ED REIGLE
Date of Death: 2003-11-20Date of Birth: 1924-06-19
Date of Induction: 2024
Born in Winnipeg in 1924, Ed Reigle spent 2 years in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League before moving to the Oshawa Generals of the OHA for the 1942/43 season.
After a Memorial Cup appearance with Oshawa, Reigle began his pro career with the Indianapolis Capitals in the AHL in 1944. While the bulk of his career was spent in the minor leagues, he did earn a spot on the NHL's Boston Bruins for 17 games during the 1950/51 season.
Returning to finish out his minor-pro career in the AHL over the next 4 seasons, he'd be a 2-time league all-star and win an AHL Calder Cup title with Cleveland Barons in 1954. He'd finish his playing career with two years as playing-coach of the Senior North Bay Trappers.
While an active player, Reigle also refereed games, including the 1952 and 1956 Winter Olympics.
In 1957, he was offered a unique coaching opportunity. Hockey in Europe was undergoing a dramatic change and teams were rapidly improving. In order to keep up, Sweden wanted to organize its game similar to Canada.
Reigle would take on the job of Director of the Ice Hockey Association of Sweden and its 1300 teams. Criss-crossing the country, he held clinics and organized Sweden's minor hockey programs while enthusiastically spreading the gospel on how to play the game the Canadian way, with emphasis on backchecking, forechecking and hitting.
Between 1957 and 1960, he would play a major role in turning Sweden into a hockey force.
Leaving Sweden after the 1960 Olympics, he'd return to Europe in 1962, winning an NLA championship and Swiss Cup title in 1965 with SC Bern.
Moving to Germany in 1966 Reigle would guide the West German National team at the World Championships in 1967 and the Winter Olympics in 1968.
After coaching junior in Oshawa in 1970/71 he was out of the game until 1977 before returning to Germany to lead EHC Biel-Bienne to the 1981 Swiss NLA title.
Reigle's work in Sweden was much admired. In 1962, Sweden won the world title in Colorado Springs. Head coach Arne Stromberg, who had been Reigle's assistant, had his gold medal cut in half and presented half to Ed Reigle for what he had done for Swedish hockey.