The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded James Neal to the Nashville Predators tonight for forwards Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling.
Hornqvist is a right winger with a nice scoring touch who could be a viable replacement for Neal. The 27 year old forward has scored 20 or more goals in four of his first six seasons in the NHL, including 30 goals in 2009. He is signed for four more seasons and will have a cap hit of 4.25 million per season, a reduction compared to Neal.
Spaling will provide much needed depth for the Penguins bottom six forwards. With Tanner Glass reported to be no longer in the Penguins plans, Spaling will be an excellent addition and should be an upgrade compared to what the Penguins attempted to use on the third and fourth lines last season.
With Neal moving on to Nashville, the Pens lose one of the top snipers in the NHL. Neal top the 40 goal plateau two seasons ago, but his reputation has been marred by inconsistent play and of late, being branded a cheap player.
This deal could be an outstanding one for the Pens and Preds, as both teams upgraded in areas of need.
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