Flames with uh Lucic

james neal was so much better lol.

Has anyone made sense of the trade? Maybe Treliving felt Lucic was more suited for a bottom 6 role? I've got nothing.

Here is my reasoning, Neil had one confirmed case to the public where he was having issues in the locker room, he wanted to be top 6 but was not producing so he got put on the bottom 6, he did not like that. Lucic was expected to play on the top 6 for Edmonton but he wanted more of a bottom 6 enforcer role. I think both players were either not getting along with the team or did not like coaching staff. I like the trade , lucic has more opportunity on the flames bottom 6 as we have more depth than Edmonton, so he wont be expected to score as much as Edmonton expected him too.

Lucic didn't want a bottom 6 role, he wanted to be McDavid's winger and is too slow and not skilled enough to do anything in this era of hockey. There is no sugar coating this trade, it was utterly awful, Neal is not who he was but he has enough speed to be a 20+ goal scorer playing with McDavid, he could score 30 before the deadline and it wouldn't surprise me. That being said, if Edmonton holds on to him then Holland is no smarter than Chiarelli. Old players with term never work out well.

Calagary is going to watch Lucic be a pylon and won't be able to trade him. He was a terrible signing by Edmonton and a change of scenery won't help him become faster and younger. Now Calgary is stuck with him.

Neal doesnt have any speed. He couldn't keep up with either of the Flames top two lines. Doubt he lasts long with McDavid. More likely he plays with Nuge. Penciling him in for 20+ is a huge risk. His shooting percentage is low but his expected GF numbers suggest he got what he deserved production wise.