PETERBOROUGH, Ontario -- Commissioner Gary Bettman and former coach Scotty Bowman were among 1,400 people who attended a memorial service for Hall of Famer Roger Neilson on Saturday.

Neilson, 69, died June 21 at his home near Peterborough after battling skin and bone cancer.

In addition to Bowman, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn, Vancouver Canucks coach Marc Crawford and St. Louis Blues coach Joel Quenneville were also at the North View Pentecostal Church to attend a 90-minute tribute for their popular colleague, whose last coaching job was as an assistant with the Ottawa Senators.

Members of the Senators and New York Ranger Eric Lindros also were in attendance.

"He had such a tremendous realm of friends and so many people that shared his life with him,'' Crawford said. "It just touches so many areas. He knows so many people and if you are a friend of his, it opens up your world to a whole vast group of other people. He always found a way to make you feel special.''

A capacity crowed of 1,100 jammed into the main sanctuary at the church. Another 300 people watched on television from the two spillover areas at the church and another in an outdoor tent.

The participants and program for the tribute were chosen by Neilson before his death. No NHL officials spoke during the ceremony.

Instead, longtime friends Don Liesemer and David Fisher delivered tributes. Liesemer, the director of Hockey Ministries International, called Neilson a kind and compassionate man.

"Let us grieve but let us also take the time to celebrate the life of this man,'' Liesemer said. "As a result of meeting this man, the whole direction of my life changed. He had a special gift of making all feel important.''

Neilson was known for his quirky strategies against opponents, as the pioneer of video as a hockey teaching aid -- earning the nickname Captain Video -- and for his colorful and diverse collection of neckties.

"I used to always be fascinated by what he was wearing at any particular time,'' said Lightning assistant Craig Ramsey, who also played for Neilson. "Everybody knows the ties but there were the cutoff shorts, the ripped-up T-shirts or Roger wearing a Chicago Blackhawks T-shirt while coaching the Philadelphia Flyers.

"There was always something new with Roger and I'll miss seeing that.''

Neilson, who coached hockey for 50 years, was head coach of 10 NHL clubs. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year and a section of Peterborough's main street was renamed Neilson Drive earlier this year.

Also Saturday, the Kanata Wesleyan Church held a memorial service for people in Ottawa who wanted to pay respects to Neilson. The service was held simultaneously to the one held here.