Jack Riley

Who is Jack Riley?

John Thomas "Jack" Riley is a retired professional ice hockey player and executive. He was born in Toronto, Ontario.

Riley played nine seasons of professional hockey, primarily in the Eastern Hockey League for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Falcons and Washington Lions. After retiring as a player in 1950 he became the Lions head coach.

In 1959 he became general manager of the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans. He served in that capacity until 1964, and in 1966 left the Americans organization for the general manager's position with one of the National Hockey League's new teams: the Pittsburgh Penguins. He served as the Penguins' general manager from their founding to 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, and from 1979 to 1983 was President of the International Hockey League.

As of 2010, Riley is an active member of the Penguins Alumni Association. He was in attendance as the "Honorary GM" throughout the 2011 NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game at Heinz Field between the alumni of the Penguins and Washington Capitals.