If you were to try and name the six players who have scored at least 20 goals in nine consecutive seasons, you may get the first five with ease. Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Phil Kessel and Jeff Carter have all been considered superstars in the league, are perennial all-star candidates and are on the front of the proverbial cereal box in each of their respective NHL cities. The last one, James Neal, doesn’t have that same type of reputation, but perhaps he should. Neal has never been asked to play for Canada at the Olympics, nor was he a part of the World Cup team that won gold this fall. That hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most consistent goal scorers in the NHL for nearly a decade. 
Starting in 2008-09 as a 21-year old rookie, Neal would score 24 goals for the Dallas Stars and start his improbable streak. Since then he’s scored 215 more regular season goals, including 40 in 2011-12 alongside Evgeni Malkin and stepping up in the absence of an injured Sidney Crosby. That remains his best output, but at 29 he’s still as reliable as ever for the Nashville Predators, and is in the playoffs for the seventh straight season. He hasn’t registered a goal yet in the series against the Chicago Blackhawks, but it’s only a matter of time.
In the middle of the 2012 season, just before the trade deadline, Neal signed a six-year extension with the Penguins that bought out three UFA years and paid him a reasonable $5MM per season. That deal will expire after next season, and Neal is in line for another substantial contract. In fact, Kessel is an interesting comparison for Neal, as the Predators’ winger actually has a better goals-per-game rate than the Pittsburgh sniper, and is just a month older than him. Kessel of course started his career at a younger age, and signed an eight-year, $64MM extension with the Maple Leafs in 2013 that was seen as an albatross just two years later. The Penguins certainly aren’t complaining, but would the Predators if they had to hand out a similar annual value?
Kessel provides more offense on a whole, but Neal’s contributions at both ends of the rink shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s a much better possession player than Kessel in the defensive zone, and provides a more physical game. While $8MM per season does seem a bit out of reach, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him approach $7MM with another good offensive season. That might sound absurd to many, but his 0.71 points-per-game rate over the past nine years puts him right around players like Bobby Ryan, T.J. Oshie, and Jakub Voracek, two of which already make more than that—Ryan makes $7.25MM and Voracek makes $8.25MM—and another who will ride a 30-goal season this year into a contract that approaches it.
For Predators fans, this all likely comes as no surprise, as Neal has been a huge part of that team for several years. But for many fans of the NHL, they might not realize just how effective Neal has been now for nearly a decade in the NHL. That consistency will get paid off next summer, if the Predators don’t decide to extend him before then. For now, he’ll look to help them slay the Blackhawks and move to the second round before focusing on anything else.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Always loved James Neal. He will get paid big bucks if he hits free agency
Probably the most underrated superstar. Just a tier below Jeff carter I’d say. He was good in Dallas great in Pitts and soild in Nashville. 7 sounds about right but maybe 6 is better for most teams