Tomorrow afternoon in Los Angeles, Chris Neil is expected to play his 1000th game in the National Hockey League.
Stop and let that sink in for a moment.
Hitting the 1000 game mark is remarkable for any NHL player but it’s especially impressive for a guy who plays the game the way Chris Neil does. That he has been able to stay healthy and hold onto a spot in the line up for that long is nothing short of incredible.
While tough guys came and went and while the role of fighting diminished, Neil found a way to stick around. Nothing was ever handed to the guy and he fought to be an NHLer every day.
In the latter years of his career, when you would expect his skills to decline rapidly, they really haven’t. Perhaps sensing that he was in a battle for a spot on the roster last summer, Chris Neil reinvented himself. He got leaner. He got faster. And he made sure that if someone was going to take his spot on that fourth line, they were going to earn it.
Neil is never going to blow anyone away with his offensive contributions but he’s made himself into a responsible defensive player. All the while maintaining that edge and sticking up for his teammates when the situation calls for it.
More than just a presence on the ice, Neil has always been a leader away from the rink both in the locker room and in our community. He’s made Ottawa his home and he’s looked out for this community the same way he looked out for his teammates over his 15 years in the league.
And now at 37 years of age, Chris Neil is about to do something only 52 players have done in the history of the game- suit up for 1000 games all with the same team. On December 14th in Ottawa, the team will honour this extraordinary achievement.
It’s no secret that Chris Neil is one of my favourites. I have an acknowledged blind spot when it comes to this guy. I just have so much respect for his ability to play such a thankless role for so long and for the loyalty and dedication he’s shown to this organization.
The game of hockey has changed over the years. The role of the tough guy has been diminished and with good reason. Fighting is down across the league and it’s not hard to imagine a time in the not too distant future where it’s almost non-existent.
It’s safe to say there will never be another player quite like Chris Neil.
With that in mind, let’s take a little walk down memory lane through some of the best moments of Chris Neil’s 1000 games (plus another 93 in the playoffs). Feel free to add your own in the comment section below.
