Former Ottawa Senators Chris Neil revealed on Friday that he has turned one-year, one-way deals and other professional tryouts as an unrestricted free agent during the summer.
The 15-season veteran, who didn't get a contract extension with the Sens at the end of the last campaign, is said to be waiting for the right offer.
"I've had some opportunities to go to some other teams and play, it just hasn't been the right fit for my family," Neil told TSN 1200 Radio Ottawa. "I think I've been very blessed to play as long as I have and so I'm able to sit back, and if there's the right fit for me, great. If there isn't, I'm also looking to spending time with my family."
"This is probably the first September in 20 years I haven't had a place to go and it wasn't from a lack of teams or interest. So I think for me, just being the right fit and obviously we're still talking with some teams and we'll go from there."
Neil has blamed the head coach Guy Boucher for putting an end to his career in Ottawa.
“I have a lot of respect for [assistant general manager] Randy [Lee] and [GM] Pierre [Dorion] … I think, if it was up to them, I’d be back,” Neil told The Ottawa Citizen's Don Brennan in June. “But they kind of put it in the coach’s hands and that had a lot to do with it. For whatever reason, Guy never really gave me the chance to show I can play. Even before I got hurt, I was a healthy scratch for a couple of games and I saw the writing on the wall. I feel I’ve got stuff left to do. I feel I can still play and contribute.”
In 53 games last season with the Senators, Neil recorded only one goals and three assists. Neil owns 2,522 penalty minutes over his career.
