Jim Neilson: Rangers Great Turned Cleveland Barons Captain

Jim Neilson spent much of his National Hockey League career with the New York Rangers. However, in 1974 he became a big fish in a little pond when he was picked up by the California Golden Seals. Neilson was team captain for the Seals in their final season in California and was captain of the franchise in their two years as the Cleveland Barons.

Neilson put in 1,023 regular season games in the NHL as a solid defenseman. He was known for his ability to carry the puck but most often passed that puck off before it got to the opponent’s net. He topped out with a ten goal season in 1968-69.

Junior and Minor Pro

NHL Career

Hockey Card Collection

Rookie Card

Career Stats

Jim Neilson – Junior and Minor Pro

Jim Neilson played parts of three seasons as a junior in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 1958-59 to 1960-61 with the Prince Albert Mintos. In his first year, he appeared in just ten games and retained his rookie status for 1959-60.

In that 1959-60 SJHL season, Neilson took home rookie of the year honours. The Mintos finished third in the seven team league before losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Regina Pats in seven games. Prince Albert had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the series before Regina turned up the heat.

In 1960-61, the Mintos dropped to dead last in the seven team SJHL. Jim was a shining lot on the club, selected as a First Team All-Star defenseman.

Neilson’s only year in the minors came in 1961-62 with the Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers of the EPHL. Playing under player/head coach Red Sullivan, Jim scored nine and assisted on 33 for 42 points in 70 games. He was named EPHL Rookie of the Year and was also selected as a Second Team All-Star.

With the Beavers, Neilson was teamed with Bryan Hextall, Dave Balon, Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert and goalie Jack McCartan. McCartan played in all 70 regular season and seven playoff games for the Kitchener, Ontario affiliate of the New York Rangers. The Beavers finished third in the six team league and fell in the opening round of the playoffs to the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens in seven games.

Jim Neilson – NHL

Between 1962-63 and 1977-78, Jim Neilson played in 1,023 regular season National Hockey League games with the New York Rangers, California Golden Seals and Cleveland Barons. Over that time, he scored just 69 goals while assisting on 299 for 368 points.

Jim Neilson Collection

In 65 Stanley Cup playoff games, Neilson added two goals and 16 assists. All 65 games were played in a Rangers jersey. Never a champion, Jim never got a championship with New York, despite playing for some very good teams. They did reach the finals in 1971-72 but fell to Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins.

In 1967-68, Neilson was selected to the NHL’s Second Team All-Star squad. That year, he scored six and assisted on 29 for 35 points in 67 games. The following year, 1968-69, Jim had his best offensive seasons with ten goals and 34 assists for 44 points in 76 games.

Jim’s career ended in 1978-79 in the World Hockey Association with the Edmonton Oilers. He appeared in 35 games with the Oilers before calling it a career. However, it was not the first time the WHA came calling. Neilson was selected by the Los Angeles Sharks in the 1972 WHA General Player Draft.

He was claimed by the Golden Seals on June 10, 1974 in the intra-league draft after a disappointing eleven point season in 1973-74 with the Rangers. He was team captain for California in 1975-76 and carried on with the role as a member of the Cleveland Barons in 1976-77 and 1977-78.

Jim Neilson remains eighth all-time with 810 games played in a New York Rangers jersey. He is ranked number 42 in the book 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters.

Jim Neilson – Rookie Card

The Jim Neilson rookie card appears as number 49 in the 1962-63 Topps NHL hockey card set. He is shown with the New York Rangers and is in the rare position in the 1960’s to have a hockey card before completing a full NHL season.

O-Pee-Chee got lazy when it came to Neilson during his Golden Seals days. For three consecutive seasons, 1974-75 to 1976-77, they used the same photo of Jim on the front of his hockey cards. In 1976-77, with the team moving to Cleveland, they tried to fade out the green and yellow colours of the Seals.

His final card is included in the 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee NHL set as number 317. The card is a bit of a bungle as OPC had difficulty keeping up with the whole California to Cleveland move. Despite being with the franchise since the 1974-75 season, the front of the card stated the aging information that he had been ‘Drafted from Rangers 6-10-74’.

On that final card, he is shown wearing the final year California Golden Seals jersey with the ‘C’ on the front. The card shows him as a member of the Cleveland Barons. Coincidentally, he is one the ice prior to a game between the Seals and New York Rangers.

Jim Neilson Career Stats

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1958-59	Prince Albert Mintos	SJHL	10	1	2	3	6
1959-60	Prince Albert Mintos	SJHL	57	21	33	54	53
1960-61	Prince Albert Mintos	SJHL	59	20	26	46	59
1961-62	Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers	EPHL	70	9	33	42	78
1962-63	New York Rangers	NHL	69	5	11	16	38
1963-64	New York Rangers	NHL	69	5	24	29	93
1964-65	New York Rangers	NHL	62	0	13	13	58
1965-66	New York Rangers	NHL	65	4	19	23	84
1966-67	New York Rangers	NHL	61	4	11	15	65
1967-68	New York Rangers	NHL	67	6	29	35	60
1968-69	New York Rangers	NHL	76	10	34	44	95
1969-70	New York Rangers	NHL	62	3	20	23	75
1970-71	New York Rangers	NHL	77	8	24	32	69
1971-72	New York Rangers	NHL	78	7	30	37	56
1972-73	New York Rangers	NHL	52	4	16	20	35
1973-74	New York Rangers	NHL	72	4	7	11	38
1974-75	California Seals	NHL	72	3	17	20	56
1975-76	California Seals	NHL	26	1	6	7	20
1976-77	Cleveland Barons	NHL	47	3	17	20	42
1977-78	Cleveland Barons	NHL	68	2	21	23	20
1978-79	Edmonton Oilers	WHA	35	0	5	5	18
	NHL Totals		1023	69	299	368	904
	WHA Totals		35	0	5	5	18