because once you get the "bad contract" label, it's hard to get it removed

Scoring 28 goals (he was on pace for that) is great for a 5-6 mil AAV

Stars match

Bc he had 5 5v5 Goals, 7 EV goals... And was part of one of the best PP's in history, then got replaced by Chaison and the PP somehow improved... So he doesn't even have that anymore

Because paying $6M for a fourth-line power play asset is absurd.

If the cap is going down and Edmonton wants to improve their roster, Neal's the exact place you look at finding the savings. Betting on the Oilers to run a 30% power play over the next three years is silly. Power play opportunities drop come playoff time and you need to start relying on even-strength production to get anything done. Neal offers no solution to how the majority of the game is played, and finding room for him - even on the second PP unit - is a challenge.

If some other team wants to pay him the equivalent of what you think this years' numbers represent, then by all means let that team do so. Neal has been discussed as a buyout candidate for the Oilers well before talks of compliance buyouts were on the table. Edmonton needs the savings to improve their roster: if the power play is clicking at comparable levels without Neal and the goal is 5v5 improvement, there is no better candidate on this roster.

Russell can be moved. Chiasson can be moved. Khaira can be moved. Koskinen showed enough utility this year to at least play for another season and the FA market for starters beyond Lehner this year is horrible.

The only other player I'd consider for a CBO is Kassian - his deal is phenomenally stupid - but given that Holland just signed it, I'd consider that likelihood to be nil.

Watch his 5 on 5 play, he is horrendous if he cant just stand in front of the net. Andddd 3 more years of him is hard. At least Russel has one year only left on D and he can be a decent but barely 7th D.
Neal is practically a pylon out there.

It's because he's slow and can't keep up. So actually his teammates on the power play do matter. Because he went ice cold for a very long time lol. Scored 5 goals since Dec. 1st, 3 of them in the same game. And 7 of his 19 came in the first 4 games. Also he was having his ice time reduced quite a bit. I think the coach was seeing he couldn't keep up