Cam Neely was the hockey player the other hockey players wanted to be. He was blessed with a rare blend of talent, strength and determination and inspired other players to play as he did - hard and unrelenting.

No disrespect to the other players, ... but there is no other player I'd rather have behind me. I've been blessed to play with a guy like A.J.

He?s an unbelievable player. That?s why he?s one of the top players in Hockey East. He finds a way to get it in the net.

I've coached some good hockey players, but he's the best player I've ever coached. This guy, I always knew he was a good player, but I had no idea he was this good.

He was a gentleman as he's always been. He said it was not unexpected and he felt no animosity at that time.

When you think something has to be done, and you believe it has to be done and the consensus is that it has to be done, you have to do it. And Mike, in some of the things he did when he was here, believed in the same principle.