James Neal signs a 5-year $ 28.75 million contract with Flames

Striker James Neal signed a $ 28.75 million five-year deal Monday, giving Johnny Gaudreau and the other Flames a much needed boost.

Neal has totaled 20 goals in each of his 10 games in the NHL He was considered the best player in the free-agent market one day after the opening of the NHL signing period.

The signing also comes a day after CEO Brad Treliving spoke of the need to improve his positions. Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk

"One of the things we looked to deal with this offseason was to add depth and versatility to our front-run unit. said Treliving. "At the end of the year, I was talking a little bit about ourselves as the team relying on too few players to do too much."

Calgary becomes Neal's third team in as many seasons. He was selected by Vegas in the NHL Draft a year ago and scored 25 goals and 44 points in 71 games for the Golden Knights.

Neal, 30, also played for Pittsburgh and Nashville. and 495 points in 703 career games.

The Flames also signed ahead of Derek Ryan for a three-year contract of $ 9.375 million. Ryan scored 15 goals and 38 points in his second full season with Carolina last year. Calgary also added center Austin Czarnik, who spent the previous two seasons in Boston

The Flames acquisition center, Elias Lindholm, and defender Noah Hanifin, who sent defender Dougie Hamilton, the # Winger Micheal Ferland and college prospect Adam Fox in Carolina.