POLL: Chris Neil - Your call

Neely4Life wrote:Neil is worth about 1.5-2 mil and can change the outcome of a game without scoring a goal or getting a point. He chips in here and there and has the ability to play 10 plus min a night... show me how many guys in the NHL can play the role he does the ones that can, I dont think there are a lot of guys who do it better.

Points are a bonus with Neil... but the same people look at stats like its the be all and end all.

You think in that 5 game win over Buffalo in 2007 the Sabres were not thinking about Neil and what he did to Drury in the regular season...?

Can I get an AMEN???!!!

504Heater wrote:The question then becomes Murder: would you pay him more than 1.5?

Say, 2.1 million?

I think he will take a hometown discount if we prove that we can turn things around here. He bleeds Sens colours. An accomodation can be made and he will not Yashin us you can bank on that.

The question is still there though. Would Neil give us a 1.5 million dollar package, or are we fighting an uphill battle. I love him and want to see him here at 1.5. But in this day and age, I doubt we can go much over that - especially with our D in tatters.

MurderOnIce wrote:
I think he will take a hometown discount if we prove that we can turn things around here. He bleeds Sens colours. An accomodation can be made and he will not Yashin us you can bank on that.

Then for me personally, it's an absolute no-brainer. Screw the 2nd rounder, welcome back to Sens (semi) long term Neiler. And I swear to God, I would think seriously about giving him an A. I think he can be a strong clubhouse leader.

Gee...I hope this happens. I have a bad feeling that it won't, but I hope it does personally.

We already payed Kelly more than we should have so sorry Neil but later dude.

504Heater wrote:The question is still there though. Would Neil give us a 1.5 million dollar package, or are we fighting an uphill battle. I love him and want to see him here at 1.5. But in this day and age, I doubt we can go much over that - especially with our D in tatters.

If you ask me his agent will say $2-2.25M/3 yrs Murray will offer him $1.5M for 1 or 2 and they will meet in the middle @ about $1.75M for 3 years. If I was a betting man I would say this is the scenario that plays out. And I am fine with that. $250G is not going to fix the defensive problems.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:We already payed Kelly more than we should have so sorry Neil but later dude.

I agree we paid Kelly too much but it would be shortsighted to compound that mistake by sacrificing Neil because of it. Are you comfortable with Bass moving into that spot next year. Sure he is tenacious but there is no evidence he has the hands, consistent and devastating hitting nor the ability to move up a weight class when called upon. Neil does and does it well.

I wouldn't re-sign him for 1.75. I wouldn't budge from the 1.5. Just my opinion, but having Kelly and Neil for a combined (almost) 4 million is suicide.

504Heater wrote:I wouldn't re-sign him for 1.75. I wouldn't budge from the 1.5. Just my opinion, but having Kelly and Neil for a combined (almost) 4 million is suicide.

The problem with that equation is not Neil @ $1.75M IMO.

504Heater wrote:I wouldn't re-sign him for 1.75. I wouldn't budge from the 1.5. Just my opinion, but having Kelly and Neil for a combined (almost) 4 million is suicide.

Would you pay $2.5M for Trent Hunter? You would have last year at the deadline I remember correctly.

From what I have seen in the poll, I am in the majority that want to keep him, but if he prices himself out of our money plan, then well, trade him and get what we can. Neil bleeds Sens red, that is definitely obvious, sure he takes dumb penalties, but he has drawn some too at key times, remember when he turtled against Chris Simon, drawing a 5 minute major late in the game. With guys in Bingo like Bass and Zack Attack, Neil might be a player that can be replaced.

Neil might will be a must if there is a rebuild here. You need some toughness to protect the younger kids.

MurderOnIce wrote:

504Heater wrote:I wouldn't re-sign him for 1.75. I wouldn't budge from the 1.5. Just my opinion, but having Kelly and Neil for a combined (almost) 4 million is suicide.

Would you pay $2.5M for Trent Hunter? You would have last year at the deadline I remember correctly.

Oh yeah! Maybe even 3. That boy has skillz though.

What I find interesting about Neil is a comment he made last week saying that he loves playing here, "for the most part" he's happy to be here.

I don't know if he said that about coaching, players, management, fans...I have no idea, I just think it's interesting that he said "for the most part". I don't know how much he cares about whether he stays or not anymore. Maybe it's his agent putting things in his head, I dont' know. But, he will be asking for more money, and won't be getting it here. I think we're going to need to deal with the fact that he's played his last game in a Sens uni. Unfortunately.

^ Of course. I could be reading too much into it.

What about if he's offered a contract like Murder suggested - 1.75 X 3? Surely he wouldn't say no to that.

504Heater wrote:What about if he's offered a contract like Murder suggested - 1.75 X 3? Surely he wouldn't say no to that.

Done and Done of course!!! I'll take that. I still don't think he'll do it though...I could be wrong. We shall see when the day comes. Or we'll see when he's traded at the deadline and another team locks him up for $2 per...blah...I can't imagine anyone would be that dumb...but there are quite a few dummies out there..

SensGirl11 wrote:Done and Done of course!!! I'll take that. I still don't think he'll do it though...I could be wrong. We shall see when the day comes. Or we'll see when he's traded at the deadline and another team locks him up for $2 per...blah...I can't imagine anyone would be that dumb...but there are quite a few dummies out there..

Maybe I'm just getting cheaper as I get older, but I hate the ring of 1.75. Sign for 1.5 for ****'s sake.

But if the Sens are willing to cough up 1.75, then I guarantee Neil signs.

EDIT: I still don't believe there's a chance that they will offer that much though.