Leo Reise
A rock-solid defenseman who anchored early NHL teams in Hamilton and New York, bridging the league's amateur roots and professional era.
1892–1975 (age 83)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: June 7·The Lost Generation
Biography
Leo Reise carved out a substantial career in hockey's formative professional decades, his path mirroring the sport's own evolution. Born in 1892 in Canada, he first made his mark with the amateur Hamilton Tigers, a team he would later join as a professional when they entered the NHL in 1920. His game was defined by steady, reliable defense during a period of wide-open, high-scoring play. After four seasons in Hamilton, he ventured west to the Saskatoon Crescents of the WCHL before returning east to finish his NHL tenure with the New York Americans and a final stint with the New York Rangers. While not a flashy scorer, Reise's consistency and durability made him a valued presence on the blue line for over a decade of top-level play, leaving his imprint on several of the league's foundational franchises.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Leo was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Leo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Leo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 60
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 70
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 80
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Died at 83
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Key Achievements
- Played eight seasons in the National Hockey League for three different original-era franchises.
- Was a member of the professional Hamilton Tigers for their first four NHL seasons from 1920 to 1925.
- Played three seasons in the top-tier Western Canada Hockey League for the Saskatoon Crescents.
- Completed his NHL career with the New York Rangers in the 1930-31 season.
Did You Know?
His full name was Leopold Adolph Emile Reise, Sr.
His son, Leo Reise Jr., also played in the NHL as a defenseman, notably for the Detroit Red Wings.
He played for both New York-based NHL teams that existed in his era: the Americans and the Rangers.
“You don't play the man; you play the puck and the position.”
