Confirmed with Link: Chris Neil will not return next season

[The Lewler]

Give him all the honours. Except jersey retirement. That's for Alfie and Karlsson only.

Maybe Anderson if he wins a cup or two.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Down Ryan, Smith and White...I'm fine with Neil coming back. Kelly too.

Thanks Guy

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Down Ryan, Smith and White...I'm fine with Neil coming back. Kelly too.

High quality bait.

 

[Cosmix]

Really hope the sens don't give him a press conference and act like its all good, he chose to test free agency let him retire with a twitter statement like every other player who wants to play for multiple teams.

I see no benefit from taking a mean approach to a player who has played many NHL seasons for this team and this team alone.

Let Neil retire honourably as a lifetime Senator player.

 

[bert]

Id take him in the lineup over McCormick.

 

[jbeck5]

You mean like every other player since the leagues inception in 1917-18 who've played 1000 career NHL games? Because only 313 players have ever done that. Guess how many of these 'every other players' have played their 1000+ games for only ONE team. 30. Thirty players in league history have played 1000+ games with only one team. Chris Neil is NOT like 'every other player' who wants to play for 'multiple teams'. How anyone can look beyond these unbelievable accomplishments and not want to hang his number in OUR rafters is beyond me. Beyond the whole giving 'heart & soul' colloquialism , the 1000 games with one team makes his number retireable and accomplishment legendary.

You ruined a perfect post by saying his number should be retired.

 

[coladin]

It would look weird to see someone else wear 25, I can definitely see an argument for retiring his jersey. Hockey is a lot more than points and goals, it is about heart and soul. A guy who stood up for all his teammates, answered the bell for a 1000+ games is something that no Sens fan should gloss over, imo. Some nights, he was the only one that showed up. Will be interesting to see if they do or not. I could live with no one else wearing 25, 4 and 11.

 

[The Lewler]

If you can find one other straight up, heart and soul grinder with their jersey retired anywhere in the league, I'll reconsider.

 

[PatrickEaves]

Only if he stays in Ottawa? I think he's already accomplished enough to warrant his jersey being hung from the rafters. Multiple Norris trophies; captained us to game 7 of the conference finals; he'll finish his tenure in Ottawa with every individual defensive record--none of which will be touched for decades, if ever. He's arguably a top 10 player of his era and a lock to make the Hall of Fame if he continues on this trajectory for a few more years. That's more than enough imo.

Yes, only if he stays in Ottawa. I have a more strict criteria than most but think of it this way. If Karlsson leaves in 2 years in free agency, he'll have played 10 years in an Ottawa jersey. He'll sign a 7 year contract and could probably play another couple of years after that. That's half his career in a city not named Ottawa, and probably a Norris or more somewhere else.

I think people that get their jerseys retired should be franchise changing players that accomplished all their major accomplishments with that one franchise.

 

[Sentron5000]

Ken Daneyko, New Jersey

 

[WadeRedden]

Yes, only if he stays in Ottawa. I have a more strict criteria than most but think of it this way. If Karlsson leaves in 2 years in free agency, he'll have played 10 years in an Ottawa jersey. He'll sign a 7 year contract and could probably play another couple of years after that. That's half his career in a city not named Ottawa, and probably a Norris or more somewhere else.

So what? I don't really care what he accomplishes somewhere else. You hang his number in the rafters for what he accomplished here, which is a whole hell of a lot. Expecting players to play their entire careers with one team in the salary cap era is pretty unrealistic imo. Plus, it doesn't take into account business considerations that might be out of the player's control. For example, if the Euge lowballs Karlsson by several million dollars and won't budge would you honestly hold it against him if he left? I wouldn't. He's the best defenseman on earth and deserves to be paid like it.

I think people that get their jerseys retired should be franchise changing players that accomplished all their major accomplishments with that one franchise.

Scott Niedermayer? Ray Bourque? Mark Messier? These are all guys who have accomplished major feats with multiple teams. Do you think the Devils honestly considered not honouring Niedermayer because he won a cup with the Ducks. No way.

 

[PatrickEaves]

So what? I don't really care what he accomplishes somewhere else. You hang his number in the rafters for what he accomplished here, which is a whole hell of a lot. Expecting players to play their entire careers with one team in the salary cap era is pretty unrealistic imo. Plus, it doesn't take into account business considerations that might be out of the player's control. For example, if the Euge lowballs Karlsson by several million dollars and won't budge would you honestly hold it against him if he left? I wouldn't. He's the best defenseman on earth and deserves to be paid like it.



Scott Niedermayer? Ray Bourque? Mark Messier? These are all guys who have accomplished major feats with multiple teams. Do you think the Devils honestly considered not honouring Niedermayer because he won a cup with the Ducks. No way.

I did say I have a have a more strict criteria than most people. That's just how I feel.

 

[Sens Rule]

If you can find one other straight up, heart and soul grinder with their jersey retired anywhere in the league, I'll reconsider.

Ken Daneyko in New Jersey. Defenceman that won Cups but he is kinda like Chris Neil on Defence.

 

[Inkling]

I would not retire his jersey but I wouldn't think it was a travesty if they did. If they do Neil, they kind of have to do Phillips too though and then it gets out of hand IMHO. They should do everything short of jersey retirement and he deserves a press conference and a special tribute night at the CTC when he does retire.

 

[Tundraman]

I'd have no argument if they retired Neil's number 25. His job with the Sens was unique. Heart and soul guy who gave his all for over 1000 games. He bled Senators. It can't just be fancy pants players and goals and points because those change with the rules. If you were to define the "classic Sens player" Neil's name would have to be near the top.

 

[NyQuil]

No way should they retire his number.

It's weird to see Brassard wearing 19 but there you have it.

It was weird to see Spezza wearing 19 for that matter.

You get over it.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Well, it's not exactly a popular number. Chances are there won't be anyone who wants it. We likely won't see anyone wear it full-time for awhile.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Neither Phillips or Neil should have their numbers retired. They were solid players, but they were never main drivers for the team's success and they weren't franchise players. One was a stable defensive d-man and the other was a role player that happened to be here for a while.

The only number besides 11 that should be hung from the rafters is 65. If we somehow manage to win a Cup with Andy, then 41 as well.

 

[saskriders]

I have mentioned this before, but I would like to see a two tiered system.

Top tier would be number retirement, and second tier would be ring of honour.

I would also have some stipulations that guarantee ones entry into either tier, but players could be put in a tier for other reasons even if they didn't meet the stipulations. I would put retire anyone who played 1000 games with the Sens number, and put anyone who spent 10 years with the team in the ring of honour. I think there could be stipulations for goals and points too, but it is a bit hard to say what they should be since they are more era/team dependent than games played. And for goalies there would have to be a different set of rules.

That would give us:

Retired: 11, 4, 25

Ring of Honour: Redden, Spezza, Fisher, Bonk, Smith


I would also argue some other guys like Hossa, Volchenkov, etc should be added to the Ring of Honour even if longevity alone didn't get them there.


Now, I do realize I am a lot more lenient in who I would want having their number retired than most, but I really don't care. We aren't a Montreal or Detroit where anyone who didn't win a cup didn't stand out. We aren't a Pittsburgh or Edmonton who has been handed multiple generational players. We should retire the numbers and honour the guys who meant a lot to this team, and to us as fans. Those guys don't have to be the most skilled players, they just have to be the guys that gave it their all for the Senators. And there should be a point where you have scored enough goals, or points, or excelled in your role enough that you played enough games for this team for enough years that your commitment is undeniable and should be recognized.

 

[65isthenew11]

Chris Neil is 20th all time PIM leader in the NHL, also never been suspended. He gave us all he had in his 16 years, 1121 games including playoffs. I say to the rafters with #25.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I like the ring of honor idea.

Besides, if it feels too lenient in 30 or 40 years, a future generation can tighten it up. For now, it's nice to have a bit of a spot for the current legacy of the team.

 

[bert]

If retire it before Phillips without hesitation.

 

[NyQuil]

If retire it before Phillips without hesitation.

That's crazy.

Neil was a peripheral player for almost all of his career.

Phillips doesn't deserve it either, but there was a time when he was on the top-pairing of our Stanley Cup final team.

Neil's zenith was potting a few goals on the 3rd line.

 

[PatrickEaves]

That's crazy.

Neil was a peripheral player for almost all of his career.

Phillips doesn't deserve it either, but there was a time when he was on the top-pairing of our Stanley Cup final team.

Neil's zenith was potting a few goals on the 3rd line.

If you believe that Neil deserves it, there's no arguement that proves he deserves it more than Phillips.

 

[Cosmix]

You mean like every other player since the leagues inception in 1917-18 who've played 1000 career NHL games? Because only 313 players have ever done that. Guess how many of these 'every other players' have played their 1000+ games for only ONE team. 30. Thirty players in league history have played 1000+ games with only one team. Chris Neil is NOT like 'every other player' who wants to play for 'multiple teams'. How anyone can look beyond these unbelievable accomplishments and not want to hang his number in OUR rafters is beyond me. Beyond the whole giving 'heart & soul' colloquialism , the 1000 games with one team makes his number retireable and accomplishment legendary.

I agree with your sentiments about Neil and believe he should be honoured. However, I do not support jersey number retirement for any player and prefer some sort of Honour Role where such players can be honoured showing them in uniform with their number, such as in the main hallways or concourse of the arena. I like having all the numbers available and wearable with pride, honouring those who wore it distinction. Wearing 9 has meaning! Wearing 25 for the Senators is an honour too.