Vegas Golden Knights alternate captain James Neal has been putting pucks in the back of the net since he was a kid. He is a Canadian professional hockey player. Before being selected to the National Hockey League by the Dallas Stars, he played for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League.
He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins for four seasons after a year with American Hockey League American Hockey League team Iowa Stars and then the Nashville Predators for three seasons and now plays for the Goldens Knights.
James is known as a natural scorer and on October 6, 2017, he scored the Golden Knights’ first two goals in their franchise debut.
the biography
He was born the eldest of five children (four boys and one girl) in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, to their parents, Peter and Deborah Neal, on September 3, 1987. His family has hockey in their veins and is excessively obsessed with the sport, she didn’t come surprised when he was drafted into the NHL. Neal’s boys thank all their parents for raising them right and setting them on the path they are on now. His younger brothers, Michael, Peter and Nicholas all play hockey, a sport they all loved and practiced together growing up. They have a sister named Rebecca. James was coached by his father during the early days of his minor hockey career.
He attended All Saints Catholic High School in Whitby, Ontario, where he earned the nickname Whitby Wizard, likely for his toughness on the ice.
James Neal – Contract, Statistics
He spent his minor career days with the Whitby Wildcats of the AAA league of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) before being drafted into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2003 at 3rd round, 80th overall for the Plymouth Whalers after his season in gadgets. After a successful rookie season in the OHL, he was selected in the 2nd round, 33rd overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars.
Although he was drafted into the NHL, he was returned to his junior team, the Whalers for two consecutive seasons. There, he impressed the team with his outstanding performances and eventually signed a 3-year entry-level contract. He continued to prove himself by helping them win their first and only J. Ross Robertson Cup as 2006-07 OHL champions. He was also selected as the 1st star of the West League team, which characterized him in his junior career.
He turned pro in 2007-08 and played for the Iowa Stars, Dallas’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. The following season, he made his NHL debut with the Stars where he scored his first career NHL goal in his first game in October 2008 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Two months later, he scored his first NHL hat trick in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 23, 2008, in an 8-2 victory.
With an outstanding record, including breaking the Stars team record for rookie goals scored with 24 goals and 37 points, James signed a two-year contract extension with the Stars just before the start of the 2010 season- 2011. However, on February 21, 2011, he traded from the Dallas Stars to the Pittsburgh Penguins and signed a six-year contract extension the following year. Extra time came a day after scoring 30 goals for the first time in his career.
He was traded to the Nashville Predators again in June 2014 during the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He was appointed substitute captain there and at the height of his form. In June 2017, as an unprotected player for the Predators, James Neal was selected by the league’s newest team, Vegas Golden Knights, after three seasons with the Predators. He helped the Golden Knights claim victory in their franchise debut with a 2-1 score against the Dallas Stars.
On the international front, James has also proven he is a force to be reckoned with on the ice. He was part of the Canadian team at the 2007 World Junior Championships in Sweden, where they won a gold medal. Also in 2009 and 2011, he joined the Canadian men’s team at the IHF World Championship in Switzerland and Slovakia, respectively. Knowing victory, he helped his country win the silver medal in the 2009 tournament.
From 2003 to 2007, during his OHL career, he had total 173 points with 68 goals and 105 assists, and his AHL career totals 22 goals, 20 assists, 42 points. His NHL career, however, saw him appear in 703 games. He scored 263 goals with 232 assists for a total of 495 points.
James Neal’s wife and girlfriend
The hockey star is in a relationship with MelanieCollins, a TV host and sportscaster who is currently the face of Yahoo! Sports, co-hosts Big Break on the Golf Channel and contributes to The Insider on CBS. She was born on February 6, 1988 in State College, Pennsylvania. Prior to James, Melanie dated fellow NHL player Scottie Upshall from 2009 to 2013. She began dating James Neal in March 2014.
other facts
James had his training season in 2011-2012, where he scored 40 goals and 40 assists.
He was featured on an episode of NHL 36 which followed him for 36 hours in March 2012.
He helped the Plymouth Whalers win their first and only J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions.
The Golden Knights alternate captain played his 500th career NHL game on November 23, 2015.
Between 2008 and 2017, he scored more than 20 goals in 9 NHL seasons.
He has a tall 6’2″ body and a weight of 221 lbs.
His position is either on the right or left wing where he shoots left, wearing the number 18 shirt.
He rejoined the Hockey Players League with a toothless grin after losing a few teeth in a game against Colorado Avalanche in October 2017. The loss was tallied after taking a high stick from Patrik Nemeth in the first period.
James Neal missed a wide-open net in a game against the Washington Capitals on June 4, 2018, which fans thought was unbelievable.