Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Dallas Stars sign James Neal

The Dallas Stars announced Saturday that the club has signed left wing James Neal to a three-year contract. Neal was Dallas' second-round selection (No. 33) overall in the 2005 Entry Draft.

Neal, 19, is currently playing with the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League, and through the first 10 games of the season, has posted nine goals and five assists for 14 points with 31 penalty minutes.

In 2005-06 with Plymouth, Neal notched 58 points (21 goals and 37 assists) and 109 penalty minutes in 66 appearances. Neal was named the OHL Player of the Week on Dec. 12, 2005, after recording six points (1 goal, 5 assists) in two games. In 13 OHL Playoff games a season ago, Neal recorded nine goals and seven assists for 16 points with 33 penalty minutes, earning Whalers' Playoff Most Valuable Player honors.

The Whitby, Ontario, native was honored as Plymouth's Rookie of the Year in 2004-05 after notching 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points. He also played in the 2005 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver in his first full season at the OHL level.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound left wing attended the 2007 Team Canada National Junior Team development camp in Calgary, and won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2005 World Under-18 Championships in the Czech Republic.

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