James Neal (ice hockey)

Lore & Background

James Neal signed a five-year, $28.75 million contract with the Calgary Flames on July 2, 2018, after leaving the Vegas Golden Knights as a free agent. His season with Calgary severely underwhelmed; he scored only 19 points, less than his lowest single-season goal total on any of his previous teams. He was benched on multiple occasions during the campaign, including being a healthy scratch prior to a pivotal Game 5 Stanley Cup Playoffs first round matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.

Neal's time with the Flames was marked by a stark drop in production compared to his earlier career. After just over a year with Calgary, on July 19, 2019, the Flames traded him to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Milan Lucic and a 2020 conditional third-round pick. Both Neal and Lucic had struggled to live up to the expectations attached to their large salaries on their previous teams, and the trade gave both players a chance for a fresh start.

Reader's Guide

James Neal's tenure with the Calgary Flames is remembered as a significant disappointment relative to the expectations set by his contract and his previous NHL performance. After scoring 25 goals in the Vegas Golden Knights' inaugural season and reaching the Stanley Cup Final, Neal was signed to a five-year, $28.75 million deal to bring scoring depth to Calgary. Instead, he recorded only 19 points in the 2018–19 season, his lowest single-season total up to that point, and was benched multiple times, including a healthy scratch in the playoffs. The trade to the Edmonton Oilers for Milan Lucic, another high-salary underperformer, highlighted the Flames' desire to move on from the contract. Neal's brief and underwhelming stint in Calgary stands in contrast to his earlier career achievements, such as scoring 40 goals in a season with the Pittsburgh Penguins and helping the Nashville Predators reach their first Stanley Cup Final. His legacy with the Flames is primarily as a cautionary example of a high-profile free-agent signing that did not meet expectations.

Did You Know?

• James Neal scored the first two goals in Vegas Golden Knights franchise history in a 2–1 comeback victory over the Dallas Stars on October 6, 2017.
• He was traded from the Calgary Flames to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Milan Lucic and a conditional third-round pick on July 19, 2019.
• Neal scored his first NHL hat-trick on December 23, 2008, in an 8–2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• He was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights from the Nashville Predators in the 2017 NHL expansion draft.