Chris Neil

Chris Neil (born June 18, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Neil currently plays right wing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).
==Playing career==
===Early years===
Neil started out playing minor hockey in the town of Flesherton, Ontario. He later played for the Grey-Bruce Highlanders of the South-Central Triple A Hockey League before getting his junior hockey start with the Junior "B" Orangeville Crushers. He played three successful junior seasons with the OHL's North Bay Centennials. In his final junior season in North Bay, Neil had a career year and gave an indication that he could be more than merely a physical presence, scoring 72 points in 66 games.
===NHL career===
Chris Neil was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 6th round (161st overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Ottawa management prized his toughness and work ethic and saw Neil as a player who would potentially fill a much needed role on the team for years to come. Neil spent two seasons with Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, racking up back to back seasons of 300+ penalty minutes and establishing himself as a solid team player at the pro level.
Leading up to the 2001–02 season, he had a strong training camp and made the Ottawa lineup. He made his NHL debut on October 3, 2001 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The next night, he got his first NHL point in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. On October 30, 2001, Chris scored his first goal against the Atlanta Thrashers. In his rookie season, Neil appeared in 72 games and scored 17 points, while accumulating 231 penalty minutes and establishing himself as a fearless combatant. 
During the 2002–03 season, Chris had 10 points in 68 games and lead the Senators with 147 penalty minutes. The next year, Chris again led the Senators with 194 penalty minutes. 
The 2005–06 season saw Neil's role with the Senators expand. When Brian McGrattan made the Ottawa lineup out of training camp, much of the responsibilities as "team enforcer" were lifted off Neil's shoulders, and he was given the opportunity to contribute in a more offensive role. He responded, and posted the best offensive totals of his NHL career with 16 goals and 33 points. The following season, Neil posted similar numbers with 12 goals and 28 points while leading the NHL in hits. The coaching staff rewarded him with special teams assignments, and he received regular powerplay shifts.
As the 2007–08 season unfolded, Brian McGrattan saw very limited ice time, and Neil was once again called upon to act as the Senators' enforcer and primary physical presence on many nights. As a result, his offensive production declined, though he did finish the season with a respectable 20 points.
Neil had a disappointing 2008-09 season, registering only 10 points, his lowest total since his rookie season, and the Senators missed the playoffs for the first time during his tenure in Ottawa. After the season, Neil became an unrestricted free agent, and there was speculation that he would sign elsewhere. Instead, he signed a new 4-year contract with the Senators worth $8 million.Chris Neil Takes Less Money to Stay in Ottawa, TSN.ca, retrieved on October 1, 2009.
==Personal==
Before Neil was married, he and teammate Mike Fisher were roommates. The pair remain close to this day, and are both devout Christians.http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Garrioch/2009/05/17/9485996-sun.html A place for Chris Neil to find serenity On June 1, 2007, at 11:05 p.m., Neil and his wife, Caitlin, celebrated the birth of their first child named Hailey Jean, weighing 6 lbs. and 10 ounces. In the next game, he scored an important goal which he dedicated to her.
Neil counts Denis Savard as his favorite player growing up. He lists four-wheeling, boating, and horseback riding as his favorite hobbies.
On July 14, 2011, Neil and his wife Caitlin were introduced as the new honorary chairs of Rogers House, an Ottawa charity which provides a home away from home for sick children and their families.http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Ottawa/2011/07/13/18416931-qmi.html Tears of a tough guy 
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	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 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	659 	77 	95 	172 	1683 	 	74 	7 	5 	12 	131
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
*
*Ottawa Senators.com - Career Notes
Category:Born in 1979
Category:Binghamton Senators players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Grand Rapids Griffins (IHL) players
Category:Mobile Mysticks players
Category:Muskegon Fury players
Category:North Bay Centennials alumni
Category:Ottawa Senators draft picks
Category:Ottawa Senators players