Episode 12: Reggie Leach - The Riverton Rifle

Reggie Leach is arguably the greatest First Nations player to play in the National Hockey League. From the Berens River First Nation in Manitoba, Leach was nicknamed the Riverton Rifle for his blasting slap shot. In his thirteen year NHL career he scored 381 goals and 666 points. In 1975, Leach helped the Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup. The following year he scored a league leading 61 goals in the regular season and 19 more in the playoffs, including a record 5 goals in one game against the Boston Bruins. That year he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. His post hockey career has seen him run hockey clinics and give motivational speeches in indigenous communities across Canada, working with youth to promote sports as a key to healthy living. For all that, Leach was awarded the Order of Canada in 2019. He and National Chief Perry Bellegarde discuss his hockey career, what it was like being a First Nations player working his way into the NHL in the 1960's and 70's, dealing with racism and what inspires his work with young people. Reggie is joined in this conversation by his wife, Dawn Madahbee Leach, a leader in promoting First Nations business and economic development.A special thanks goes out to the Red Dog Singers of Treaty 4 territory in Saskatchewan, for providing the theme music for this podcast.The Ahkameyimok Podcast is produced in Ottawa by David McGuffin of Explore Podcast [email protected]