Canadian defencman Neilson joined the Panthers for the 2006/07 season from Florida Everglades in the ECHL, one of the marquee signings of then Head Coach Mike Ellis first roster. In his first two seasons with the club the Edmonton Oilers 1994 3rd Round NHL draft pick helped the club to the 2007 Play-off Championship and the 2007/08 Challenge Cup, the first time Panthers had won trophies in back to back seasons in the modern era.
After Mike Ellis left the club at the end of the 2007/08 season, Neilson took over the reigns as Head Coach while also continuing to be a stalwart on Panthers blue line, starting a golden era of Panthers hockey where Neilson would become the most successful coach in the club’s history, winning a total of twelve pieces of silverware as a coach to add to his two as a player.
Under his stewardship, Panthers won six Challenge Cup titles (2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 & 2015/16) and four EIHL Play-Off Championships (2011, 2012, 2013 & 2016). He led the club to their first league title in 57 years in the 2012/13 season as part of a coveted Grand Slam and also was at the helm as Panthers became the first British club to win a European trophy with triumph in the 2016/17 IIHF Continental Cup. The following season he led Panthers to the knockout stages of the Champions Hockey League, the first British club to reach that stage. His #77 Jersey was retired at the end of the outstanding 2012/13 season, becoming the fifth Panthers player to receive the honour.
In 2018, after a 12-year tenure that spanned roles as player, player-coach, and head coach, Neilson departed the Panthers as the club opted for a change at season’s end. He went on to spend three season as head coach of Lausitzer Füchse in Germany’s DEL2 before taking the Head Coach role at Manglerud in Norway, HK Propad in Slovakia and then back to DEL2 with Kassel Huskies.
He returned to Nottingham as Head Coach in late 2022 on an interim basis, replacing Gary Graham, to steady the ship. His affection for the club and past achievements made him the natural choice to steady the ship and he led the team to the 2023 EIHL Play-Off Finals weekend.
Corey Neilson’s journey at Nottingham Panthers is nothing short of legendary. Beginning as a marquee player which saw him score 321 points in 332 EIHL regular season games, evolving into a dominant coach and then spearheading a golden era laden with domestic and European achievements, his impact is foundational to the club’s modern identity and fully deserving of induction into the TCW Panthers Hall of Fame.
Words: Jono Bullard
Picture: Panthers Images
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