Chris Neil
Enforcer who played his entire NHL career with the Ottawa Senators.
Last updated
Chris Neil is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Ottawa Senators. Drafted in the sixth round, 161st overall, in the 1998 NHL entry draft, he was best known for his role as an enforcer. In September 2022, Neil became the vice president of business and community development for the Senators.
Lore & Background
Neil was born in Flesherton, Ontario, and began skating with the Flesherton Minor Hockey Association at age five. He played amateur hockey with the Orangeville Crushers before being drafted by the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the eighth round, 121st overall, of the 1996 OHL draft. After two seasons with Ottawa's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, he made his NHL debut in the 2001–02 season. Neil scored his first NHL goal in a 6–3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on October 30, 2001, and finished the season ranked 10th among league rookies with 10 goals.
Neil's role with the Senators expanded in the 2005–06 season when Brian McGrattan took on much of the enforcer duties, allowing Neil to contribute more offensively; he posted career-best totals of 16 goals and 33 points. The following season he led the NHL in hits while recording 12 goals and 28 points. After the 2008–09 season, Neil became an unrestricted free agent but signed a four-year, $8 million contract with Ottawa, reportedly accepting less money than offers from three other clubs to remain with the Senators. He was named an alternate captain on September 14, 2013, and scored his 100th career regular season NHL goal on January 23, 2014.
Neil played in his 1000th NHL game on December 10, 2016, against the Los Angeles Kings. In June 2017, it was announced that Neil and the Senators mutually separated due to Neil being displeased with his limited role under head coach Guy Boucher, making him an unrestricted free agent. He did not sign with another team and announced his retirement on December 14, 2017.
Reader's Guide
Chris Neil's significance lies in his 17-season NHL career spent entirely with the Ottawa Senators, a rarity in modern professional hockey. Known primarily as an enforcer, he led the NHL in hits during the 2006–07 season and accumulated over 2,000 career penalty minutes. Despite his physical role, Neil demonstrated offensive capability, posting career highs of 16 goals and 33 points in 2005–06 when given increased ice time and power-play opportunities. His durability and commitment to the franchise were underscored by his decision to accept less money from Ottawa than offers from other teams during free agency in 2009.
Neil's leadership was formally recognized when he was named an alternate captain in 2013. After retirement, he remained with the organization, first as an Alumni Ambassador and later as Vice President of Business and Community Development. The Senators honored his loyalty and contributions by retiring his No. 25 jersey in February 2023, making him one of the few players in franchise history to receive that distinction.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1995–96 | Orangeville Crushers | MWJBHL | 43 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 65 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 150 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 59 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 231 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 66 | 26 | 46 | 72 | 215 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| 1998–99 | Muskegon Fury | UHL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 61 |
| 1999–00 | Mobile Mysticks | ECHL | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Grand Rapids Griffins | IHL | 51 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 301 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 |
| 2000–01 | Grand Rapids Griffins | IHL | 78 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 354 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 22 |
| 2001–02 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 72 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 231 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2002–03 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 68 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 147 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 |
| 2003–04 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 82 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 194 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 2004–05 | Durham Thundercats | WOAA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 22 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 132 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 26 |
| 2005–06 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 79 | 16 | 17 | 33 | 204 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2006–07 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 82 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 177 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| 2007–08 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 68 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 199 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22 |
| 2008–09 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 60 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 146 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 68 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 175 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 20 |
| 2010–11 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 80 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 210 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 72 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 178 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 22 |
| 2012–13 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 48 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 144 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 39 |
| 2013–14 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 76 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 211 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 38 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 78 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 80 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 165 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 53 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 63 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| NHL totals | 1,026 | 112 | 138 | 250 | 2,522 | 95 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 204 | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Chris Neil (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- Neil's mother died in 2005 in a car accident.
- He and his wife, Caitlin, were introduced as honorary chairs of Roger's House, an Ottawa pediatric hospice, on July 14, 2011.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Chris Neil (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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