Confirmed with Link: Chris Neil will not return next season

[Micklebot]

I don't think he has even one. The dead giveaway is his line speculating about what might happen if he doesn't play in the NHL this year. If in fact he had some one way contract offers, why hasn't he taken one yet?

Neil is trying to save face so that if he does have to retire, he can say that he had some offers but that none of them "felt right". I get it - he's a proud guy, and to have to say that he doesn't have an offer right now would be embarrassing.

Why would he take a 1 year deal with a bottom feeder for league minimum? I suspect that the problem could be no playoff bound teams are interested, and he has little interest in playing out his years with no hope for a cup.

 

[Larionov]

Why would he take a 1 year deal with a bottom feeder for league minimum? I suspect that the problem could be no playoff bound teams are interested, and he has little interest in playing out his years with no hope for a cup.

The only pure no hope bottom feeders I can think of are Colorado and Arizona. Arizona, of course, just got rid of Doan, so they aren't in the market for older players. The bottom feeders want to get younger and faster - the only teams I can think of who might be in the market for a guy like Neil are contenders just looking for some toughness to dress occasionally.

Hey, you could be right, but my sense is that if he had received any kind of one way deal he would have taken it. This is a guy skating in a summer men's league for God's sake - he'll die with his skates on. Everywhere I look around the league, I just don't see any place where he'll play regularly. The only place where his presence had some sentimental value was here, and Boucher has clearly decided that he can't put Neil on the ice.

If I'm Neil, I am going that Olympic team route, have the time of your life, and then hope that you show enough there to entice someone to sign you for a playoff run right afterwards...

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

The only pure no hope bottom feeders I can think of are Colorado and Arizona. Arizona, of course, just got rid of Doan, so they aren't in the market for older players. The bottom feeders want to get younger and faster - the only teams I can think of who might be in the market for a guy like Neil are contenders just looking for some toughness to dress occasionally.

Hey, you could be right, but my sense is that if he had received any kind of one way deal he would have taken it. This is a guy skating in a summer men's league for God's sake - he'll die with his skates on. Everywhere I look around the league, I just don't see any place where he'll play regularly. The only place where his presence had some sentimental value was here, and Boucher has clearly decided that he can't put Neil on the ice.

If I'm Neil, I am going that Olympic team route, have the time of your life, and then hope that you show enough there to entice someone to sign you for a playoff run right afterwards...

I would love to see Neiler go that route but it should be noted that if he does he will have to pass through waivers.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Why would Neil move his family? They'll only move back once the year is done. He has business and other commitments in Ottawa.

 

[The Lewler]

So if it's not a mirage , who gave him an offer ?

 

[JungleBeat]

Probably doesn't even have any offers.

 

[Stylizer1]

So if it's not a mirage , who gave him an offer ?

Toronto, Montreal?

 

[The Lewler]

Toronto, Montreal?

I could see Toronto doing it, as purely a deep pocketed troll move.

Montreal is a train wreck but I can't see them making an offer.

I was thinking more like a midwest team

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

So if it's not a mirage , who gave him an offer ?

A team that has young stars to protect.....

 

[SilverSeven]

It would not for a second surprise me if Toronto offered him a contract. It would also not surprise me if Neil would rather retire than play for the Leafs

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

It would not for a second surprise me if Toronto offered him a contract. It would also not surprise me if Neil would rather retire than play for the Leafs

If he retired then came out and said that, that's instant legend status, even more so than he already is.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

They should find some sort of assistant coaching position in Belleville for Neiler. Heck, even a player/coach for this year would be OK. Sign him to a 2-way if he gets nothing else. Then he could be recalled to be a black ace for the playoffs.

 

[Larionov]

They should find some sort of assistant coaching position in Belleville for Neiler. Heck, even a player/coach for this year would be OK. Sign him to a 2-way if he gets nothing else. Then he could be recalled to be a black ace for the playoffs.

That sounds like a good plan, although the hitch is his family. He and his wife have young school aged kids, and I'm not sure they have yet crossed that "life after hockey" bridge. They're still hoping that he can find an NHL contract and the whole family can just move to whatever city dad is in for the year. Taking a significant pay cut and starting to work up the coaching ladder? I'm not sure they've come to terms with that yet.

 

[WadeRedden]

A team that has young stars to protect.....

Toronto is paying Matt Martin $2.5 million for the next three years to protect those kids. No need for Neil.

 

[JungleBeat]

They should find some sort of assistant coaching position in Belleville for Neiler. Heck, even a player/coach for this year would be OK. Sign him to a 2-way if he gets nothing else. Then he could be recalled to be a black ace for the playoffs.

Not every former Senator needs to become a coach or have some role with the team. Just let him retire.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Not every former Senator needs to become a coach or have some role with the team. Just let him retire.

Read the post. He'd be an assistant coach or a player/coach with Belleville, not with Ottawa.

Do you not think that Chris Neil could teach incoming profespects a thing or two about how to prepare, train and play as a professional? I think he'd have a lot of value in that role.

 

[JungleBeat]

Read the post. He'd be an assistant coach or a player/coach with Belleville, not with Ottawa.

Do you not think that Chris Neil could teach incoming profespects a thing or two about how to prepare, train and play as a professional? I think he'd have a lot of value in that role.

I know that you're talking about Belleville. What we need in Belleville is an experienced coach that knows how to properly implement a winning system and not an inexperienced guy that just retired. It'll be a waste of our limited resources.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

I know that you're talking about Belleville. What we need in Belleville is an experienced coach that knows how to properly implement a winning system and not an inexperienced guy that just retired. It'll be a waste of our limited resources.

In what world are AHL assistant coaches or player/coaches responsible for the implementation of systems? He'd be there to help individual players become better pro hockey players. In no way would I condone making Chris Neil the head coach of the B-Sens (ie. making him responsible for the system the team plays). That's just crazy. I didn't think that would be how my post was interpreted.

 

[JungleBeat]

In what world are AHL assistant coaches or player/coaches responsible for the implementation of systems? He'd be there to help individual players become better pro hockey players. In no way would I condone making Chris Neil the head coach of the B-Sens (ie. making him responsible for the system the team plays). That's just crazy. I didn't think that would be how my post was interpreted.

We already hired a Paul Boutillier as our new assistant in Belleville and he's without a doubt a better option than Neil. So that leaves a player/coach option but do you really believe that Neil is going to want a position like that?

 

[Alf Silfversson]

We already hired a Paul Boutillier as our new assistant in Belleville and he's without a doubt a better option than Neil. So that leaves a player/coach option but do you really believe that Neil is going to want a position like that?

Again, please read the original post. I said IF NOTHING ELSE GETS OFFERED then we should hire Neil to basically help the kids in B-Ville.

Somehow that has become him devising team systems and being a drag on team resources.

Good grief.

 

[JungleBeat]

Again, please read the original post. I said IF NOTHING ELSE GETS OFFERED then we should hire Neil to basically help the kids in B-Ville.

Somehow that has become him devising team systems and being a drag on team resources.

Good grief.

If nothing else gets offered he'll happily retire after a long successful career in Ottawa and spend time with his family. No way he's going to the minors to ride the bus.

Good grief.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Again, please read the original post. I said IF NOTHING ELSE GETS OFFERED then we should hire Neil to basically help the kids in B-Ville.

Somehow that has become him devising team systems and being a drag on team resources.

Good grief.

My advice: join the club and give up

 

[HoweHullOrr]

So if it's not a mirage , who gave him an offer ?

Toronto, Montreal?

I could see Toronto doing it, as purely a deep pocketed troll move.

Montreal is a train wreck but I can't see them making an offer.

I was thinking more like a midwest team

A team that has young stars to protect.....

It would not for a second surprise me if Toronto offered him a contract. It would also not surprise me if Neil would rather retire than play for the Leafs

Can't see it being Toronto. They already have Martin in this role (@ $2.5 m AAV), plus they have only one contract slot (49 contracts currently, 50 is the max) open with Brown still to sign.

 

[Micklebot]

If nothing else gets offered he'll happily retire after a long successful career in Ottawa and spend time with his family. No way he's going to the minors to ride the bus.

Good grief.

If Neil wants to continue his life after hockey in a coaching role, a player development coach role seems right Kind of like what Donovan is doing with the Sens; though I doubt he'd want to go to Belleville full time to do so as he has ties to Ottawa both business and family. I could see him as a contract consultant though coming in from time to time like for training camps, and what not. Not sure Neil's a good fit for the role, or if that role is a good fit for Neil's desired future after hockey.

 

[Ice-Tray]

If Neil wants to continue his life after hockey in a coaching role, a player development coach role seems right Kind of like what Donovan is doing with the Sens; though I doubt he'd want to go to Belleville full time to do so as he has ties to Ottawa both business and family. I could see him as a contract consultant though coming in from time to time like for training camps, and what not. Not sure Neil's a good fit for the role, or if that role is a good fit for Neil's desired future after hockey.

There is always a spot for legacy players in the organization. If the player is open to creative job creation there is always a spot.

They are usually entry level/introductory roles to get feet wet, but they are available.

That's what a class act organization does. From all we have heard from players past and present we have a class organization, owner notwithstanding.