Reggie Leach figures heB次元官网网址檚 accomplished most of the goals he set early in his life, except for one: making it into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In telling his hockey life story to a gala fundraiser crowd at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort that included members of the Victoria Grizzlies organization, playersB次元官网网址� parents and other members of the West Shore hockey and business community, the former National Hockey League superstar hinted that poor life choices brought an early end to his career.

A recovered alcoholic who got sober once he entered treatment in 1985 B次元官网网址� two years after scoring his 381st and last NHL goal B次元官网网址� Leach, now 66, said seeking help for his addiction issues gave him a new lease on life.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 more proud of what IB次元官网网址檝e done after hockey than what I did during hockey,B次元官网网址� he said, referring to getting clean, building new relationships and connecting with First Nations youth in Canada. B次元官网网址淗ockey was a basic stepping stone, it gets me in a lot of doors and I think that when I changed my life around, everything changed for me.B次元官网网址�

The point of telling a group of young hockey players about his life choices was two-fold: He wanted to emphasize the value of getting an education, and teach them they need to take responsibility for bad choices they might make. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e just starting their career and theyB次元官网网址檙e going to make a bunch of mistakes and I think itB次元官网网址檚 my responsibility to let them know that itB次元官网网址檚 OK to make a mistake, as long as you correct it and move on.B次元官网网址�

The value of education figured in speeches given by Leach and fellow former NHLers John Grisdale, Lyle Moffatt and Matt Pettinger at the Grizzlies fundraiser last Thursday. That was mainly due to the fact the B.C. Hockey League has become a pipeline to the college ranks for up-and-coming players, including several on this yearB次元官网网址檚 Grizzlies.

Moffat and Grisdale, the BCHL president and a big proponent of aiming for college scholarships, were teammates at Michigan Tech in the 1960s. Pettinger went from the Victoria Salsa B次元官网网址� the predecessor of the Grizzlies B次元官网网址� to Denver University where he played almost two seasons.

In the late 1960s and early B次元官网网址�70s when Leach was coming up through the ranks of junior hockey and breaking into the NHL, most players didnB次元官网网址檛 have an education to fall back on if their hockey career ended abruptly or never took off. B次元官网网址淚 never had a second choice,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎ll I knew was playing junior hockey.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstream gazette.com