News Article: RIP Jim "Chief" Neilson

[cwede]

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[cwede]

12 straight seasons >50 games as NYR
Jim Neilson Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

 

[OrlandK]

Interesting that Jim was referred to as "Chief" as a sign of respect but that is now considered an insult to 1st Nation and no longer acceptable. Changing values.

I remember him well. He was a great Ranger and, by all accounts, a great guy too. He should have a spot in the proposed MSG Rangers Hall of Fame, if they ever get that going.

 

[bobbop]

RIP Chief. A very solid Ranger for a long time. Just read this article about him recently

Life and hockey: Jim Neilson's story prompts a push for the Hall | The Star Phoenix

 

[eco's bones]

Big solid defenseman. He was pretty much a second pair guy for us and I remember him paired with Rod Seiling. Good player. RIP.

 

[alkurtz]

The Hockey News recently cited him as the 97th best Dman of all time. Having seen his entire career, I think that is a bit of a stretch but it has forced me to reevaluate just how good he was. He was a solid D who you never really needed to worry about. You knew you were always going to get a solid effort. Teams in those days only dressed 5 D so it is hard to equate where he would fall today. Probably on the 2nd pair. He spanned two Ranger eras...when they were just awful through the first half of the 1960s to the success of the Francis era. He was always there, always responsible. As a season ticket holder in the old blue seats for the entire era, and one who attended many games in the old Garden when the team was god awful, I have fond memories of him. He deserves to be remembered.

 

[eco's bones]

The Hockey News recently cited him as the 97th best Dman of all time. Having seen his entire career, I think that is a bit of a stretch but it has forced me to reevaluate just how good he was. He was a solid D who you never really needed to worry about. You knew you were always going to get a solid effort. Teams in those days only dressed 5 D so it is hard to equate where he would fall today. Probably on the 2nd pair. He spanned two Ranger eras...when they were just awful through the first half of the 1960s to the success of the Francis era. He was always there, always responsible. As a season ticket holder in the old blue seats for the entire era, and one who attended many games in the old Garden when the team was god awful, I have fond memories of him. He deserves to be remembered.

In a way for the Rangers he was kind of like the Dan Girardi of that era.....but back then the Rangers had Brad Park who paired with Dale Rolfe and Park was the 2nd best D in the league behind Bobby Orr---at least until the despicable Denis Potvin came along.

 

[Bluenote13]

I broke the news to my old man today, he summed up The Chief nicely:

 

[beachcomber]

One of my favourite players of the old Ranger teams. Very steady player. RIP.

 

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

kinana'skomitin Chief Jim.

 

[chosen]

My strongest memory of Neilson is his shot from the point fairly consistently hitting the glass.

 

[Maximus]

My strongest memory of Neilson is his shot from the point fairly consistently hitting the glass.

Agreed. Neilson was Rejo "Rexy Plexy" Routsalainen before Rejo...lol. He very rarely hit the net with his shot. Chief was simply a solid defensive dman who was an integral part of those very solid early to mid 70's Ranger squads that were always a threat for the Cup but could never get over the hump.

Too many names from the past are leaving us as this nightmare of the year 2020 continues to rear it's ugly head. The Chief will be missed!.

 

[chosen]

Agreed. Neilson was Rejo "Rexy Plexy" Routsalainen before Rejo...lol. He very rarely hit the net with his shot. Chief was simply a solid defensive dman who was an integral part of those very solid early to mid 70's Ranger squads that were always a threat for the Cup but could never get over the hump.

Too many names from the past are leaving us as this nightmare of the year 2020 continues to rear it's ugly head. The Chief will be missed!.

Comparing Neilson to one of the best offensive defensemen I've ever seen in a Rangers uniform doesn't make sense to me. Am I misunderstanding your post?

 

[cwede]

My strongest memory of Neilson is his shot from the point fairly consistently hitting the glass.

Agreed. Neilson was Rejo "Rexy Plexy" Routsalainen before Rejo...lol. He very rarely hit the net with his shot. ...

Comparing Neilson to one of the best offensive defensemen I've ever seen in a Rangers uniform doesn't make sense to me. Am I misunderstanding your post?

it was reference to the post immediately prior: "...his shot from the point fairly consistently hitting the glass"

sequence of posts included here

 

[CasusBelli]

Interesting that Jim was referred to as "Chief" as a sign of respect but that is now considered an insult to 1st Nation and no longer acceptable. Changing values.

Seriously? Chief comes from the French “chef” and, ultimately, the Latin “caput.” So what will chefs now be? Kitchen CEOs? Culinary Generals? The society we live in ...

 

[chosen]

Seriously? Chief comes from the French “chef” and, ultimately, the Latin “caput.” So what will chefs now be? Kitchen CEOs? Culinary Generals? The society we live in ...

No comment, because we're not supposed to.

 

[Maximus]

Comparing Neilson to one of the best offensive defensemen I've ever seen in a Rangers uniform doesn't make sense to me. Am I misunderstanding your post?

As @cwede just mentioned, my comment and comparison to Rejo was in response to your comment that Nielson's shot from the point invariably missed the net and hit the glass behind the net. As you know Rejo's nickname back than was "Rexy Plexy" seeing despite how great an offensive dman he was, Rejo's howitzer of a shot invariably missed the net often as well hence his nickname.

Hope that helps your being vexed at my comment.

 

[chosen]

As @cwede just mentioned, my comment and comparison to Rejo was in response to your comment that Nielson's shot from the point invariably missed the net and hit the glass behind the net. As you know Rejo's nickname back than was "Rexy Plexy" seeing despite how great an offensive dman he was, Rejo's howitzer of a shot invariably missed the net often as well hence his nickname.

Hope that helps your being vexed at my comment.

I am cured!

 

[Larrybiv]

Yes, one of my faves as well. Back then if you werent able "or old enough" to go to the garden, you often heard "shot wide", but maybe he did that on purpose as to NOT get his shot blocked? Hey, give the man the benny of doubt! God rest his soul, wow.....like mentioned, losing so many players (in many sports) has got to make you think your time is nearing.
His #was 15, but I woukd swear I remember him wearing another.....didnt he donn 5, for a bit? Could be wrong. Ric Seiling wore 3, right? Ok, whatever.

 

[cwede]

Yes, one of my faves as well. Back then if you werent able "or old enough" to go to the garden, you often heard "shot wide", but maybe he did that on purpose as to NOT get his shot blocked? ... His #was 15, but I would swear I remember him wearing another.....didn't he don 5, for a bit? Could be wrong. Ric Seiling wore 3, right? Ok, whatever.

Ric Seiling, Rod's much younger brother, never played for NYR
I don't recall Neilson or Seiling wearing other than 15, 16 but, that was when I was a pre-teen and teen, long ago.
NYR official site seems to have whitewashed their Uni # history, no longer showing prior/temporary ##'s like Dubi's 54 and G's 46
... Jesper Fast's page at NYR site seems to display NO # at all
Jesper Fast New York Rangers - 2019-2020 Stats - New York Rangers - All Time Roster

 

[Larrybiv]

Ric Seiling, Rod's much younger brother, never played for NYR
I don't recall Neilson or Seiling wearing other than 15, 16 but, that was when I was a pre-teen and teen, long ago.
NYR official site seems to have whitewashed their Uni # history, no longer showing prior/temporary ##'s like Dubi's 54 and G's 46
... Jesper Fast's page at NYR site seems to display NO # at all
Jesper Fast New York Rangers - 2019-2020 Stats - New York Rangers - All Time Roster

Of course it was ROD, would like to say it was a spell check thing, but was more like a "brainfart". Thanks, and prob right about Chief's # always being 15.