In what is officially and end of an era for the Ottawa Senators, fan favourite Chris Neil retired from the NHL.
With Neil retiring there are no links left on the Ottawa Senators to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final run. Now the Sens will have to move on from a great era in their history.
Early Years
Chris Neil was first drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 1998, 161st overall. A late round pick like that, there were never expectations for him to make it to the NHL. Despite the odds being stacked against him, he developed into a gritty tough guy with a bit of a scoring edge. He played two seasons in the IHL after finishing his junior career before making the jump to the NHL.
A Stable Presence
Neil made the transition to the NHL for the 2001-2002 season and he never looked back. He played 72 games in his rookie year while putting up 17 points and 231 penalty minutes. The following years and throughout the 2000s he became a key member to the bottom six of the Ottawa Senators. In an era where a physical edge was required, Chris Neil was that edge for the Sens. He even was able to contribute a little bit offensively with five seasons of 20 or more points.
Legacy
Neil was with the Sens for every deep playoff run the team made. He was there for the Conference Final run in 2003, the Stanley Cup Final in 2007, and the run this past spring. Although his impact was lesser in recent season, he was always a valuable commodity in the dressing room.
Chris Neil retires as a player that played 1000 games with one franchise. That’s a feat that is incredibly rare and is only ever done by franchise players. Chris Neil was the type of player that is normally a journeyman and he stayed with the Ottawa Senators his entire career.
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Celebration
With Chris Neil retiring it’s time to celebrate his great career. He was never a superstar, but he was always there when needed. He was one of the most important players in Ottawa Senators history.