CTC
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- Oct 9, 2014
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Confirmed with Link: Chris Neil will not return next season
- Thread starter YouGotAStuGoing
- Start date
Montreal radio just reported Chris Neil has turned down one year and one way contract offers and is waiting for 'the right fit'. I can't remember if they explicitly said 'NHL' but I guess I assumed so. That sounds really weird, should he not just take what he can get (or retire)?
Fandlauer
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God Says No
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I'm assuming those offers were from out west, and he wants to do something closer to Ottawa.
They must have got the feed from TGOR early this morning when they interviewed Neil and he mentioned that. Can't give Montreal credit for that scoop.
Larionov
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I don't believe this for a second. In fact, this sounds like a prelude to a retirement announcement. The truth is that guys with better NHL pedigrees than Neil are being forced to take PTOs right now - not a chance that anyone has given him a one way contract offer, and even less chance that he would turn it down if it was offered. What I fully expect eventually is an announcement from Neil that he couldn't find "the right fit" and as a result is retiring.
Fair enough, I just heard it on TSN690 and did a Google news search but it didn't show up anything so I wasn't sure where it came from. Should have done a Twitter search too!
It does sound a bit dodgy. He either wants to play hockey or not and if he does, then grab what you can get. The guy has over 1000 NHL games, he shouldn't be too proud to say what's up. He has nothing left to prove after a tremendous career.
Micklebot
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I agree it would be odd that he got an offer while better available players are going the route of PTO, but I don't think it would be odd for him to turn down an offer he didn't feel was a good fit. If Colorado offers him a 1 way 1 year deal at 700k with the expectation that he'd be the 13th forward providing locker-room leadership and mentorship all year, why would he accept it? If that's his only offer, I suspect he'd decide that it's not worth uprooting his family for a year to play out his career on a team going through a re-build. Now, if say the Capitals or the Pens were to offer him a 1-way deal, and his role was expected to be a regular on the game day roster, albeit in a 8-10 mins a night 4th liner capacity, he might jump on the opportunity for one last crack at the cup.
Larionov
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That latter scenario does indeed sound ideal for Neiler, but do you see either of those clubs making that offer to him? Me neither, and surely he has to know that by now.
I understand the existential crisis that Neil is going through - he wants to play, but he wants a say in his destination and the circumstances, and that's simply not in the cards right now. I guess he could keep working out and hope that it changes in the first month or so of the season, but it's hard to imagine any contender suffering an injury that makes them say, "Know what? Chris Neil could really help us." I just hate seeing the guy go through this, which is why I want him to retire with dignity here in Ottawa...
Me neither. If Neil was offered a one year one way NHL contract by any team, I am sure he would have signed it by now.
On TSN 1200 they were rumoring that he wants to stay close to his family in Ottawa so the options he is actually looking at are very limited. Rumors are that he may be getting a PTO in Montreal (??). Just what I heard..
JungleBeat
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Real Smart Sens Fan
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Darren Dreger reported months ago that Neil has offers to play in the NHL this year. For his entire career, even the segments of the fanbase that really like Neil have undervalued him compared to GMs/insiders around the league. But, of course, the sourpatch kids have to concoct a conspiracy theory.
Larionov
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Dreger was simply relaying a story given to him by Neil's agent. Agents and the media have a co-dependent relationship - agents are a great source of inside info for guys like Dreger and in return he'll occasionally go plant a story out there that might help an agent drum up some interest in their client. That story always struck me as what they call spin in the political world - 10 percent truth and 90 percent bullfeathers all wrapped in cotton candy, ready for consumption...
PoutineSp00nZ
Electricity is really just organized lightning.
and you know this because Neil's agent told you? Or areyou just pulling stuff out of your ass.
Larionov
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I know this because it is September 11, and Chris Neil remains without an NHL contract.
Tighthead
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I find it interesting that none of the reports come from the teams doing the offering. It's all very vague.
Micklebot
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In one post, you admit the potential that Neil would have certain destinations and situations that would need to be met for him to sign, and then in another post you that it's impossible for him to have received offers that don't met his requirements.
It's entirely possible that you are right, and he hasn't received any offers. It's also entirely possible that he has, they just don't appeal to him. There's very little incentive for Neil to take any offers that don't appeal to him. Money isn't likely a driving factor for him, he's likely only interested in role and the team's competitiveness.
I don't doubt that he is unlikely to receive any offers that meet his desires, and it's quite possible he retires, or perhaps he signs a PTO with a team that meets his wants rather than a 1-way with a team that doesn't. But none of that means it's impossible or even unlikely that he turned down offers that don't suit his desires. If Colorado or Arizona offered him a league minimum 1-way deal today to be a 13th forward, I imagine he'd politely decline. I imagine he'd do the same if he were to get that offer on October 1st. He's got no reason to take whatever he can get, he's got a very comfortable retirement awaiting if he doesn't get the right offer.
Micklebot
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Teams don't typically report that they offered somebody a contract, you know, unless the player has already signed it.
He's also not a big name player, so media isn't going out of their way to get a scoop on who signs Neil.
Aging player, not a point getter, mostly played a role that is going away... Shocked he hasn't signed somewhere.
All 31 teams will be in full camp by Friday, games start on Saturday. Clock is ticking for Neiler.
All 31 teams will be in full camp by Friday, games start on Saturday. Clock is ticking for Neiler.
Tighthead
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I would not expect the report to actually come from the team, but from someone who covers it. Or from someone who covers the Sens. That was poorly worded on my part. I would expect at least one report to mention a team. It's always offers, considering, fit etc. Media wouldn't have to go out of their way. Things leak out.
The non specificity of the rumours is remarkable. Not one detail, once. I don't consider them credible. This doesn't even rate as smoke.
I would have pegged it at 50/50 that someone would offer him a 1 way deal amd almost 100% that he'd have little choice in where he would play. It's very hard to imagine a contender offering him anything other than a tryout or two way deal. Those teams don't need a Chris Neal. I'd just guess his best use would be a young/bad team that needs a veteran in the room and has poor depth.
RAFI BOMB
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There was an article the other day where Neil stated that he wasn't sure if he was going to accept a PTO given his age. He also stated that he is considering the impact on his family so it doesn't sound like he wants to move his family.
My guess is that he is probably leaning towards trying to play for Team Canada in the Olympics. With the NHL not allowing players to play in the Olympics this year that means that a player like Neil actually has a pretty good chance of playing. Honestly it would probably mean more to Neil to represent his country and get a chance to win a gold medal in the Olympics than to get a 4th line role on a team that may or may not make the playoffs.
He could still consider playing for Team Canada and it he plays well then he could still try and get an NHL contract to finish off the season.
My guess is that he is probably leaning towards trying to play for Team Canada in the Olympics. With the NHL not allowing players to play in the Olympics this year that means that a player like Neil actually has a pretty good chance of playing. Honestly it would probably mean more to Neil to represent his country and get a chance to win a gold medal in the Olympics than to get a 4th line role on a team that may or may not make the playoffs.
He could still consider playing for Team Canada and it he plays well then he could still try and get an NHL contract to finish off the season.
danielpalfredsson
youtube dot com /watch?v=CdqMZ_s7Y6k
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I'm surprised there were no solid offers for Neil, but a lot of older veterans have been left without contracts so I guess that's just the direction the league is going in.
I don't mean this facetiously, but is Neil really good enough as a pure hockey player to make Team Canada? With the big ice, and general difference in tone of the Olympics vs NHL, wouldn't his biggest asset being that he is a pugilist be irrelevant on the Olympic team?
Micklebot
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If I remember correctly, Neil actually looked decent to start the year last year (had an extra jump in his step early on after losing some weight in the offseason). A short tourney might actually be right up his alley. That said, the Olympics are not typically know for accommodating his style of hockey regardless of whether he is good enough at his age or not.
