It's a loss for the Flames... that contract is beyond toxic.
- Reveen.

It's bad for sure. The Flames locker room was toxic last year, I'm just hoping Neal / Smith were the problem.

Two conditions have to be met for Oilers to send 3rd round pick to Calgary - James Neal has to record at least 21 goals and Lucic scores at least 10 fewer goals than Neal.

Now that all the details have been disclosed, I can confirm I do like this trade from the Flames' perspective.

- We save 500K on the cap. Not huge, but might be just what was needed to resign everybody without needing to trade more guys.

- I'm pretty sure Treliving asked for Peters' green light before doing that trade. If Peters' plan for Neal next year was to bury him down the lineup no matter what, than any thought of him having a rebound year was shattered. If Peters was adamant on giving Neal a 2nd chance, he would still be in Calgary.

- Who cares about the expansion draft honestly. Yes, we will have to protect Looch, but so what. We will be losing a defenseman anyway, likely Kylington, maybe a extended Brodie or Hamonic. If not, we will lose either Jankowski, Mangiapane or Ryan. Big f'in deal. We lost UFA Deryk Engelland last time around, so things could be much worse.

- Yes Lucic's contract is buyout proof, but don't forget a lockout is VERY possibly coming, and with it most likely a couple of those sweet get-out-of-jail free buyout cards. Treliving will be dropping one on Lucic's house by carrier pigeon.

- On the 4th line, I don't mind Lucic. I actually prefer him to Neal, who would probably just sulk and be trouble in the locker room. People were calling for a Reaves trade, well you got Lucic, which is just as good a nose-puncher.

- Lucic being a LW probably means they will be trying Bennett on the RW. I wouldn't mind him filling Ferland's old role on the 1rst line, allowing us to dress a pretty neat defensive 2nd line with Lindy opposite wing of Tkachuk. If this is indeed the plan, sign Bennett to a 6 years x 4,5 million contract right now, since he will likely hit 25 goals and 50 points just cleaning Johnny's garbage.

- The condition is meh, and unlikely to be reached (I see Neal closer to 15 than 21+ goals), but an extra pick is always nice.

All in all, it's pretty much a blackhole for a blackhole, but we save 500K in the process, and the whole NMC + buyout proof situation is likely way overblown.

Two conditions have to be met for Oilers to send 3rd round pick to Calgary - James Neal has to record at least 21 goals and Lucic scores at least 10 fewer goals than Neal.
- RatedR80

Probably a win for the Flames. They're saving a bit of cash and ignoring the contracts, there's not a single person who watched them both play who'd wouldn't rather have Lucic than whatever Neal was last year.

Neal isn't going to get a chance to play on the Oilers top six unless they're going with a new strategy where the centres hold up and wait for the wingers to catch up before entering the zone. There's a minuscule chance that Neal is ever an effective player again.

Two conditions have to be met for Oilers to send 3rd round pick to Calgary - James Neal has to record at least 21 goals and Lucic scores at least 10 fewer goals than Neal.
- RatedR80

So the Flames aren't getting a pick.

So the Flames aren't getting a pick.

- Hunkulese

No and to something else that was said in here....Neal has been and will continue to work with McDavid this off season.....might not mean much but it might....if anything it shows McDavid is cool with this deal.....maybe a 3rd gets sent your way after all

At the very least, BT got his tough guy. $5.25 per but at least he'll make the Flames less fun to play.

No and to something else that was said in here....Neal has been and will continue to work with McDavid this off season.....might not mean much but it might....if anything it shows McDavid is cool with this deal.....maybe a 3rd gets sent your way after all
- RatedR80

It doesn't really matter how cool McDavid is with the deal. Neal was too slow to play with Monahan. He's not going to be a top six guy in Edmonton. Maybe the Flames get lucky and the Oilers use him as the stand in front of the net guy on the PP. He could probably get to 21 doing that.

Kind of weird to have a condition based on your player sucking. That seems like something that shouldn't be allowed. It'll be awkward when they're both having a somewhat decent season and the Flames have to sit Lucic the last ten games to make sure they get the pick.

It doesn't really matter how cool McDavid is with the deal. Neal was too slow to play with Monahan. He's not going to be a top six guy in Edmonton. Maybe the Flames get lucky and the Oilers use him as the stand in front of the net guy on the PP. He could probably get to 21 doing that.
- Hunkulese

I’m not expecting much from Neal even if he is working out with McDavid and if he gets 21 then I’m good with losing the 3rd round pick

What. The. Fück...

I’m still trying to process this one. Not happy so far. Neal has a better projected comeback. Lucic brings face punching twice a year. They’re both slow, but maybe less female doging from Looch? If we have to protect him in the expansion draft then I’m concerned.

I’m going to wait and let this play out for a few days to have a clearer view of what’s really going on here. 🤔

Neal has a better projected comeback.
- Flamin_Irishmin

Based on what? Neal was awful last year. Lucic also had a decade of consistent offensive production until he didn't. Lucic has just as good a chance of hitting 50 points this year as Neal does, even though both would consider half that a successful year.

When players start sucking after 30, almost none of them bounce back.

Based on what? Neal was awful last year. Lucic also had a decade of consistent offensive production until he didn't. Lucic has just as good a chance of hitting 50 points this year as Neal does, even though both would consider half that a successful year.

When players start sucking after 30, almost none of them bounce back.
- Hunkulese

Well, I’m not biased, so let’s see where this goes. Again, time decides where this goes.

We will see where the managers go. They think 2 loftey from an angle of a understanding of, better or from worse. We shall see.

The real question is, is Lucic an upgrade over Hathaway?

Well, I’m not biased, so let’s see where this goes. Again, time decides where this goes.

We will see where the managers go. They think 2 loftey from an angle of a understanding of, better or from worse. We shall see.
- Flamin_Irishmin

Hey Irish! Keep in mind, with Lucic in the lineup, I think you will see our guys play less tentative. That puke Zadorov was dolling out some nasty hits in the playoffs, Mr Lucic would have had a chat with him. & I could give a fck if he got an extra 2:00 minute minor. Look at Reaves tuning in Kane. Kane is another dirty SOB we would have had no answer for. That blowout with Peters in game 4 in Colorado, that was the point of no return for Neal. He had to be traded & I have a feeling there was no way in hell ownership was gonna authorize Treliving to do a buyout after 1 year. Other GM's knew Treliving was in a corner no different than GM's knowing Holland was in a corner with Lucic. We have our NHL capable face puncher now & maybe this trade lights a candle under Lucic & we get a decent year out of him. Maybe trade him next summer. Im ok with this deal, just felt we should have gotten more, we should should have gotten at least a 2nd or Oilers eat more of the salary.

The real question is, is Lucic an upgrade over Hathaway?
- Hunkulese

Yes! Hathaway was out of his league with the likes of Reaves, Kassian, Kane, Lucic & now Ferland in Vancouver.

Yes! Hathaway was out of his league with the likes of Reaves, Kassian, Kane, Lucic & now Ferland in Vancouver.
- Kevin R

We'll, he's obviously a better goon. Is he a better hockey player than Hathaway for the 95% of the time you don't need a goon?

This will make the first BOA epic ! We'll see a few scores settled.

Good interview with Lucic. Sounds like he’s excited to play some meaningful hockey. Will be good to have that element on this team now. Bonus if he can find half his mojo again.

As far as the buyout and protection stuff, deal with that when it comes. A lot can change from now till then.

Now sign chucky FFS and trade Frolik

If the conditional pick and salary retention are true then its a straight up hockey trade. Good on Holland and Tre. Both were in bad situations with these players being on horrendous contracts and vastly underperforming, all the while being the ire of their respective fan bases. Salary aside, this fills a need for both teams. Its extremely unlikely lucic returns to his 20g/50pt form but he at least gives us some much needed muscle and will be a capable bottom 6 forward. Neal will be afforded more opportunities to be in a scoring role and may flirt with the 20 goal mark again which Edmonton desperately needs. Additionally, due to Lucic waiving his no trade, neither player will have to be protected in the expansion draft.

It will be a good reset for both players.

Edmonton/La/boston fans, can you answer me this; Did you see Lucic play rw at all and if so, did he look comfortable there?
- Rioghan

Love this move. Lucid can play right wing on Chucks’s line.

Tkachuk just became invincible!

Woooooooo!!!!

I am stunned ownership allowed this to happen!!! Just brutal!!!
- Clyde334

This makes absolutely ZERO sense! Yes Neal had a pathetic season, but ignoring that season, averaged 31 goals per 82 games since he entered the league!!! Lucic isn't relevant in the NHL and has no up-side potential. Yes, assuming both players are absolutely irrelevant, and are healthy scratched or put in the minors, the flames will shed a small amount of cap space, but there is no scenario where Lucic becomes the better NHL player. No clue why this trade happened. Sorry flames fans.

Good interview with Lucic. Sounds like he’s excited to play some meaningful hockey. Will be good to have that element on this team now. Bonus if he can find half his mojo again.

As far as the buyout and protection stuff, deal with that when it comes. A lot can change from now till then.

Now sign chucky FFS and trade Frolik
- jessehub

Yeah I agree. Let's stop worrying about the expansion draft until we have to. That doesn't matter right now.

After settling in a thinking about this trade a little bit more, and after reading that interview, I'm less worried about it now. Lucic can just put his head down and go to work in Calgary. We don't need him to be a star. He brings the grit up front this team needs and a ton of leadership and experience. What he might do for the locker room alone could help a lot.

We'll have to wait and see how this all shakes out, but I am starting to warm up to this move. But again, I'll reserve final judgement until we see them hit the ice.

This makes absolutely ZERO sense! Yes Neal had a pathetic season, but ignoring that season, averaged 31 goals per 82 games since he entered the league!!! Lucic isn't relevant in the NHL and has no up-side potential. Yes, assuming both players are absolutely irrelevant, and are healthy scratched or put in the minors, the flames will shed a small amount of cap space, but there is no scenario where Lucic becomes the better NHL player. No clue why this trade happened. Sorry flames fans.
- bikeguy99

Lucic was the better NHL player last year. So that's at least one scenario. And if both players are healthy scratched for the rest of their careers, the Flames come out ahead.

I guarantee anyone saying the Oilers won this trade didn't watch the Flames at all last year.

And to be clear, there are no winners in this trade. The Flames are just less losers.

Lucic was the better NHL player last year. So that's at least one scenario. And if both players are healthy scratched for the rest of their careers, the Flames come out ahead.

I guarantee anyone saying the Oilers won this trade didn't watch the Flames at all last year.

And to be clear, there are no winners in this trade. The Flames are just less losers.
- Hunkulese

I'd agree, I didn't watch a lot of Flames/Oilers games, about 10-15 each, but from watching those I'd say Lucic was the more snakebitten of the two. Kinda felt bad for him because he'd get the chances and there were many times he or his linemates should have scored but it didn't happen. Neal on the other hand seemed pretty invisible, many times I'd forget he was even playing.

Obviously this is just a personal opinion, but the Flames could have potentially pulled off a sneaky move. At the very least, Flames fans have a history of appreciating their tough guys so Lucic will have decent fan support if he's playing a heavy game.