After playing with the
Hamilton Steelhawks in the
OHL for 3 years, Vial was drafted by the New York Rangers in the 6th round, 110th overall in the
1988 NHL entry draft. That year he went back to the OHL and played with the
Niagara Falls Thunder, followed by a year with the
Flint Spirits in the
IHL for the 1989–1990 season, scoring 35 points in 79 games and registering 351 penalty minutes. Throughout this time Vial established himself as a hard hitting
enforcer and defenceman. He got the call up midway through the 1990–1991 season to join the Rangers. He played in 21 games before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings that same season, appearing in another 9 games. Vial then split the next two seasons between the Red Wings and the
Adirondack Red Wings of the
AHL. Prior to the 1993–1994 season Vial was traded from the Red Wings to the
Tampa Bay Lightning. He was left unprotected in the
1993 NHL Expansion Draft and was picked up by the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim a few weeks later. Finally, in Phase II of the Expansion draft Vial was picked up by the
Ottawa Senators, with whom he made his greatest NHL impact. With a Senators' lineup scarce in talent, Vial was able to make the team and play full-time, and in 1993-94 he was given the team's
Frank Finnigan Award as its most improved player. He led the Senators in penalty minutes, major penalties, and fighting majors. Known as a fearless combatant, Vial's time in Ottawa was highlighted by a long, intense, and often bloody feud with
Rob Ray of the divisional rival
Buffalo Sabres. However, Vial's aggressive and all-out playing style resulted in many injuries throughout his career and he played in at least half of the games in a season only twice. His last season in the NHL was 1997–1998. For the next seven seasons Vial played with a number of minor league teams including two years in England in the
BISL. He retired following the 2004–2005 season where he played in the
UHL with the
Missouri River Otters and
Richmond Riverdogs. Vial remained the Ottawa Senators' all-time
penalty minutes leader until being surpassed by
Chris Neil. ==British Ice Hockey League Brawl/Suspension==