Goaltender Mike O'Neill's relatively short NHL career took place with the Winnipeg Jets and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1990s. Over the years he logged plenty of minutes between the pipes in college and the minor leagues.
Born in LaSalle, Quebec, O'Neill played four years at Yale University then spent the 1989-90 season with Tappara Tampere of the Finnish Elite league. In 1988 he had been chosen 15th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the Supplemental Draft. He joined the Jets' farm system when he returned to North America in 1990-91.
O'Neill played infrequently for the Jets in the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. The bulk of his work came with the Moncton Hawks of the AHL and the IHL's Fort Wayne Komets. He made 17 appearances for the weak Jets in 1993-94 and posted a dismal 0-9-1 record. O'Neill returned to the minors and set an AHL record with 74 appearances as a member of the Baltimore Bandits in 1995-96.
The veteran netminder was signed as a free agent by Anaheim and played half a game for them in 1996-97. He was a workhorse for the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the "I" then signed with the Washington Capitals as a free agent in August, 1997. O'Neill played 47 AHL games for the Portland Pirates in 1997-98.
