At Right Wing, Number 8, Cam Neely

Yesterday, September 5, was the ten year anniversary of the retirement of Cam Neely from the NHL. Cam was one of my favorite players when I first started following hockey. He epitomized what came to be known as the "power forward". You'll still hear general managers talk about drafting a "Cam Neely-type player". To paraphrase Dennis Leary from a TV special, "He could go out any night and score 2 goals. If you pissed him off, he'd kick your ass, and then go out and score 2 goals."

Sure the guy knew how to fight (1241 career penalty minutes), but he wasn't just a goon. After returning in 1993 from an injury that caused him to miss all but 22 regular season games in 2 seasons (damn you to hell, Ulf Samulsson!), he scored 50 goals in 44 games played. Only 7 players in NHL history have scored 50 goals in 50 games or less, and only Wayne Gretzky has done it faster (39). He won the Masterton trophy that year for "Comeback Player of the Year".

Five time All-Star. 395 goals. 299 assists. But he never played in more than 50 games in his last 5 years in the league. After Samulsson gave him an injury that caused him to develop myositis ossificans (part of the muscle turning to bone), he also developed a degenerative hip which eventually led to his retirement on September 5, 1996. His number has since been retired to the rafters of the Boston Garden and he was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2005.

Since retiring, he's done some acting (Dumb and Dumber, Rescue Me), but mainly he's focused on the Cam Neely Foundation which provides support for cancer patients and their families.

A great player and a great man. The Boston Bruins and I both miss you.