Bayshore News Staff

Former NHLer and Attack Coach succumbs to cancer at the age of 55.

Mark Reeds, a former NHL player and coach of the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey league has passed away.



Reeds played more than 300 games in the NHL with St Louis and the Hartford Whalers before embarking on a coaching career that brought him to Owen Sound in 2007 and led to his being hired as an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators of the NHL.

As a player, Reeds went to the Memorial Cup three consecutive years with the Peterborough Petes in the late 1970's, before playing in the National Hockey League with the St Louis Blues and Hartford Whalers.



As an NHL player, Reeds, a defensive center, scored 45 goals and had more than 150 points in 365 career games.

He played for some of the most notable and accomplished coaches in the game.

At Peterborough, he was coached by Gary Green and Mike Keenan.

In St Louis, he played for Red Berenson, Barclay Plager, Jaques Demers and Jacques Martin.

Finally at Hartford, his coach was Larry Pleau.

Upon arriving in Owen Sound, Reeds stated that he took something from all of his coaches, but insisted he had his own methods and ideas behind the bench

During his first three seasons with the Attack, Owen Sound missed the playoffs twice and were swept in the middle season by a powerful Windsor team that would eventually win the Memorial Cup.

In his fourth season with the Attack, he guided the team to their first OHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup, establishing a team record for points and capturing the only 3 OHL banners that hang in the Harry Lumley-Bayshore Community Centre..

In the 2011 OHL Final, Reeds and the Attack were the underdogs against the St Mike's Majors.

After dropping the opening two games in that series by scores of 5-2 and 6-2, the Attack won the next two games in overtime to tie the series.

After losing Game 5 at Mississauga, the Attack squared the series at three wins apiece winning at home setting the stage for Game 7 on May 15th, 2011.

Game 7, in a packed Hershey Centre at Mississauga that was more than half filled with Attack supporters, the two teams battled to a 2-2 tie after 60 minutes, sending the game to sudden death overtime, where Jarrod Maidens banged in the game winner for Owen Sound giving Reeds and the Attack the Championship.

Prior to overtime, when addressing the Attack in the dressing room, Reeds reportedly asked one simple question of his team; "why not you?"

Mark Reeds has been battling cancer for the past few years, and recently was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

According to reports from a friend of the family, Reeds was hospitalized with pneumonia and passed away early Tuesday morning.

Reeds is survived by his wife Mary, and children Kyle and Kelsey.

Mark Reeds was 55.









