Paul McCann: Celebrations and Goodbyes

Neal loss was like jumping straight into the water. The initial shock wears off quickly and you realize you are fine. He is an "asset" that was valuable, but I agree with Poile's decisions, especially the restraint to pony up in order to keep him. Same formula that got them where they are today

23 goals isn't that hard to come by.....

12 points came on the PP as well

There is no doubt GM tried to break one off in DP regarding Neal. DP was smart enough to not take the bait unlike GM in the Erat/Forsberg trade. I have doubted David Poile many times in the past, but I believe he will make the right moves to replace Neal and possibly Fisher. Wilson and Smith need to step it up big time!

Wouldn't it have been an "easier" deal to swing if we protected Neal and made a side deal with LGK re: Jarnkrok?

I wouldn't put much hope in getting anything out of Fiala near term. My guess is he doesn't even play this coming season. How many guys are in league with a rod in their femur and producing at a high level? Oshie setting a career high in goals on the highest scoring team in league is unlikely to repeat that feat and you will be buying him at his all time high. Not a great combination. I like idea of seeing what younger players do as far as improving their numbers but unfortunately it once again will come down to Smith and Wilson. Smith bouncing back to 20+ goals is reasonable but the enigma that is Colin Wilson?? who knows..
Fisher needs to jump one way or the other pretty quick I think to clarify Poiles strategy. I hope he stays for another year. He still has some gas in the tank I think.

Wouldn't it have been an "easier" deal to swing if we protected Neal and made a side deal with LGK re: Jarnkrok?
- wareaglePREDS

Jarnkrok's contract is too cap friendly for the amount of production. I don't believe he has reached his full potential yet. Only Poile knows for sure - like you, I wondered why he didn't protect Neal.

I think the only way to save Neal would have been to expose Jarnkrok and try to make a deal with McPhee to not pick Jarnkrok that might've been cheaper than what they were asking for Neal. Even if they did that, you would probably lose Sissons or Aberg.

I think with Neal having 1 year left at $5M then an UFA, and Jarnkrok being young and relatively cheap on a long term deal (plus a center who plays a solid 3C, and can play 2C in stretches), its possible that the asking price for Jarnkrok would've been the same from Vegas.

Poile almost always opts for the long-term security and value over the short-term, high-dollar player. There are valid arguments to be made that losing Jarnkrok wouldn't be as big a loss to the Preds with the emergence of Sissons and other young forwards. But I think it was kind of a 50/50 deal. It sucks to lose Neal. But it was gonna suck either way.

Now, Poile has the cap room to sign Johansen and Arvidsson. And he has plenty of salary cap room to make a deal for a winger using established forwards, prospects & picks. I don't think you can "replace" Neal's 23 goals by committee. And I don't think there are any viable 25-30 goal scorers you can get for Neal's cap hit of $5M. I don't really see Oshie or Marleau coming here. The Preds will miss Neal's quick shot & streaky scoring. No way to get around that. But if they can get a good piece by trade or FA, then perhaps they can find another special line combo that gives them a bigger impact than the sum of the parts.

oshie is available and you now have some cap space. i think he would be a good replacement

oshie is available and you now have some cap space. i think he would be a good replacement
- nyislsbossy

I think Ohsie would be fine if he isn't way over priced. He also may win us a few shootouts and keep us out of 3vs3 OT.

That would be golden.

I think Ohsie would be fine if he isn't way over priced. He also may win us a few shootouts and keep us out of 3vs3 OT.

That would be golden.
- predswilrule

Oshie to replace Neal and Duchene to replace Fisher (if he retires). Problem solved and at a reasonable price I'm sure. Moving on..

The idea that McCloud and Watson replace "The Heel's" edge is ludicrous. Having a top line sniper who creates space for other players on his line, buries pucks when needed and plays with an definitive edge are hard to come by and currently do not exist on our team.

He will be missed in more than just goal production. With him in Vegas, we've lost 2 of our four ASG players when we hosted them.

It was still the right decision by GMDP. We currently have 3 NHL centers under some sort of contract (RFA's included) Sissions, jarnkrok, Johansen. If we lost Calle, then we'd be playing with 3, 3-4 line centers including a Rookie. Do we want to play an entire season with an enormous deficit down the middle. We'd get eaten in the Central. Given with weakness in the Pacific, both wild cards out of the West will likely be coming from the Pacific as they feast on Vegas, Phoenix, Colorado and Vancouver. We would have a real possibility of not getting to the post-season dance in my opinion.

It's tough to lose Vesey last year, Neal this year, and possibly Fisher. That's a pretty solid line on any NHL team.

Oshie to replace Neal and Duchene to replace Fisher (if he retires). Problem solved and at a reasonable price I'm sure. Moving on..
- Polecat

Duchene lead the league in +/- last year, and by lead the league I mean he had the worst +/- in the league.

IF those players were even an option, we would probably only be able to land one of two. Oshie > Duchene

Duchene has been on the trading block for years, the asking price as always been to high. He also makes 6 million per year.

We might have to over pay for Oshie. I think DP would rather over pay for a UFA than give up assests to get Duchene.

Duchene lead the league in +/- last year, and by lead the league I mean he had the worst +/- in the league.

IF those players were even an option, we would probably only be able to land one of two. Oshie > Duchene

Duchene has been on the trading block for years, the asking price as always been to high. He also makes 6 million per year.

We might have to over pay for Oshie. I think DP would rather over pay for a UFA than give up assests to get Duchene.
- benderboots

Defense and goaltending had a lot to do with that don't you think? I was speaking tongue and cheek in regard to getting both of them. I would also take Oshie over Duchene.

Poile didn't "let" Neal go. All rumors suggest that he tried very hard to bribe McPhee not to take him. McPhee might've accepted such a bribe, even a lesser bribe, to not take Jarnkrok. It's simply bad asset management. It doesn't really matter if, at the end of the day, you agree that Jarnkrok was better to keep long term than Neal, because the way to get there shouldn't be to lose a player with such value for absolutely nothing. It's like if you knew beforehand that Suter would be replaced effectively with Josi. It wouldn't mean that it's OK to lose Suter for nothing.

Neal's value went beyond just 23 goals. He was a legitimate threat on the 2nd line, he was one of the players that teammates looked to, getting to play on his line would've been a draw for a free agent and it would've been very helpful for Fiala's development to get to play more with Neal. Now, other teams can concentrate harder on the top line and Fiala may have to learn to be an NHL goal scorer from Craig Smith. You might replace his 23 goals by spreading it around to other players, but that's a rather simplistic way to look at things, since there are some things that you can't easily replace.

If you want to replace Fisher you go sign Jerome Iginla
Simple as that.

If you want to replace Fisher you go sign Jerome Iginla
Simple as that.
- Tramp96

That is a lateral move at best. Not sure how much is left in the tank for either of those guys.

If you want to replace Fisher you go sign Jerome Iginla
Simple as that.
- Tramp96

Iginla wouldn't replace Fisher because one's a winger and the other is a center. Iginla could replace Neal, though... well, maybe not totally replace him, but maybe 16-18 of Neal's 23 goals. Iginla had an impressive 6 goals in, I think, 19 games with LA (which is not known for offense) once he got out of Colorado. On a one-year deal, if no better Neal replacement can be found in the first days of free agency, he'd be a lot better than nothing.

I wouldn't put much hope in getting anything out of Fiala near term. My guess is he doesn't even play this coming season. How many guys are in league with a rod in their femur and producing at a high level? Oshie setting a career high in goals on the highest scoring team in league is unlikely to repeat that feat and you will be buying him at his all time high. Not a great combination. I like idea of seeing what younger players do as far as improving their numbers but unfortunately it once again will come down to Smith and Wilson. Smith bouncing back to 20+ goals is reasonable but the enigma that is Colin Wilson?? who knows..
Fisher needs to jump one way or the other pretty quick I think to clarify Poiles strategy. I hope he stays for another year. He still has some gas in the tank I think.
- coaster28

Lol. You might want to reconsider your medical and/or news sources. He's been referred to multiple times over the past several weeks as a medical miracle. Not one anlysis from any involved doctor or relevant person has stated anything even remotely near your opinion.

He skated today. In his Preds jersey. On ice, no less. With a big smile.

Here's twitter post and pic:

https://www.nhl.com/preda...-since-injury/c-290073518

PS - He's expected to be ready for training camp. That's Sep 14th.

Lol. You might want to reconsider your medical and/or news sources. He's been referred to multiple times over the past several weeks as a medical miracle. Not one anlysis from any involved doctor or relevant person has stated anything even remotely near your opinion.

He skated today. In his Preds jersey. On ice, no less. With a big smile.

Here's twitter post and pic:

https://www.nhl.com/preda...-since-injury/c-290073518

PS - He's expected to be ready for training camp. That's Sep 14th.
- blueline

That is great to hear. I'm sure his youth had alot to do with that.

That is great to hear. I'm sure his youth had alot to do with that.
- Polecat

Definitely good news. Docs and others have been saying similar extraordinarily positive bits since the day after his injury and surgery. Youth played a major role, that's for sure. Medical advances and techniques in this sort of thing have taken great leaps too. Then there is Mr Fiala's incredible, smiling, positive can-do attitude.

It's quite possible that he ends up as an elite NHL player, above even the most optimistic projections. That would be fantastic - I'm pulling for him!

Best move would be to trade Subban's ridiculous cap hit contract; easily acquire a D man as good as him for 5mil, and still have another 4mil left to play with. He's good, but he ain't 9million good...