First to post a Neal for Lucic trade MyHockeybuzz blog gets to replace freeloader.

I'd put my money on a Neal rebound before a Lucic rebound.
- RonPielep

Yup

Yup
- Clyde334

I'd put my money on a Neal buyout.

If this is true, the difference in buyout is absolutely crazy. That makes it worth it alone.

I'd put my money on a Neal buyout.
- Reveen.

Really?

I'd put my money on a Neal buyout.
- Reveen.

Maybe next year if Neal doesn't bounce back but I don't see the point in doing a buyout this year unless Holland has some good idea about how to use the saved space.

Really?
- Clyde334

Next summer unless Neal puts in 20 goals this year.

Very undecided as of now. I'm ecstatic if only because I don't have to watch Lucic whip grenades into the feet of his teammates anymore, but now we're banking on less of a sure-thing in Nuge and Neal being able to reproduce the results Nuge and Lucic did (3.08 GF/60, 1.94 GA/60 in 526 minutes together; 61.36% GF, 54.6% HDGF). There's some good boom potential, but the very real risk is that Neal is actually worse for results than Lucic was.

A minor brightside here is that Neal is a RW by trade so it opens up a spot for Benson in the top-6 if he can take it and run with it.

Maybe next year if Neal doesn't bounce back but I don't see the point in doing a buyout this year unless Holland has some good idea about how to use the saved space.
- RonPielep

Besides to burn the flames of the conditional pick?

Very undecided as of now. I'm ecstatic if only because I don't have to watch Lucic whip grenades into the feet of his teammates anymore, but now we're banking on less of a sure-thing in Nuge and Neal being able to reproduce the results Nuge and Lucic did (3.08 GF/60, 1.94 GA/60 in 526 minutes together; 61.36% GF, 54.6% HDGF). There's some good boom potential, but the very real risk is that Neal is actually worse for results than Lucic was.

A minor brightside here is that Neal is a RW by trade so it opens up a spot for Benson in the top-6 if he can take it and run with it.
- MaximumBone

Maybe Neal plays with McDavid and Nuge gets Drai?

Very undecided as of now. I'm ecstatic if only because I don't have to watch Lucic whip grenades into the feet of his teammates anymore, but now we're banking on less of a sure-thing in Nuge and Neal being able to reproduce the results Nuge and Lucic did (3.08 GF/60, 1.94 GA/60 in 526 minutes together; 61.36% GF, 54.6% HDGF). There's some good boom potential, but the very real risk is that Neal is actually worse for results than Lucic was.

A minor brightside here is that Neal is a RW by trade so it opens up a spot for Benson in the top-6 if he can take it and run with it.
- MaximumBone

This idea that Lucic is strong defensively is completely and utterly lost on me.

Besides to burn the flames of the conditional pick?
- wreckage

I wanna hear the final details.

Maybe Neal plays with McDavid and Nuge gets Drai?
- wreckage

That's a worse resolution in my opinion. They've been fine production-wise but less than ideal in outscoring. Small sample size being what it is, take it with a grain of salt but they ran at 3.81 GF/60, 4.13 GA/60, 48% GF, 40% HDGF in 188 minutes together. Those aren't the signs of chemistry that I break up a 1000+ minute, 56% GF duo in order to facilitate.

This idea that Lucic is strong defensively is completely and utterly lost on me.
- RonPielep

It's not that he's strong defensively, it's that his presence and misplays with the puck seem to discombobulate both teams' structure to the point that whenever he's on the ice, overall goals drop. It's like he's a signal jammer. His results with Nuge indicate that Nuge could take advantage of that mess and churn out very good results with him.

It's not that he's strong defensively, it's that his presence and misplays with the puck seem to discombobulate both teams' structure to the point that whenever he's on the ice, overall goals drop. It's like he's a signal jammer. His results with Nuge indicate that Nuge could take advantage of that mess and churn out very good results with him.
- MaximumBone

Ahh okay I gotcha. Signal jammer...

That is quite a bit of a different take than the one Todd seems to be trying to spin.

Actually to be fair maybe part of that is a result of his physical play causing other teams players to cough up pucks that Nuge can then capitalize on. If that's the case/chemistry then I suppose it is fair to praise Lucic for that contribution.

I'm hoping that whether it's Benson or Neal (or both), Nuge will appreciate having something more than a cluster-(frank) chaos generator on his line.

That's a worse resolution in my opinion. They've been fine production-wise but less than ideal in outscoring. Small sample size being what it is, take it with a grain of salt but they ran at 3.81 GF/60, 4.13 GA/60, 48% GF, 40% HDGF in 188 minutes together. Those aren't the signs of chemistry that I break up a 1000+ minute, 56% GF duo in order to facilitate.
- MaximumBone

Well Nuge is gonna walk for nothing if they dont give him a bone. Maybe McDavid/Neal can opperate at 54% rate and Nuge/Drai at 52% with consistent time to build some chemistry.

Just thank (frank) the boat anchor is gone if this report is true. Cant take a pass. Cant make a pass. Cant shoot. Cant skate. But can take the body, play in corners, and muck it up when it gets physical. Thats all he has to offer. Milan... GTFOH.

I’m... I’m so happy...

I’m... I’m so happy...
- Wildschwein

After the Marleau trade I thought the Oil would have to give up 3 firsts to drop Lucic's buyout proof contract.

Ahh okay I gotcha. Signal jammer...

That is quite a bit of a different take than the one Todd seems to be trying to spin.

I'm hoping that whether it's Benson or Neal (or both), Nuge will appreciate having something more than a cluster-(frank) chaos generator on his line.
- RonPielep

Well, no offense to Todd, but his analysis seems to limit its focus on just looking at the numbers rather than looking at specifics for why the numbers look like they do. Not to say I have all the answers because clearly I don't but, in the case of Lucic, I've seen enough of him to be confident in that description.

Well Nuge is gonna walk for nothing if they dont give him a bone. Maybe McDavid/Neal can opperate at 54% rate and Nuge/Drai at 52% with consistent time to build some chemistry.

Just thank (frank) the boat anchor is gone if this report is true. Cant take a pass. Cant make a pass. Cant shoot. Cant skate. But can take the body, play in corners, and muck it up when it gets physical. Thats all he has to offer. Milan... GTFOH.
- wreckage

I think a big part of his qualms are with the inconsistency of his linemates, not just the quality. If we can staple him together with Neal and Benson and let them develop some chemistry, then I think that covers his main line-related complaint. Next would be winning which I think is better served by keeping the wonder duo together.

Well, no offense to Todd, but his analysis seems to limit its focus on just looking at the numbers rather than looking at specifics for why the numbers look like they do. Not to say I have all the answers because clearly I don't but, in the case of Lucic, I've seen enough of him to be confident in that description.
- MaximumBone

Todd is totally a high quantity medium-low quality blogger so I cut him some slack because he produces 3+ posts per day.