Neil Little
Encyclopedia
Neil Little is a Canadian former professional ice hockey
goaltender
. He was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers
organization nearly his entire professional career, helping backstop the Philadelphia Phantoms
to two Calder Cup
championships and playing in two career National Hockey League
(NHL) games with the Flyers.
and Philadelphia Phantoms
in the AHL
, as well as playing two NHL
games for the Philadelphia Flyers
. He signed with the Espoo Blues
in the Finnish
SM-liiga
for the 2005–06 season, playing until leaving the team because of a dispute with the Espoo coach, then finished the season in Geneva, Switzerland. He was the "flying goalie" in a brawl between the Phantoms and the Binghamton Senators
as several players from the two teams were fighting next to the Senators' net, Little skated across the rink and dove into the crowd.
Despite only playing two career games with the Philadelphia Flyers, Little was named as one of the Flyers goaltenders for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
Alumni game
as well as a global scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, concentrating his focus on goaltenders.
He is currently the assistant coach for the University of Princeton Men's hockey team for the 2010-11 season - his third year at that position.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
. He was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
organization nearly his entire professional career, helping backstop the Philadelphia Phantoms
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
to two Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
championships and playing in two career National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) games with the Flyers.
Playing career
Little has played for the Hershey BearsHershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
and Philadelphia Phantoms
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
in the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, as well as playing two NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
games for the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He signed with the Espoo Blues
Espoo Blues
The Blues are an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Espoo, Finland at the Barona Areena.-Team history:The club was established in February 1984 as Kiekko-Espoo and played their first season in 1984-1985 in the Finnish Second Division...
in the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
for the 2005–06 season, playing until leaving the team because of a dispute with the Espoo coach, then finished the season in Geneva, Switzerland. He was the "flying goalie" in a brawl between the Phantoms and the Binghamton Senators
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
as several players from the two teams were fighting next to the Senators' net, Little skated across the rink and dove into the crowd.
Despite only playing two career games with the Philadelphia Flyers, Little was named as one of the Flyers goaltenders for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
2012 NHL Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies with the host Philadelphia Flyers playing against their...
Alumni game
Coaching career
Following his playing career, Little was named an assistant coach/goaltending development coach for the Philadelphia PhantomsPhiladelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
as well as a global scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, concentrating his focus on goaltenders.
He is currently the assistant coach for the University of Princeton Men's hockey team for the 2010-11 season - his third year at that position.
Awards and honours
- 1992–93: ECAC First All-Star Team
- 1992–93: NCAA East Second All-American Team
- 1997–98: Calder CupCalder CupThe Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
Philadelphia PhantomsPhiladelphia PhantomsThe Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... - 2004–05: Calder CupCalder CupThe Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
Philadelphia PhantomsPhiladelphia PhantomsThe Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... - 2006: Inducted into Philadelphia Phantoms Hall of Fame
- 2007: Inducted into RPI's Athletic Hall of Fame
Regular season
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | R.P.I. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's... |
NCAA | 18 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1991–92 | R.P.I. | NCAA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1992–93 | R.P.I. | NCAA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1993–94 | R.P.I. | NCAA | 33 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 1920 | 102 | 0 | 3.19 | -- |
| 1993–94 | Hershey Bears Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of... |
AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 3.23 | 88.9% |
| 1994–95 | Johnstown Chiefs Johnstown Chiefs The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
16 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 897 | 55 | 0 | 3.68 | 89.6% |
| 1994–95 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 19 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 919 | 60 | 0 | 3.91 | 86.8% |
| 1995–96 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 48 | 21 | 18 | 6 | 2680 | 149 | 0 | 3.34 | 89.5% |
| 1996–97 | Philadelphia Phantoms Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... |
AHL | 54 | 31 | 12 | 7 | 3007 | 145 | 0 | 2.89 | 90.9% |
| 1997–98 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 51 | 31 | 11 | 7 | 2960 | 145 | 0 | 2.94 | 90.3% |
| 1998–99 | Grand Rapids Griffins Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.... |
IHL | 50 | 18 | 21 | 5 | 2740 | 144 | 3 | 3.15 | 89.4% |
| 1999–00 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 51 | 26 | 18 | 2 | 2830 | 143 | 1 | 3.03 | 90.6% |
| 2000–01 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 58 | 22 | 27 | 4 | 3117 | 148 | 2 | 2.85 | 90.9% |
| 2001–02 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 35 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 2079 | 70 | 2 | 2.02 | 92.6% |
| 2001–02 | Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 | 86.2% |
| 2002–03 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 42 | 18 | 19 | 4 | 2478 | 103 | 4 | 2.49 | 90.7% |
| 2003–04 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 34 | 21 | 12 | 1 | 1900 | 62 | 6 | 1.96 | 92.0% |
| 2003–04 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 3.64 | 75.0% |
| 2004–05 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 26 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 1382 | 54 | 3 | 2.34 | 92.1% |
| 2005–06 | Espoo Blues Espoo Blues The Blues are an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Espoo, Finland at the Barona Areena.-Team history:The club was established in February 1984 as Kiekko-Espoo and played their first season in 1984-1985 in the Finnish Second Division... |
SM-liiga SM-liiga The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice... |
37 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 2100.03 | 85 | 2 | 2.43 | 91.62% |
| NHL totals | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 93 | 6 | 0 | ||||