Friday, May 10, 2019
Reggie Leach-The Riverton Rifle
Last Monday,
Reggie Leach spoke to the monthly gathering of the Original Six gang,
and their friends in Toronto. Leach played most of his NHL career in
Philadelphia, a Stanley Cup winner who also received the Conn Smythe
Award as the best player in the playoffs.
Leach began
his hockey career in Flin Flon, Manitoba. Just sixteen years old, he
tore up and down the right wing for the Bombers, netting 67 goals in
his inaugural season. He also spent 113 minutes in the penalty box
that year. In his second season in the Western League, he scored 87
goals, and added 44 assists. He was playing along side another pretty
good player named Bobby Clarke.
Leach spent
two more seasons with Flin Flon before joining the Boston Bruins in
1970. He divided that year between Boston and the Oklahoma City
Blazers. He began the following year with the Bruins, but was traded
mid-season to the California Golden Seals. After two rather mediocre
seasons on the West Coast, he was traded to the Flyers. He spent
eight seasons in Philly.
He continued
to fill the net for the Flyers. In his second year he potted 61
goals, leading the league. In all of the years that he spent with the
Flyers, he had at least 20 goals. But in 1982, he was traded to the
Red Wings. He recorded 15 goals, added 17 assists. He had scored
almost 400 goals, in less than a 1 000 games in the NHL. He was just
33 years old, and his career in hockey was done.
He did play
the following year in the Central League for the Montana Magic. In
1985, he told the gathering, two major events affected his life. “I
got divorced, and I quit drinking!” In a nutshell, that told us a
lot about Reggie Leach. He was hilarious, but he also appreciated the
life he has lived since that time.
An Ojibway,
Leach has spent many years sharing his hockey skills with aboriginal
kids, and others, across the nation. He did admit, that he really
enjoyed putting the puck in the net in his hockey career. “Coming
back to the defensive zone to help out rarely crossed my mind.” He
scored five times in one playoff game, playing alongside his pal
Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber.
He won the
Conn Smythe Trophy as the best player in the playoffs, even though
the Flyers did not win the Stanley Cup that year. He did win two
Cups, and the Flyers appreciated his offensive prowess, as most of
the others on the “Broadstreet Bullies” were better known for the
pugilistic skills.
Once he
retired from hockey, and became permanently sober, he entered the
business world, most successfully. That gave him a foundation to
begin his mission to tour the country, and share his message. He told
the group assembled in Toronto that he was thrilled to speak to them,
to include them in his personal “Circle of Life”.
All in
attendance were grateful to hear his message. Now 69 years old, he
looked like he could lace up the blades and play at any level. Quite
a journey for “The Rifle” from Riverton, Manitoba.
James Hurst
May 7, 2019
# posted by James Hurst @ 10:20 AM 
