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Local Boy fulfills dreams of playing in the NHL
Chris Neil was born in Markdale and was raised just outside Flesherton on the family farm. He first started out playing minor hockey in Flesherton. After this he played for the Grey Bruce Highlanders of the South-Central Triple A Hockey League. It was after this that he got his junior hockey start playing for the Orangeville Crushers. Chris made his way into the Ontario Hockey League where he played for three seasons with the North Bay Centennials. It was here that the scouts for Ottawa first spotted him. He then spent two seasons in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he soon came to the conclusion that the Ottawa Senators had enough skill, but what they needed was a little bit of grit to be winners. Chris figured that the quickest way into the NHL would be to come across as a two-way checker with some fortitude who was willing to take on anything that would come his way. It took him 133 games and 694 penalty minutes, but Chris’ dream was finally a reality when he took that leap into the NHL. Chris, at a height of 6’1” plays Right Wing and is known to play the role of enforcer, goon, and trash talker. Chris and his teammate Mike Fisher are most certainly popular with the fans for playing rough and trying their hardest. Chris works hard, and he plays hard, and all of his effort is really paying off. He earned US$1,000,000 salary during the 2006-2007 NHL season. While people Canada wide are cheering for the Ottawa Senators during the playoffs, everyone locally is cheering for Chris; the boy from Flesherton who made it into the NHL. Sources: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/chris_neil |
The spirit of hockey is in the air as the Ottawa Senators begin the playoffs, people everywhere are talking about the Senators but around here the name you will hear most often is that of Chris Neil; the boy from the small town of Flesherton who made it into the NHL.
