My next candidate for consideration to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame is former Philadelphia Flyer Reggie “The Rifle” Leach. The high scoring right winger began his 13 year NHL career by being drafted by the Boston Bruins 3rd overall in 1970 behind only Gilbert Perreault (Buffalo) and Dale Tallon (Vancouver) and immediately ahead of Rick MacLeish (also Boston) who go on to eventually be his longtime teammate in Philadelphia. Late in his first full NHL season, however, Leach was traded along with Rick Smith and Bob Stewart to the California Golden Seals for Carol Vadnais and Don O’Donoghue where he spent two and a half seasons. Prior to the 1974-75 season Leach was traded again to Philadelphia for Larry Wright, Al MacAdam, Philadelphia’s 1974 1st round pick (Ron Chipperfield), and George Pesut in a trade legendsofhockey.net considers to be a “fleecing” by the Flyers.
In Philly, Leach developed into one of the most natural goal scorers of that generation. His goal total jumped from 22 with the Seals to 45 with the Flyers in 1975, and he never scored less than 24 goals in his entire career with the Flyers. His best year came in 1976 in which he scored 61 goals and 30 assists, on his way to lead the league in goal scoring, and setting the Flyers record that still stands today.
The main substance for Reggie Leach comes from his heroics during the 1975-76 season. He carried his league leading goal scoring into the playoffs where he scored 19 goals and 5 assists. The 19 goals for that post-season is a shared league record with Jari Kurri. In addition the 80 goals from the combined regular season and post season totals was the league record until broken by Mike Bossy six years later. In this playoff he became one of five players to record 5 goals in a single playoff game leading the Flyers to a 6-3 semifinal series clinching win over the Boston Bruins on May 6, 1976. Although the Flyers lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final, his efforts during that playoff was not lost on the powers that be and he became the only non-goalie to win the Conn Smythe Trophy on the losing team.
When looking at the comparables, Leach recorded more goals (381 regular season and 47 playoff) than Hall of Famers Clark Gillies, Bernie Federko, Bobby Clarke, all who whom played in the same era. In regards to points, Reggie Leach has more points (666 regular season and 69 playoff) than the likes of Igor Larionov with fewer games played, and is just behind the likes of Clark Gillies and Cam Neely.
While the stats could be the argument against Leach, as we all know the value of a player often goes way beyond stats. Leach’s value to his team during his playing days was just as much as any one of those who have been honoured from that time period including his two Hall of Fame linemates of the “LCB Line” Bob Clarke and Bill Barber. He was the weapon that the team’s top defensive players focused on and not only produced, but his game rose at the most impactful times. He is a proven winner as he won a Stanley Cup in 1975, and a Canada Cup in 1976, when the world’s best was still relatively unknown.
The "LCB Line" reunited in 2013
Throughout his playing career, Leach was in the same class as those honoured into the Hockey Hall of Fame who played in that era. It is only natural that he should be given the same honours as his peers.
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