Rumor: Chris Neil's number to be retired?

[Xspyrit]

Perfect Ring of Honor candidate

There must be a misunderstanding somewhere. I can't see the Sens retiring Neil's number. Phillips should have been a RoH too so I don't know.

It's like they're so desperate to have a history that they're willing to throw average players up there just because they never left. Terrible

I don't think you realize how much of an accomplishment never leaving Melnyk is.

 

[Icelevel]

I think two retired jerseys over a span of about 27 years of a team's history is fairly reasonable. The ring of honour is nice, but the younger generation looking up at the rafters and seeing a couple of numbers up there and asking who those players were is a little different.

Either way, is #4 really that popular of a jersey number, there are about 95 other numbers to choose from. It is such an insignificant thing to for some people to get upset over I can never understand why it bothers them.

What if a very successful popular superstar type player comes in at some point and his number throughout his career was #4?

Just a bit of an unnecessary sacrifice might have to be made. Not the biggest deal but precedent is important.
New baseline is Chris Phillips.

 

[TeamRenzo]

Chris Neil is one of my favorite Senators ever, but we can't be retiring numbers of 3rd/4th liners, even if they had a long and successful career here.

For me it isn't about which line he played on, it is about his contributions to his teammates, the organization and the city. He played an extremely difficult role and did it very well.

 

[Stylizer1]

For me it isn't about which line he played on, it is about his contributions to his teammates, the organization and the city. He played an extremely difficult role and did it very well.

A role that doesn't exist anymore.

 

[otown]

I would also support the Ring of Honour but any numbers in the rafters have to be iconic pretty special .
You have to save room for members from our future cup winning team!

 

[TkachukMyAho]

Love the player and enjoyed his time while he was here, but I share mostly the same opinion as others. When your number hits the rafters, you've done something spectacular and rare for that franchise. While Neil had his moments, and many of them - none of them left you with the feeling of a generational player by any stretch. In my opinion the only one that deserves to be up there is Alfie.

 

[aragorn]

Good for him & well deserved, I imagine its the ring of honour probably along with Phillips. I doubt his number is retired though.

 

[JimmySpaetzle]

Love the player and enjoyed his time while he was here, but I share mostly the same opinion as others. When your number hits the rafters, you've done something spectacular and rare for that franchise. While Neil had his moments, and many of them - none of them left you with the feeling of a generational player by any stretch. In my opinion the only one that deserves to be up there is Alfie.

To me, only players as of right now that deserve to have their numbers up there are Alfie, and then Karlsson when he retires

 

[Alf Silfversson]

I will convince him that two "4's" are better than one.

Good luck with that once JGP's 44 goes into the Tyrannosaurs!!

 

[NyQuil]

That you can have your number retired and not even play in an all-star game is silly.

 

[Micklebot]

That you can have your number retired and not even play in an all-star game is silly.

Didn't the devils retire Daneko's jersey? Can't imaging he ever played in an all star game

 

[NyQuil]

Didn't the devils retire Daneko's jersey? Can't imaging he ever played in an all star game

I don’t think he’s worthy either, for the record.

He’s like Phillips only with the Cups.

Both obviously better candidates than Neil.

Personally I think you need individual accolades, a degree of team success and some longevity with the team to have no one else wear that number ever again for the franchise.

 

[FlyingJ]

Didn't the devils retire Daneko's jersey? Can't imaging he ever played in an all star game

The difference is that Danekyo won Cups with the Devils in addition to being their longest-serving player.

If Phillips had won a Cup or 2 with the Sens, I would have been completely on-board with retiring his number despite him being just a 2nd pairing d-man (with the exception of maybe 2 seasons where he and Volchenkov were the best pairing we had partially thanks to Redden's game dropping off). But he didn't.

If it turns out that they're retiring Neil's number, it would really make it seem like the team is desperate to pump up the reputation of the alumni who were/are willing to tolerate Melnyk IMO.

 

[coladin]

I'm good with it. If another player skates around with 25, most will say that is Chris Neil's number anyways, so might as well retire it. Who cares how it looks on the scope of the NHL and who has jerseys retired. It is Ottawa's jersey, and Ottawa's decision. Of course, it is more a legacy pick rather than a performance pick. But knowing Neil was in the lineup, playing his game, was always a comforting feeling over the years, and cannot be undervalued.

His value to the Senators over his career is worthy of the honour. Who cares really anyways. It's not like we are running out of numbers like the Habs

 

[Stylizer1]

I'm good with it. If another player skates around with 25, most will say that is Chris Neil's number anyways, so might as well retire it. Who cares how it looks on the scope of the NHL and who has jerseys retired. It is Ottawa's jersey, and Ottawa's decision. Of course, it is more a legacy pick rather than a performance pick. But knowing Neil was in the lineup, playing his game, was always a comforting feeling over the years, and cannot be undervalued.

His value to the Senators over his career is worthy of the honour. Who cares really anyways. It's not like we are running out of numbers like the Habs

Most fans would say retiring his number is not necessary.

I would say having your # retired is a notch down from being elected to the HOF. You have to have accomplished something great to get that honour.

What is the ring of honour even for then?

 

[Adele Dazeem]

I will always have a soft spot for Neiler.

 

[Laphroaig]

Yvon Labre has his number retired by the Capitals with far less accomplishment than Neil but then again if every player better than Labre had his number retired we'd soon be using three digit numbers. Having said that I'd still be fine with Neil's number being retired. He was my favorite Senator for many years.

 

[coladin]

Most fans would say retiring his number is not necessary.

I would say having your # retired is a notch down from being elected to the HOF. You have to have accomplished something great to get that honour.

What is the ring of honour even for then?

But it is an Ottawa jersey, again, who cares about the HHOF. This is what he did, what he meant to Ottawa. No. 25 is his, and to have someone else wear it would be dumb.

Ring of Honour may be for the likes of impactful players with small track records : Yashin, Turris, Volchenkov, Stone, Emery, etc...

 

[Stylizer1]

But it is an Ottawa jersey, again, who cares about the HHOF. This is what he did, what he meant to Ottawa. No. 25 is his, and to have someone else wear it would be dumb.

Ring of Honour may be for the likes of impactful players with small track records : Yashin, Turris, Volchenkov, Stone, Emery, etc...

I disagree.

Players with small track records don't usually get honoured. For as little time as he spent in Toronto Kawhi Leonard will get his # retired. The ring of honour is perfect for guys like Phillips and Neil.

 

[Neiler]

Neil was one tough SOB and his presence was always known to the opposite team. He obviously doesn't fit the typical number retirement situation but Ottawa doesn't fit with typical anything it seems.

I've often felt this team lacks marketable things outside of Alfie.

 

[Stylizer1]

Neil was one tough SOB and his presence was always known to the opposite team. He obviously doesn't fit the typical number retirement situation but Ottawa doesn't fit with typical anything it seems.

I've often felt this team lacks marketable things outside of Alfie.

They have traded every single one of their marketable things. This is more for the organization.