Neil Little

Last updated

Photo courtesy Philadelphia Phantoms, October 12, 2002. Reprinted without permission.

BIOGRAPHY

BORN: Medicine Hat, Alberta, December 18, 1971.
HOME:
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 175 lbs.
UNIFORM #: 35 (Philadelphia), 31 (Philadelphia AHL).
CATCHES: Left
COLLEGE: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ECAC
FAVOURITE GOALTENDER: "As a youngster I watched Andy Moog a lot and liked the way he played." (Phan Phorum online Q&A, date unknown)
STYLE:
STRENGTHS: Good team player.
WEAKNESSES:

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"Stand-up, technically sound, but must work on consistency." (Wayne Fish, The Hockey News Future Watch 1995)

TRANSACTIONS:

Selected by Philadelphia Flyers in eleventh round (226th overall) of National Hockey League entry draft, 1991.
Resigned by Flyers (restricted free agent), August 8, 2002.
Signed as free agent with Blues Espoo (Finland SM-Liiga), July 18, 2005.

ACCOLADES:

Member of Calder Cup champion Philadelphia Phantoms, 1998.
Named as starter for Canadian Team at American Hockey League All-Star Game, February 14, 2002.
Member of Calder Cup champion Philadelphia Phantoms, 2005.
Inducted into Philadelphia Phantoms Hall of Fame, April 7, 2006.

INJURIES:

FIRSTS:

Neil made his National Hockey League debut on March 28, 2002, when his Philadelphia Flyers made the trip to Carolina to face the Hurricanes. Sadly for Neil, the Hurricanes won the day, scoring the first four goals en route to a 4-1 win over Little's Flyers. Neil made twenty-five saves.

PENALTY SHOTS:

DID YOU KNOW?

On May 3, 1997, Little fought Hershey counterpart Sinuhe Wallinheimo.
Before appearing in the Flyers' March 28, 2002 game in Carolina, Neil had backed up for the club on forty-three occasions without seeing National Hockey League game action.
On December 28, 2003, Little fought Binghamton counterpart Ray Emery.
Little is the only member of the Philadelphia Phantoms to play for both the 1998 and 2005 Calder Cup champion teams.
In 2007, Neil became the goaltender coach of the Philadelphia Phantoms.

SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   T    GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
90-91 Rensselaer Poly. Inst. ECAC 18                                                        0   0     2
91-92 Rensselaer Poly. Inst. ECAC 28                                                        0   0     6
92-93 Rensselaer Poly. Inst. ECAC 31                                                        0   3     8
93-94 Rensselaer Poly. Inst. ECAC 33   1920  19  10   4   102   3.19                    0   0   1     4
      Hershey Bears AHL            1     18   0   0   0     1   3.23       9   .889     0   0   0     0
94-95 Hershey Bears AHL           19    919   5   7   3    60   3.91     454   .868     0   0   1     2
      Johnstown Chiefs ECHL       16    897   7   6   1    55   3.68     530   .896     0   0   0     2
95-96 Hershey Bears AHL           48   2680  21  18   6   149   3.34    1418   .895     0   0   0     4
96-97 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   54   3007  31  12   7   145   2.89    1602   .909     0   0   1     6
97-98 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   51   2960  31  11   7   145   2.94    1492   .903     0   0   1    24
98-99 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL   50   2740  18  21   5   144   3.15    1362   .894     3   0   2     6
99-00 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   51   2830  26  18   2   143   3.03    1516   .906     1   0   2    21
00-01 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   58   3117  22  27   4   148   2.85    1624   .909     2   0   2    60
01-02 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   35   2079  13  15   7    70   2.02     952   .926     2   0   0     6
      Philadelphia Flyers NHL      1     60   0   1   0     4   4.00      29   .862     0   0   0    10    29.00  910.40
02-03 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   42   2478  18  19   4   103   2.49    1102   .907     4   0   0     2
03-04 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   34   1900  21  12   1    62   1.96     777   .920     6   0   1    21
      Philadelphia Flyers NHL      1     33   0   1   0     2   3.64       8   .750     0   0   0     0
04-05 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   26   1382  15   7   0    54   2.34     687   .921     3   0   1     6
05-06 Espoo Blues FINLAND         37   2100  14  16   7    85   2.43           .916     2
TWO (2) NHL SEASONS                2     93   0   2   0     6   3.87      37  0.838     0   0   0    10

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
94-95 Johnstown Chiefs ECHL        3    145   0   2   11   4.55                        0   0     4
95-96 Hershey Bears AHL            1     60   0   1    4   4.00                    0   0   0     0
96-97 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   10    620   6   4   20   1.93                    1   0   1    17
97-98 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   20   1193  15   5   48   2.41                    3   0   1     2
99-00 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL    5    298   2   3   15   3.02                        0   0     0
00-01 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL   10    631   5   5   23   2.18                    1   0   0     0
01-02 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL    5    298   2   3   13   2.61     156   .917     0   0   0     0
04-05 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL    2     25   1   0    0   0.00       5  1.000     0   0   0     0

NHL GAME DIRECTORY:

Selected by Philadelphia Flyers in 1991 National Hockey League entry draft.
03/28/02: L (60m, 25/29) 1-4 defeat at Carolina (Irbe).
02/02/04: L (33m12s, 6/8) 1-2 defeat vs. Tampa Bay (Khabibulin) [Replaced Esche].

AHL GAME DIRECTORY:

Started 2003-04 season with Philadelphia Phantoms
10/10/03: L (58m30s, 19/22) 2-4 defeat vs. Binghamton (Emery).
10/11/03: W (60m, 26/27) 3-1 victory at Bridgeport (Dubielewicz).
10/12/03: W (60m, 29/29) 3-0 victory vs. Norfolk (Passmore).
10/18/03: L (58m09s, 26/29) 2-4 defeat vs. Toronto (Valiquette).
10/25/03: L (58m58s, 20/22) 1-2 defeat at Norfolk (Andersson).
11/08/03: W (64m47s, 29/31) 3-2 OT victory at Hershey (Budaj).
11/12/03: L (40m, 15/19) 3-5 defeat vs. Cincinnati (Ferhi) [Replaced by Niittymaki].
11/15/03: L (59m09s, 13/16) 2-3 defeat at Bridgeport (Kochan).
11/22/03: W (50m13s, 17/18) 5-4 victory at Wilkes-Barre (Aubin) [Replaced Niittymaki].
11/23/03: W (60m, 22/23) 3-1 victory vs. Portland (Ouellet).
11/28/03: W (60m, 26/28) 3-2 victory vs. Wilkes-Barre (Brochu).
12/06/03: W (60m, 20/22) 3-2 victory at Norfolk (Passmore).
12/12/03: L (20m, 5/8) 1-4 defeat vs. Bridgeport (Dubielewicz) [Replaced by Houle].
12/13/03: W (60m, 15/16) 3-1 victory at Norfolk (Anderson).
12/18/03: W (60m, 13/14) 3-1 victory at Toronto (Valiquette, Morrison).
12/23/03: W (60m, 25/25) 1-0 victory at Hamilton (Fichaud).
12/26/03: W (60m, 24/26) 6-2 victory vs. Hershey (Lawson).
12/28/03: L (56m10s, 20/24) 1-5 defeat vs. Bridgeport (Emery, Thompson, Emery) [Replaced by Niittymaki].
01/10/04: W (60m, 26/27) 2-1 victory at Binghamton (Emery).
01/17/04: L (58m58s, 31/35) 3-4 defeat at Wilkes-Barre (Chiodo).
01/24/04: W (60m, 24/24) 2-0 victory at Hershey (Lawson).
01/25/04: W (60m, 24/26) 3-2 victory vs. Springfield (LeNeveu).
02/13/04: L (33m08s, 14/17) 0-4 defeat at Hartford (LaBarbera) [Replaced by Houle].
02/15/04: W (60m, 27/28) 2-1 victory at Lowell (DesRochers).
02/20/04: W (60m, 29/29) 3-0 victory vs. Hershey (Lawson).
02/21/04: W (60m, 21/22) 4-1 victory at Hershey (Budaj).
02/25/04: W (60m, 21/22) 4-1 victory at Cincinnati (Bryzgalov).
02/28/04: L (60m, 19/24) 2-5 defeat at Milwaukee (Finley).
03/06/04: L (36m45s, 13/17) 0-4 defeat at Wilkes-Barre (Caron) [Replaced by Niittymaki].
03/14/04: W (60m, 24/24) 2-0 victory at Portland (Ouellet).
03/21/04: L (40m, 11/14) 2-3 defeat vs. Grand Rapids (Lamothe) [Replaced by Niittymaki].
03/28/04: W (60m, 19/20) 3-1 victory vs. Manchester (Hnilicka).
04/03/04: W (60m, 23/24) 4-1 victory at Wilkes-Barre (Brochu).
04/10/04: T (65m, 25/25) 0-0 OT tie at Bridgeport (Dubielewicz).
10/23/04: W (61m09s, 30/32) 3-2 OT victory at Hershey (Lawson).
11/07/04: W (60m, 20/21) 3-1 victory vs. Cincinnati (Bryzgalov).
11/13/04: W (59m53s, 33/35) 3-2 victory at Binghamton (Emery).
11/20/04: W (61m30s, 23/26) 4-3 OT victory at Albany (Clemmensen).
11/27/04: W (60m, 40/41) 3-1 victory at Hershey (Budaj).
12/11/04: L (59m19s, 20/25) 4-6 defeat at Wilkes-Barre (Fleury).
12/12/04: W (60m, 26/27) 5-1 victory vs. Milwaukee (Finley, Kotyk).
12/15/04: W (60m, 25/28) 4-3 victory at Springfield (Storr).
12/29/04: L (62m00s, 46/48) 1-2 OT defeat vs. Norfolk (Leighton).
01/01/05: W (65m, 24/28) 5-4 SO victory (3/5) at Albany (Clemmensen).
01/08/05: W (64m57s, 24/27) 4-3 SO victory (3/6) at Wilkes-Barre (Fleury, Sabourin).
01/09/05: W (60m, 27/27) 3-0 victory vs. Albany (Clemmensen).
01/12/05: L (58m29s, 19/23) 2-4 defeat vs. Binghamton (Emery).
01/14/05: L (44m38s, 21/25) 2-6 defeat at Norfolk (Leighton) [Replaced by Houle].
01/21/05: - (0m02s, 0/0) 1-2 defeat at Rochester (Miller) [Replaced Niittymaki].
02/05/05: - (26m21s, 5/6) 1-4 defeat at Wilkes-Barre (Fleury) [Replaced Niittymaki].
02/20/05: W (60m, 30/31) 6-1 victory at Grand Rapids (MacIntyre, MacDonald).
02/23/05: - (25m53s, 14/15) 0-5 defeat at Cincinnati (Cassivi) [Replaced Niittymaki].
03/04/05: W (60m, 33/33) 4-0 victory at Bridgeport (Kochan).
03/06/05: L (59m28s, 16/20) 3-4 defeat vs. Wilkes-Barre (Fleury).
03/12/05: L (59m04s, 21/24) 2-3 defeat at Portland (Daigneault).
03/20/05: W (60m, 32/32) 5-0 victory vs. Portland (Daigneault).
03/03/05: - (10m28s, 1/2) 4-7 defeat at Binghamton (Emery) [Replaced Niittymaki].
04/02/05: W (65m, 28/31) 4-3 SO victory (4/6) at Norfolk (Munro).
04/09/05: W (60m, 37/38) 2-1 victory at Hershey (Budaj).
04/17/05: L (59m36s, 38/42) 2-4 defeat vs. Norfolk (Munro).
05/13/05: W (13m19s, 2/2) 7-4 victory vs. Wilkes-Barre (Chiodo, Fleury) [Replaced Niittymaki].
05/27/05: - (11m11s, 3/3) 4-6 defeat at Providence (Toivonen, Madden) [Replaced Niittymaki, replaced by Niittymaki].

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