James Neal (ice hockey)
James Neal (born September 3, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and St. Louis Blues.
| James Neal | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Neal with the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2022 | |||
| Born |
September 3, 1987 Whitby, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Free Agent Dallas Stars Pittsburgh Penguins Nashville Predators Vegas Golden Knights Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers St. Louis Blues | ||
| National team | Canada | ||
| NHL Draft |
33rd overall, 2005 Dallas Stars | ||
| Playing career | 2007–present | ||
| Website |
jamesneal18 | ||
While playing junior ice hockey with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), he was selected in the second round, 33rd overall, by the Dallas Stars in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. After one season with the Stars' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Iowa Stars, Neal played his NHL rookie year with Dallas in 2008–09. During his third NHL season, he was traded to the Penguins, where he played four seasons before being traded to the Predators.
After three seasons with the Predators, Neal was selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft by the Golden Knights. A free agent after one year in Vegas, Neal signed with the Flames in July 2018 before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers just over a year later, where he played two seasons.