Chris Neil

Chris Neil
With the Senators during the 2013 playoffs
Born	(1979-06-18) June 18, 1979 (age 37) Flesherton, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Ottawa Senators
NHL Draft	161st overall, 1998 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	2000–present

Chris Neil (born June 18, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Neil was originally drafted in the sixth round, 161st overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, and has played his entire NHL career with the Ottawa Senators.

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 start with the Junior "B" Orangeville Crushers.

He then played three successful major junior seasons with the Ontario Hockey League (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, amassing 72 points in 66 games.

Neil was drafted by the Senators in the sixth 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 then-American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he posted back-to-back seasons of 300+ penalty minutes and established himself as a solid team player at the professional level.

Leading up to the 2001–02 season, Neil 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 recorded his first NHL point in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. On October 30, he scored his first NHL 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.