'The Chief' and Slats in Winnipeg
New York Ranger's Goalie Ed Giacomin (1) goes to ice in first period of NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game at New York's Madison Square Garden April 16, 1970 to block shot by Boston Bruins' John Bucyk (9). Giacomin had plenty of help with with, from left, Bob Nevin (8), Ab Demarco (24) and Jim Neilson, (15). Credit: AP
WINNIPEG -- One of the gone-but-not-forgotten faces at WTS Centre certainly was familiar to any Rangers fan of a certain generation: "The Chief," Jim Neilson, who guarded the blue line on Broadway for 12 years between 1962 and 1974.
Neilson was a guest of Rangers general manager Glen Sather and was escorted by former teammate and broadcaster Pete Stemkowski, who was born here.
Neilson, 69, who also played for the California Golden Seals and the Cleveland Barons, finished his career for Sather's Oilers in 1978-79 as a teammate of 18-year-old Wayne Gretzky and has been living in Winnipeg for 20 years.
"Whenever Slats would come to town after that, he'd bring some sticks for my boy and I'd catch him at the hotel and maybe have a beer," Neilson said Monday while watching warm-ups.
Paired primarily with Rod Seiling, Neilson -- whose mother was a member of the Cree tribe -- played 810 games for the Rangers. His career was shortened by two serious knee injuries. The one in 1970 forced him to wear a metal brace designed by Dr. James A. Nicholas, known for operating on Joe Namath's troubled knee, and he wore the same brace for a while before discarding it as too stiff.
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