Coaching Career
Prior to his broadcasting career, Neale was an NHL head coach for the Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks, where he was also the General Manager from 1982–83 to 1984–85. In the WHA he coached the New England Whalers and Minnesota Fighting Saints, and in the OHA he coached the Toronto Marlboros. He was also an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 1976 Canada Cup. In the 1977-78 WHA season he coached the Whalers to the Avco Cup Finals as well only to lose to the Winnipeg Jets.
Following that season, he was hired by the Canucks in 1978 and coached the team for four seasons. Late in the 1981-82 season, he was involved in an altercation with fans during a game in Quebec City against the Nordiques and was suspended for ten games. His assistant, Roger Neilson, took the job temporarily, but when the team lost only once in those ten games Neilson was left behind the bench, which resulted in the team's Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Finals. At season's end, Neale was promoted to General Manager (an arrangement made prior to the suspension) and Neilson remained as the team's permanent head coach.
Neale returned to the Canucks bench in January 1984 after firing Neilson and again in November 1984 after firing Bill LaForge twenty games into the season. In April 1985, Neale was relieved of his duties with the Canucks and he was hired to coach the Detroit Red Wings. However, after a poor start, Neale was fired after thirty-five games.
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