Cam Neely
Full disclosure: I had a Cam Neely photo on my bedroom wall as a kid. It’s still there now. So, I might be a little biased here as I discuss Neely’s impact and presence on the ice.
Neely brought a unique element to the game, as he was the first true power forward. He wasn’t a speedy goal scorer, nor was he a big enforcer. He was both.
Neely had three seasons of at least 50 goals for the Bruins. In one of these seasons, he only played 49 games! Even in his last two seasons, when his bad knee hobbled him, Neely still scored 27 and 26 goals.
At the same time, as Neely beat his opponents on the scoresheet, he beat them up as well. He had 76 total fights in the NHL, each one more memorable than the last.
When Neely shot, he always shot to score. And when he punched, he always punched to knock his opponent out. He didn’t care for the clutching and grabbing we tend to see in modern-day fights. Neely preferred to throw haymakers.
Fighting was only a part of Neely’s intimation factor. He also never failed to finish a check against an opposing defenseman. In his prime, Neely would go into the corner, knock the defenseman off the puck, and eventually he’d score on that shift. Who does that nowadays?
Fans and media members always try to label bigger forwards who can score as the next Cam Neely. We saw it with Jarome Iginla in Calgary. But, there really hasn’t been anybody like him. And based on recent trends with the game, it doesn’t look like we’ll ever find the next Neely.
If you’re a defenseman, that’s probably a good thing.