Reggie Leach

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Nicknamed 'The Riverton Rifle' and 'The Chief', Leach was drafted third overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. He scored his first NHL goal in Boston's 6-0 home win over St. Louis on January 31, 1971, and scored nine goals during his time with the Bruins. Boston traded Leach, Rick Smith and Bob Stewart to California for Carol Vadnais and Don O'Donoghue on February 23, 1972. After playing three seasons in Oakland, the Golden Seals traded Leach to Philadelphia for Larry Wright, Al MacAdam and 1974 first rounder (Ron Chipperfield) on May 24, 1974. He contributed to the Philadelphia Flyers' Stanley Cup win in 1974-75. Leach finished his NHL career with a one-season stop with the Detroit Red Wings.

In Their Own Story

The Spectrum crowd held its breath as Leach wound up for a one-timer during the 1976 playoffs. He had already been on a tear, setting an NHL record with goals in 10 consecutive playoff games. Against the Boston Bruins, he scored five goals in a single game, matching a record held by Maurice Richard. The Flyers would go on to be swept in the final by Montreal, but Leach's 19 goals in 16 games that postseason earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP—the first Flyer and first non-goaltender to win it as a member of the losing team. His 80 combined goals for the season and playoffs set a new NHL record that stood until Mike Bossy broke it in 1980–81.

Reader's Guide

Leach's best season was the 1975–76 season with the Philadelphia Flyers, when he set career highs in goals (61), points (91), game-winning goals (11), and plus-minus with a +73 rating. His 61 goals earned him the goal-scoring title for that season, as well as the current Flyers franchise record for most goals in a season. Leach is perhaps best remembered for being one of only six players, the first Flyer, and the first non-goaltender to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing team in the Final. He followed Roger Crozier (Detroit Red Wings, in 1966) and Glenn Hall (St. Louis Blues, 1968) and preceded Ron Hextall (Philadelphia, 1987), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 2003), and Connor McDavid (Edmonton, 2024). He earned this distinction in 1976 while setting NHL records for most goals in a single post-season, with 19 in 16 games, surpassing Newsy Lalonde's 1919 mark of 17 goals, and longest consecutive games goal-scoring streak in the playoffs at 10, bettering the seven set by Maurice Richard. The latter record remains unrivaled, but the former was matched by Jari Kurri in 1985, although Leach established it in two fewer games. During that same playoff season, Leach recorded a five-goal game against the Boston Bruins, a record he shares with Maurice Richard, Darryl Sittler, Mario Lemieux and Newsy Lalonde. His total of 80 goals for the season and playoffs together set a new NHL record, which stood until 1980-81 when Mike Bossy scored 85. Leach played 934 career NHL games, scoring 381 goals and 285 assists for 666 points. He was also part of the Flyers' 35-game unbeaten streak in 1980, in addition to the Flyers' home game unbeaten streak of 22 games in the same year. Leach also played for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup, helping to win the championship. He was a member of the NHL All-Star teams in 1976 and 1980.

Did You Know?

• Leach is of Ojibwe ethnicity, a member of Berens River First Nation in Manitoba.
• His son Jamie Leach played in the NHL for parts of five seasons, winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992.
• Leach entered rehab for alcohol abuse in 1985 and has remained sober for over 30 years.
• John K. Samson wrote a song about Leach titled 'Petition' (later retitled 'www.ipetitions.com/petition/rivertonrifle/'), which recites the text of a petition to have Leach inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• Leach was the answer to a radio question in the TV series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.