Centre Neil Brady was a junior standout whose NHL career was relatively shortlived. Possessing good size and excellent playmaking talents, he spent most of his pro career in the minors where he was fairly successful.
The Montreal native excelled in midget with the Calgary Wranglers. He then enjoyed an exemplary career in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers. After scoring 81 points in 72 games and registering over 100 penalty minutes in 1985-86, Brady was chosen third overall by the New Jersey Devils at the Entry Draft. He was returned to junior then turned pro with the AHL's Utica Devils in 1988-89.
The young centre spent three years struggling with his confidence. His best season was a 96-point effort for Utica in 1990-91 but he never made a serious bid to play in the NHL. New Jersey gave up on Brady and made him available at the 1992 Expansion Draft. The Ottawa Senators took a chance on him and he scored 24 points and five power-play goals. On opening night, he scored the first goal in franchise history during a victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Brady fell out of favour in Ottawa and was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Stars. He was chiefly a farmhand for his new team and retired in 1998 after playing four years in the IHL with three different clubs.
