Neil Colville

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Neil McNeil Colville (August 4, 1914 - December 26, 1987) was a professional ice hockey player. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, he played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League with his brother Mac, winning the Stanley Cup in 1940.

  • Position: centre
  • Height: 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
  • Weight: 180 lbs (82 kg)

Colville joined the Rangers' farm team in 1934 and quickly made his way to the pros by 1936, centering the "Bread Line" with his brother and Alex Shibicky, where he played until World War II. During the war, he and his brother were stationed in Ottawa and played on the army's Ottawa Commandos team, winning the Allan Cup in 1942.

After the war, they both returned the Rangers, this time as defencemen, the first pairs of brothers to ever do so in the NHL. Neil was just as good at defence as he was on offense, becoming the first player to be named to All-Star Teams as both a forward and a defenceman.

He retired in 1949 and became the Rangers' youngest coach a year later, but he was forced to resign due to health problems halfway through his second season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967. He died in 1987 and there is a memorial bench in his honor at the Gary Point Park in Steveston, British Columbia.

[edit] Career statistics

Season Club League REGULAR SEASON PLAYOFFS
GP G A TP PIM +/- GP G A TP PIM
1929–30 Edmonton Enarcos EJrHL 12 1 0 1
1930–31 Edmonton Canadians EJrHL 13 2 0 2 8
1931–32 Edmonton Poolers EJrHL 11 7 3 10 4 2 1 3 0
1931–32 Edmonton Poolers M-Cup 5 2 0 2 2
1932–33 Edmonton Athletic Club EJrHL 11 10 3 0 0 0 2
1933–34 Edmonton Athletic Club EJrHL 9 14 4 18 13 2 4 2 6 5
1933–34 Edmonton Athletic Club M-Cup 12 15 6 21 4
1934–35 New York Crescents EAHL 21 24 11 35 16 8 8 4 12 2
1935–36 New York Rangers NHL 1 0 0 0 0
1935–36 Philadelphia Ramblers Can-Am 35 15 16 31 8 4 0 2 2 0
1936–37 New York Rangers NHL 45 10 18 28 33 9 3 3 6 0
1937–38 New York Rangers NHL 45 17 19 36 11 3 0 1 1 0
1938–39 New York Rangers NHL 47 18 19 37 12 7 0 2 2 2
1939–40 New York Rangers NHL 48 19 19 38 22 12 2 7 9 18
1940–41 New York Rangers NHL 48 14 28 42 28 3 1 1 2 0
1941–42 New York Rangers NHL 48 8 25 33 37 6 0 5 5 6
1942–43 Ottawa Commandos QSHL 22 12 30 42 32
1942–43 Ottawa Army OCHL 12 11 12 23 6
1942–43 Ottawa Commandos Al-Cup 12 14 14 28 17
1943–44
1944–45 New York Rangers NHL 4 0 1 1 2
1944–45 Winnipeg RCAF WNDHL 6 5 4 9 4
1944–45 Ottawa Commandos QSHL 2 0 0 0 0
1944–45 Quebec Aces QSHL 5 1 2 3 0 7 2 5 7 4
1944–45 Quebec Aces Al-Cup 3 0 3 3 0
1945–46 New York Rangers NHL 49 5 4 9 25
1946–47 New York Rangers NHL 60 4 16 20 16
1947–48 New York Rangers NHL 55 4 12 16 25 6 1 0 1 6
1948–49 New York Rangers NHL 14 0 5 5 2
1948–49 New Haven Ramblers AHL 11 0 3 3 8
1949–50 New Haven Ramblers AHL 17 3 4 7 13
NHL Totals 464 99 166 265 213 46 7 19 26 32

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Ott Heller		 New York Rangers captains
1945-49		 Succeeded by
Buddy O'Connor
v • d • e
New York Rangers Head Coaches
Patrick • Boucher • L. Patrick • Colville • Cook • M. Patrick • Watson • Pike • Harvey • M. Patrick • Sullivan • Francis • Geoffrion • Francis • Popein • Francis • Stewart • Ferguson • Talbot • Shero • C. Patrick • Brooks • C. Patrick • Sator • Webster • Esposito • Bergeron • Esposito • Neilson • Smith • Keenan • Campbell • Muckler • Low • Trottier • Sather • Renney
Persondata
NAME Colville, Neil
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Professional ice hockey player
DATE OF BIRTH August 4, 1914
PLACE OF BIRTH Edmonton, Alberta
DATE OF DEATH December 26, 1987
PLACE OF DEATH