out of place on the ice. Personally, I think he’s a Europeen league calider player that this point - but could MAYBE fit with the right team as a 12-13th forward. On the Habs he wouldn’t even be a bench player.
To be fair, Habs got a few of those “swiss army knife” players and all are undeniably superior to him. So the fit wasn’t there either.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Frolik in a Blues uniform is gross.

 

[Mike Liut]

Camp bodies. Zero chance they have a chance making the team. Blues are way too deep.

 

[Mr Positive]

with Neal on the Oilers he started strong but then went in this kind of holding pattern. He had his role on the PP, which went away when Chiasson worked out better there, but in general there were issues in the bottom six that seemed to hamper anyone. The phrase "rising tide lifts all boats" seemed to apply a lot to him. He seemed close to being a great skilled veteran in the depth but could just never find the right teammates or chemistry or whatever was wrong, and then this year he had his covid recovery and so it always seemed like an effective Neal was just out of reach.

It really feels like the buyout was a good idea because maybe it hasn't been happening because he just doesn't have it anymore, and the theme this year was to flush out the bottom six, almost entirely. But as a PTO I'd be curious to see how Neal does with this different mix of teammates.

 

[Captain97]

Frolik is completely cooked.

I think as a PTO 14th forward he is a good option since he can PK still

 

[Sweetpotato]

Neal was phenomenal as an energy vet on the 3rd/4th line in the play ins vs Chicago. Then the next season covid obliterated him and he wasn't the same since.

He'll be surprisingly good

 

[Mikeaveli]

James "Can't Get a Real Deal" Neal

 

[Whalers Fan]

Always rooted for James Neal. He was one of the leaders on the Plymouth Whalers 2006-07 OHL Championship team. I hope this works out for him.

 

[Larry Hanson]

Neal started sucking before he ever caught Covid. Slow, lazy, whiny and completely useless when he's not on the powerplay.

 

[Jerkbait]

Camp bodies. Zero chance they have a chance making the team. Blues are way too deep.

You might be shocked son....

 

[nbwingsfan]

Frolik had such a strange career to me. Started off strong with a 45pt rookie campaign at just 20 years old, but followed that up by staying in the 35-45pt range for essentially his entire career.

Rarely do you see a player stay the same, without any career years or major drop offs, for like 12 straight years.

 

[Mike Liut]

You might be shocked son....

Are 5 guys getting hurt in preseason? Anything is possible I guess

 

[usahockey22flyers]

I have no proof or statistics...but I feel like the Blues always have the biggest names on PTO's.

 

[Jerkbait]

Are 5 guys getting hurt in preseason? Anything is possible I guess

Or will the need for a veteran net front presence who still has some hands push one of the cookie cutter forwards out?? I guess anything is possible.

 

[Mike Liut]

Or will the need for a veteran net front presence who still has some hands push one of the cookie cutter forwards out?? I guess anything is possible.

Who are they beating out?

Buchnevich -RoR-Perron
Schenn-Thomas-Kyrou
Saad-Barbie-Tarasenko
Sanford/MacMac-Sunny/Bozak -Kostin

good luck with that

 

[Jerkbait]

Who are they beating out?

Buchnevich -RoR-Perron
Schenn-Thomas-Kyrou
Saad-Barbie-Tarasenko
Sanford/MacMac-Sunny/Bozak -Kostin

good luck with that

This isn't hard. Neal with a decent camp pushes any of the any of the 4th line guys with the exception of bozak. This is especially true if the PP looks like it needs a different look. Neal would come cheaper than some perhaps the absolute minimum.
I'll leave you with obvious, you would think a team that is soooooo deep up front would of had a better showing last season then

 

[Conbon]

If the Blues are scraping this low for depth it must be nearly rebuild time right?

 

[Reality Czech]

If the Blues are scraping this low for depth it must be nearly rebuild time right?

Read the post two spots above yours and get back to me.