Jack Riley

John Thomas Riley (June 14, 1919 – July 13, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. He was the first general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League. He served the Penguins from their founding through the spring of 1970, and then in a second term from January 1972 to January 1974. In 1975, he became Commissioner of the Southern Hockey League. From 1979 to 1983 he served as President of the International Hockey League.

Biography Early life Riley was born in Toronto, Ontario. As a teenager, he began an 11-year playing career, mostly in the Eastern Hockey League and the American Hockey League. Riley played for the Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Clippers, Philadelphia Falcons, Hershey Bears, Washington Lions, and Tulsa Oilers during his career. After retiring as a player in 1950, he became the Lions' head coach and remained with the team until 1953. In 1959, he became general manager of the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans. He served in that capacity until 1964 and was president of the AHL until 1966 before accepting a general manager position with one of the National Hockey League's new expansion teams.

Pittsburgh Penguins When the NHL decided to expand in 1967. Riley had offers to be a general manager from the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and the Philadelphia Flyers. Riley decided on Pittsburgh, because of its proximity to his family in Toronto, and was hired by the Penguins' owner Jack McGregor, who also served as the team's president and CEO.

As the Penguins' general manager, Riley helped pick the team's nickname and the team's uniform colors, which were Columbia blue, navy blue, and white.

Riley died on July 13, 2016, in Scott Township (just outside of Pittsburgh) at the age of 97.

Career statistics Player statistics Regular Season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM1938-39 Baltimore Orioles EHL 20 7 9 16 2 1939-40 Baltimore Orioles EHL No EHL stats available 1940-41 Baltimore Orioles EHL No EHL stats available 1941-42 Baltimore Orioles EHL No EHL stats available 1941-42 Philadelphia Falcons-Hershey Bears AHL 9 4 0 4 0 10 0 0 0 21944-45 Hershey Bears AHL 35 5 7 12 7 6 0 0 0 0 1944-45 Philadelphia Falcons EHL No EHL stats available 1945-46 Baltimore Clippers EHL 48 31 27 58 341946-47 Washington Lions EHL 39 19 21 40 241947-48 Washington Lions AHL 17 5 7 12 2 1949-50 Tulsa OilersUSHL2 0 0 0 0

Coaching record Team Year Regular season G W L T OTL Pct ResultBaltimore Clippers 1945-46‡* No EHL stats available Washington Lions 1946-47* 56 24 24 8 0 .500 Washington Lions 1947-48 68 17 45 6 0 .294 Out of Playoffs Tulsa Oilers 1948-49 66 33 23 10 0 .576 Lost in Finals Washington Lions 1951-52 36 9 24 3 0 .292 Out of PlayoffsWashington Lions 1952-53 60 26 31 3 0 .458 Lost in round 1 Rochester Americans 1960-61‡ 37 18 18 1 0 .500 Out of Playoffs ‡ Denotes mid-season replacement, * Denotes role as a player-coach

NHL GM Statistics Term Team G W L T OTL PTS PCTJune 6, 1967 – May 1, 1970 Pittsburgh Penguins 226 73 117 36 – 182 .403 January 29, 1972 – January 13, 1974 Pittsburgh Penguins 149 57 73 19 – 133 .446