Jeff Reese was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played professionally for over a decade. He began his career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Windsor Spitfires, where he played from 1981 to 1984. In 1984, he was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the eighth round of the NHL Entry Draft.
Reese made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs in the 1985-86 season, playing in 11 games. He spent the next few seasons bouncing between the Maple Leafs and their minor league affiliate, the St. Catharines Saints. In 1988, he was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he played for two seasons as a backup to Mike Vernon.
In 1990, Reese signed with the Hartford Whalers, where he had the best years of his career. He played in 60 games in the 1990-91 season, posting a 2.87 goals against average (GAA) and a .902 save percentage. He followed that up with a 2.95 GAA and a .902 save percentage in 1991-92, and a 2.99 GAA and a .900 save percentage in 1992-93.
After four seasons with the Whalers, Reese was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1994. He played for the Lightning for two seasons, serving as a backup to Daren Puppa. In 1996, he signed with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL), where he played for one season before retiring from professional hockey.
Throughout his career, Reese was known for his quick reflexes and his ability to make acrobatic saves. He was also known for his durability, playing in over 300 NHL games despite being undersized for a goaltender at 5'8" and 170 pounds.
After retiring from hockey, Reese became a goaltending coach. He worked with several NHL teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, the Dallas Stars, and the Calgary Flames. He also worked with several goaltenders who went on to have successful NHL careers, including Marty Turco, Kari Lehtonen, and Steve Mason.
In 2018, Reese was inducted into the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his hockey career. He remains a respected figure in the hockey world, known for his dedication to the sport and his ability to develop young goaltenders.
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