Neil Colville
Inducted:
1967
Player Stats
5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Born:
August 4, 1914
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Died:
December 26, 1987
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Position:
Centre
Defence
College:
NA
Neil Colville was a versatile and sophisticated star for the New York Rangers, defining the team’s success during the late 1930s and 1940s. A smooth-skating center with elite playmaking vision, he centered the Rangers' famous "Bread Line" alongside his brother, Mac Colville, and Alex Shibicky. Together, they led the Rangers to a Stanley Cup championship in 1940. Like many stars of his era, Colville’s prime was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Canadian Army.
Upon his return in 1945, he made a rare and successful transition to defense, becoming the second player in NHL history (after Dit Clapper) to be named an All-Star at both forward and defense. Known for his "clean" but effective play and high hockey IQ, Colville served as the Rangers' captain for four seasons before retiring to briefly become the team’s head coach. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967.
Colville's Awards and Record:
- Stanley Cup Champion (1940)
- 3x NHL Second All-Star Team (1939,1940,1948)
- NHL All-Star Game appearance (1948)
- Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee (1967)
- Allan Cup Champion (1942- with Ottawa Commandos)
- Ranked #22 on the all-time list of "100 Ranger Greats"
- One of the very few players in NHL history to be named a league All-Star at two different positions
NHL Teams
New York Rangers (1935-1942,1944-1949)
Number Worn:
5
NHL Stats
Seasons Played:
12 (1935-1942,1944-1949)
Games Played:
464
Goals:
99
Assists:
166
Points:
265
Penalty Minutes:
213
Playoff Games:
46
Goals:
7
Assists:
19
Points:
26
Stanley Cups:
1 (1940)