Seasons with Rangers: 12 (1962-1974)
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 810
Playoff Games with Rangers: 65

Acquired
Scouted and signed by Rangers as a free agent in 1958.

Departed
Claimed by California in NHL Intra-League Draft on June 10, 1974.

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NYR - Career Regular Season Stats Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S% 1962-1963 Rangers 69 5 11 16 38 1963-1964 Rangers 69 5 24 29 93 1964-1965 Rangers 62 0 13 13 58 1965-1966 Rangers 65 4 19 23 84 1966-1967 Rangers 61 4 11 15 65 1967-1968 Rangers 67 6 29 35 29 60 2 0 1 172 3.5 1968-1969 Rangers 76 10 34 44 6 95 3 0 2 274 3.6 1969-1970 Rangers 62 3 20 23 24 75 0 0 0 204 1.5 1970-1971 Rangers 77 8 24 32 31 69 2 0 3 200 4.0 1971-1972 Rangers 78 7 30 37 38 56 2 0 0 183 3.8 1972-1973 Rangers 52 4 16 20 22 35 0 0 0 99 4.0 1973-1974 Rangers 72 4 7 11 -4 38 2 0 1 103 3.9 Team Totals: 810 60 238 298 146 766 11 0 7

NYR - Career Playoff Stats Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S% 1966-1967 Rangers 4 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1967-1968 Rangers 6 0 2 2 4 0 0 0 1968-1969 Rangers 4 0 3 3 5 0 0 0 1969-1970 Rangers 6 0 1 1 8 0 0 0 1970-1971 Rangers 13 0 3 3 30 0 0 0 1971-1972 Rangers 10 0 3 3 8 0 0 0 1972-1973 Rangers 10 0 4 4 2 0 0 0 1973-1974 Rangers 12 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 Team Totals: 65 1 17 18 61 1 0 0

Career Regular Season Stats Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S% 1958-1959 Prince Albert Mintos-SJHL 10 1 2 3 6 1959-1960 Prince Albert Mintos-SJHL 57 21 28 49 61 1960-1961 Prince Albert Mintos-SJHL 59 20 26 46 59 1961-1962 Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers-EPHL 70 9 33 42 78 1962-1963 Rangers 69 5 11 16 38 1963-1964 Rangers 69 5 24 29 93 1964-1965 Rangers 62 0 13 13 58 1965-1966 Rangers 65 4 19 23 84 1966-1967 Rangers 61 4 11 15 65 1967-1968 Rangers 67 6 29 35 29 60 2 0 1 172 3.5 1968-1969 Rangers 76 10 34 44 6 95 3 0 2 274 3.6 1969-1970 Rangers 62 3 20 23 24 75 0 0 0 204 1.5 1970-1971 Rangers 77 8 24 32 31 69 2 0 3 200 4.0 1971-1972 Rangers 78 7 30 37 38 56 2 0 0 183 3.8 1972-1973 Rangers 52 4 16 20 22 35 0 0 0 99 4.0 1973-1974 Rangers 72 4 7 11 -4 38 2 0 1 103 3.9 1974-1975 Seals 72 3 17 20 -46 56 0 0 0 112 2.7 1975-1976 Seals 26 1 6 7 -6 20 1 0 0 41 2.4 1976-1977 Barons 47 3 17 20 -5 42 0 0 0 42 7.1 1977-1978 Barons 68 2 21 23 -25 20 0 0 0 51 3.9 1978-1979 Edmonton Oilers-WHA 35 0 5 5 18 NHL Totals: 1,023 69 299 368 64 904 12 0 7

Career Playoff Stats Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S% 1959-1960 Prince Albert Mintos-SJHL 7 2 2 4 6 1961-1962 Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers-EPHL 7 2 3 5 2 1966-1967 Rangers 4 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1967-1968 Rangers 6 0 2 2 4 0 0 0 1968-1969 Rangers 4 0 3 3 5 0 0 0 1969-1970 Rangers 6 0 1 1 8 0 0 0 1970-1971 Rangers 13 0 3 3 30 0 0 0 1971-1972 Rangers 10 0 3 3 8 0 0 0 1972-1973 Rangers 10 0 4 4 2 0 0 0 1973-1974 Rangers 12 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 NHL Totals: 65 1 17 18 61 0 0 0

Bio/News RANGERS DEBUT Oct. 11, 1962 (Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings) FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS May 5, 1974 (Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers) (playoffs) MAJOR NHL AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS WITH RANGERS NHL Second All-Star Team — 1967-68 NHL All-Star Game — 1967, 1971 RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS Minor-league games: 196 Minor-league teams: Prince Albert (SJHL) 1958-1961; Kitchener-Waterloo (EPHL) 1961-62 MISCELLANEOUS Full Name: James Anthony Neilson Nickname: The Chief Uniform Numbers: 15 Retired from pro hockey: 1979 BIOGRAPHY He wasn`t flashy, but reliable defenseman Jim Neilson was an anchor on the Rangers` blueline for a dozen seasons from 1962 to 1974. In an era when he was often overshadowed by superstar Brad Park, Neilson managed to play in two NHL All-Star Games in 1967 and 1971 and was also named to the NHL`s Second All-Star Team in 1967-68. In the year after he was recognized with his lone NHL postseason honor, he erupted for 10 goals and 34 assists. His 44 points in 1968-69 were seven more than he had in any other NHL season. Nielson left the Rangers when he was claimed by the California Golden Seals in the 1974 NHL Intra-League Draft. At the time of his departure, only Harry Howell, Rod Gilbert and Vic Hadfield had played more games with the Rangers than the man known to fans as "The Chief". RELATED CONTENT º Alumni Spotlight º Rangers Career Leaders