Calgary Flames, James Neal start relationship repair after playoff-game benching
CALGARY — Amid the fallout from the Calgary Flames’ early playoff ejection is a frayed relationship with James Neal.
The veteran winger was a healthy scratch for the first time in his 11-year career when the Colorado Avalanche eliminated the Flames in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series last Friday.
Calgary signed the 31-year-old to a five-year contract worth US$28.75 million last year because he was a consistent 20-goal man and also brought playoff experience after two long runs with Nashville and Las Vegas.
But after seven shots on net, zero points and a minus-3 in the first four games of the Avalanche series, Neal was benched in favour of Austin Czarnik. Calgary lost 5-1.