It's real nice to see that Jeremy Reich has finally made it to the NHL at the age of 28. True he played a few

Question

games 4 years ago with the Blue Jackets and last year he played with the Bruins, but it finally looks like he's up to stay. I live in Seattle, and remember when Reich played for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL in the mid 90's. After playing over 10 years in the minors, he finally got a shot. He didn't fight all that much with Seattle, but it looks like he's turned into the Bruins main enforcer, well, good for him, whatever works, whatever he can do to stay in the NHL. What do you think?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/2115/career;_ylt=ArQD_q6C37R7lCR3g0M_UpNivLYF

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid%5B%5D=23725

He played 5 years in the WHL and 7 years in the AHL, so he really played 12 years in the minors before making the NHL full time. A lot of people don't consider the WHL minors, but it really is. Lots of NHL'ers have come from the WHL, lots. The Buillion fight was unfair, because that jerk wears a visor. Reich is a gamer for even sticking around the minors these past 12 years. You would've thought he would retire and move onto something else. He is strong, and can fight decently, and he can play hockey. They should let him play more.

Answer 1

I don't know much about him but Boston must not be using him right. I looked at his stats and it looks like he was a decent offensive threat in the minors. Between WHL and AHL he had 178 goals, 256 assists in 787 games. Looking at his NHL stats he has 2 assists in 57 games and is a -17. I have to agree with LITY, he looked rotten against Asham.

Answer 2

Well, he only played parts of 7 years in the minors. His only complete season was in 2002-2003.

Was one of the very few players Hawks management was split on. He was taken in the first draft after I retired from the organization. I was one of the people who was actually quite high on him.

The trade from Seattle to Swift Current really slowed his development and the further nagging minor injuries he has had as a professional haven't helped him either.

Chicago thought they were doing him a service cutting him loose, but he still couldn't make the make the Blue Jackets.

One of the problems is that Reich is not the enforcer type, despite people telling him he is. I saw him fight 4x in junior, and he never won. He fought a few times at the Hawks camp in 98......was so-so. He looked awful last week in fights with Aaron Asham and Francois Bouillon. Boston should use Shawn Thornton more in the enforcer role and let Reich chip in on offense. he also needs more ice time to do that however.


The WHL is juniors, not the minors, there is a huge gap in the talent and coaching level between the two leagues. As for the WHL, the WHL has provided hundreds of NHLers over the years, as has the OHL, and QMJHL (both of which have provided several hundred more than the WHL).

Again, having worked in the industry for over 30 years, the WHL is not minor league hockey.

Answer 3

I don't think he will make it as an enforcer, he was brutal in the fights with Boullion and Asham. You say Boullion was wearing a visor, actually the only thing Reich did right in that fight was knock Boullion's helmet off early in the fight.

Boullion is 5 ft 8 and not a fighter, if he wants to stick in the NHL he better learn to score or kill penalties because fighting is not going to keep him there.

Answer 4

I'm happy when any player can make it to the NHL level. As for what he can do to stay, he should keep helping the team and filling the roles and positions th team put him in.

Answer 5

He's a hell of a player. And he's tough. He fits good in Boston.