NHL free agency 2018: How James Neal signing affects Flames on and off the ice

Ryan Pike

NHL free agency 2018: How James Neal signing affects Flames on and off the ice image

The Calgary Flames continued their off-season roster overhaul, announcing on Monday the signing of free agent forward James Neal to a five year deal with a $5.75 million annual cap hit.

A left-shooting forward that can play either wing, Neal adds another weapon to a Flames top six group that includes Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk and recent acquisition Elias Lindholm. With Neal and Tkachuk able to play either wing, and Monahan, Backlund and Lindholm able to take shifts at center, the move gives new head coach Bill Peters the ability to utilize a multitude of different combinations at even strength and on special teams.

The addition of Neal to the Flames' top six carries with it some other consequences, namely strengthening the club's bottom six. His signing likely drops winger Michael Frolik, more of a two-way forward adept at shutdown duty, down to the club's third line. Combined with the additions of free agents Derek Ryan and Austin Czarnik and the maturation of Sam Bennett and Mark Jankowski, the Flames should be a deeper club and tougher to line-match against on the road.

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Neal has been one of the NHL's most consistent offensive presences since breaking into the league with the Dallas Stars in 2008-09, scoring 20 or more goals in 10 consecutive seasons. He had 25 goals and 44 points with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, playing on their second line and secondary power play group, and he'll be a key addition to a Flames club that struggled to score in the second half of the season.

 

The veteran's intangibles may be another reason why the Flames anted up for his services. Neal has worn a letter in each of his past four seasons, serving as alternate captain for three seasons with Nashville and one season with Vegas. He has also made appearances in the last two Stanley Cup Finals, losing in each year, and undoubtedly hopes to make another appearance with the Flames at some point in the next  five years.

While Neal's acquisition gives the Flames another new offensive contributor, the deal carries with it some risks. Based on a projection from Cap Friendly , the Flames have $12.86 million in cap space and still need to fill five roster spots – including back-up goaltender. His $5.75 million cap hit makes Neal the third-highest-paid Flames forward, behind Gaudreau and Monahan, and fourth on the team. With Lindholm and Noah Hanifin as restricted free agents that require new contracts, adding Neal somewhat narrows Brad Treliving's options in terms of the types of deals the club can afford to fit under their salary cap moving forward.

 

The length of the contract may also give some pause, given that Neal will be under contract through the 2022-23 season (and his 35th birthday). For a player with his style of game, Neal has been remarkably healthy, but he's also missed at least 10 games in four of the past five regular seasons. While the Flames hope Neal remains productive for the duration of his contract, offensive players typically decline in productivity throughout their 30s. Even if Neal bucks the trend and remains productive, the length of the contract poses a risk.

For the time-being, though, Neal's scoring touch means he's a risk they're willing to take.

Ryan Pike