This Dave Reid (there have been a couple of Dave Reids to play in the NHL over the years) was a junior and University of Toronto star who got into a total of seven NHL games in the late 1950s.
In all seven cases he was the local kid in the right place at the right time. The Leafs had emergency injury situations to deal with, and continually brought Reid in to fill the opening in the line up.
The first such situation came in December, 1952. With Max Bentley and Rudy Migay in the infirmary, Leafs boss signed Toronto Marlies junior center Dave Reid to an emergency contract that allowed an amateur to play up to three games. Reid played twice, mostly spelling off center Tod Sloan. Reid played sparingly while Sloan took up the bulk of the work.
This would happen again in 1954-55. By 1955-56 the Leafs signed him to a two year contract, but allowed him the freedom to continue at the University of Toronto to complete his engineering degree. He would get into four games, all in November.
Funny story. Reid worked the summers as a bicycle courier and legend has it Reid once arrived at Maple Leaf Gardens on his bike. None of the attendants working that day believed he was a player.
Reid completed his hockey contract upon graduation, playing a season in minor league Ottawa for the 1956-57 season, and promptly retired.
Reid's life only got more interesting after he left the ice.
He returned to the University of Toronto and got his MBA by 1959. He then went on to a lengthy business career which saw him start out as director of marketing for Christie's Biscuits, create his own company specializing in ski and camping wear and another (Winnwell) specializing in skates and establish a success consulting career.
He continued to work right into his 80s as president and CEO of a solar power and eco-technology company.
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