1963-64 Topps 50 Jim Neilson Hockey Card (Front)
1963-64 Topps 50 Jim Neilson Hockey Card (Back)
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Card Notes
He is part Indian and all hockey. Hard shooter, he developed fast in rookie Ranger campaign. Was EPHL rookie of year in 1961-62 at Kitchener-Waterloo.
En Français
Il est descendance Indienne et adore le hockey. Il possède un lancer très dur. Il se dévelopa rapidement lors des essais des recrues de Ranger. De plus il était une recrue en 1961-62 à Kitchener Waterloo.
Details
Jim Neilson needed just the 1961-62 season of minor league tuning before becoming a top defenseman in the NHL. With the Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers of the EPHL that year, Jim produced 42 points and was one of the few on the team that played in all 70 games.
With a roster that also included Jean Ratelle, Bryan Hextall, Red Sullivan and, at times, Rod Gilbert, the Beavers placed third during the regular season, just five points behind the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens. They met the Canadiens in the opening round of the playoffs and lost in seven games.
He jumped to the Rangers for 1962-63 and missed just a single game. In the voting for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year, Neilson placed fifth behind winner Kent Douglas, runner-up Doug Barkley, along with Wayne Hillman and Ed Johnston.
Neilson’s first of 69 career goals in the NHL was scored on November 22, 1962 at the Boston Garden against the Bruins. In a 7-1 win for the Rangers, Jim scored the final goal of the game at 18:15 of the third period, assisted by Rod Gilbert and Camille Henry. It was his only shot on Boston goalie Ed Johnston in the match.
Between 1962-63 and 1977-78, Jim Neilson played 1,023 regular season and 65 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, California Golden Seals and Cleveland Barons. He played 35 games in the WHA with the Edmonton Oilers in 1978-79.