Why Oilers' James Neal could be key weapon in playoffs

Oilers kick off a busy work week with another dominant McDavid performance, recording a hat trick vs. the Jets, then win a second straight against Winnipeg, only to lose a tight one to Calgary to close the week out, brought to you by ATB Financial.

EDMONTON — The old standard tells us that Father Time is undefeated. But on a team where 39-year-old Mike Smith is having a career season, you can forgive James Neal for wondering if that old cliché applied to everyone, or just to him?

Neal’s feet tell him he’s getting older. And he is, at age 33.

The Edmonton Oilers coaching staff voted with their lineup sheets, sequestering the 33-year-old on the taxi squad for much of the season.

But when you look at the crop of Edmonton wingers who have played above him for most of this season, it is fair to wonder if Neal can’t provide an upgrade as his favourite time of year arrives?

As things begin to get real, it appears, The Real Deal is ready and raring to go.

“I’ve played a lot of playoff games (108), and I’ve played a lot of big games (two Cup Finals),” Neal said. “I’ve been through those runs and I know what it takes to get there, what it takes to score in the playoffs, and how you’ve got to win.

“As we go here, I’ll just continue to get better.”

You’ve got to fight for your space, come playoff time. You’ve got to soften up opposing defencemen on the forecheck, whenever you get a chance.

Physicality becomes a bigger part of things, and when you look at the Oilers' left-wingers — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Dominik Kahun, Devin Shore, Joakim Nygard, Tyler Ennis, perhaps Gaetan Haas when Jujhar Khaira returns — it’s fair to say Edmonton is light on the left side.

Enter Neal, who was one of the better Oilers forwards in that disastrous four-game loss to Chicago in the bubble.

“He’s a playoff-style player,” head coach Dave Tippett said. “We’ll tinker with our lineup as we go through here, but he’s putting a push in to try and get himself ready.”

Neal is expected to be in the Edmonton lineup on Saturday night against the Calgary Flames, in what would be his fourth consecutive start. It’s been a long haul this season for the veteran, who missed training camp after a bout with COVID-19, a wicked blow for an aging player.

“It’s hard, for sure,” he admits. “The way guys come into camp, they’re full-throttle and in amazing shape. When you come in and you’re behind, it’s tough.”

So Neal went to work on the taxi squad, a veteran player making big money (an AAV of $5.75 million for this season and two more), swallowing his pride and busting his rear end every day to try and reclaim an NHL roster spot he had previously held on 843 nights.

“You’ve got to deal with it, and I have enjoyed the grind of getting back to where I need to be,” he said. “In the end, I think I know what kind of player I am, and what kind of player I’ve been in the past. I love the playoffs and I love big games.

“We have a great opportunity as a group to do something special here, and my focus is just to get better each day, and when I have a chance to grab hold of it. These last three games in a row here have been good for the confidence. I’m starting to feel like I’m coming here.”

There was talk he struggled with COVID during the season, and that was at the root of his failure to grab a roster spot. We haven’t confirmed that, but injuries have nagged at Neal.

When you get older, and slower, it becomes more difficult to be impactful if a player is anything less than 100%. A league that just keeps getting faster and faster exacerbates the aging process, leaving Neal like a salmon swimming upstream.

“He’s struggled with some injuries and stuff this year, but I’ll give him credit,” said Tippett. “He’s worked to try and push his way in. He wants to get in the game and have an impact. That’s what he’s done his whole career. We’ll see if we can get to that place this year.”

Neal has hands that a Kahun or Nygard will never have. You don’t score 293 career goals — or have 11 20-goal seasons — by mistake.

He’s waited patiently for the time of year when the game comes towards him. When a clutch goal from a third-line left-winger means even more, and a big body comes in mighty handy.

“It’s funny how things work out,” Neal said, after rifling a wrist shot under the arm of Jacob Markstrom in Thursday’s 3-1 loss for just his fourth of the season. “You’re waiting for your opportunity, you’re on the taxi squad getting in a game here and there. It’s tough. Each day you just try to stick with it, be a good teammate, help guys out and be a leader around the room. When that opportunity comes you have to be ready.

“I’m getting an opportunity now. I want to be a factor in the playoffs and help this team win.

“I’ve got lots left in the tank. I’m feeling better and better.”

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