Wall of Distinction 2024: Goaltender Scott Reid excelled in the early days of the Griffins hockey program

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – For 49 years, athletes have proudly worn the Griffins logo as members of MacEwan's athletics teams.

Over that time, the best of the best have emerged, worthy of recognition for the ages.

For the first time in 20 years, MacEwan Athletics is reviving its Wall of Distinction program, which recognizes top athletes, coaches, teams, and builders for their exemplary contributions to the success of the Griffins.

We're proud to induct four new members of the 2024 Wall of Distinction class during MacEwan Athletics' annual awards banquet on April 6.

Throughout the week, we are unveiling this class one by one.

Today: Scott Reid, men's hockey

Wednesday: TBA

Thursday: TBA

Friday: TBA

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EDMONTON – It remains one of the most astounding moments in MacEwan Athletics history.

The goaltender from the last place team was named Canadian Colleges Athletic Association men's hockey player of the year.

Scott Reid was a workhorse during the inaugural season of the Griffins men's hockey program – 1998-99 – making 913 saves in 1,398 minutes over 24 games – facing an average of 44.4 shots/game.

The Griffins finished with the worst record in program history (3-24-1), but Reid achieved something only three student-athletes in MacEwan Athletics history ever have, winning a CCAA Player of the Year award.

"I believe I had the most shots ever that year," he said. "I couldn't score goals, I couldn't play defence; my job was to stop pucks. That's all I could focus on. I couldn't focus on anything else. By the end of the year, it was 5-0, but if it wasn't for you, it was 10-0. 

"You kind of try to keep it close as long as you can. It worked out and the recognition came from that."

More recognition is finally coming Reid's way as he will be inducted into MacEwan Athletics' Wall of Distinction on Saturday, honouring a career that saw him make nearly 3,000 saves over three seasons (1998-01) – the most in program history. 

"It's an honour," said Reid from his Calgary home. "Any time you get recognition at this level, it's definitely an honour. I'm just proud of how we were the first team and it slingshot (the program) into motion to where it's at today. 

"It also helped slingshot my career after school to where it went. It was a win-win for both."

The very first MacEwan Griffins men's hockey team in their inaugural Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference season in 1998-99 (Courtesy, Scott Reid).

Team MVP in all three of his seasons with the Griffins, Reid managed an overall save percentage of .895 in a stretch where MacEwan won just 20 out of 84 regular season games.

He said the experience only helped him get stronger as he faced a similar situation when he launched into a 10-year pro career with the San Angelo Saints of the Central Hockey League (2002-05). 

"It taught me a lot," he said. "To be honest, I find that goalies who get lots of shots and are put in every position where you just have to have that mindset that you can only do so much because you can't do other things, it allows you to get better. 

"You see these goalies that play on good teams, don't get many shots and their stats are amazing, and they get the chances. All of a sudden they get to the next level, and they don't succeed as well. For me, I was kind of the opposite. I had all of it thrown at me and I had to learn on the fly and deal with it. It kind of battle-tested me for the next level."

Reid's career high watermark was playing half of one exhibition game for the Nashville Predators in 2006. As the Preds prepared for their preseason opener that year in Columbus, they called up Reid from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals to replace injured then-prospect Pekka Rinne.

"(I remember) just jumping on the private plane to Columbus thinking this is great," said Reid. "The cool story about that one is Chris Mason was the other goalie. He and I played atom (hockey) together in Grande Prairie. It was our first year of goaltending, so it was like coming full circle."

Despite a shutout performance against the Blue Jackets – ("Zero goals, 13 shots. Kind of a big deal," he chuckled) – Reid was sent back down the next day and never got a sniff of the NHL again.

"I went down and played in Milwaukee that year," he said. "You think you might have a chance, but contract situations don't help you. The other goalie that was with me was on a two-way NHL/AHL deal and I'm on a two-way AHL/ECHL deal. Well, a goalie gets hurt, guess who gets called up? It's him, even though I was playing in front of him at that time. That's how close it is. That could have been your only chance."

Nevertheless, he built a pretty solid minor pro resume, which included being named goalie of the year in the Central Hockey League (2003-04) and an all-star five times in seven seasons.

His playing career ended in 2012 after 19 games in the WCHL, 360 in the CHL, 20 in the AHL, 38 in the ECHL and 32 in the U.K. Elite Ice Hockey League with the Edinburgh Capitals.

With the San Angelo Saints in 2003-04, Scott Reid was named the Central Hockey League goaltender of the year (Courtesy, Scott Reid).

Since then, he has built another lifetime of memories. 

After meeting Canadian women's hockey team defenceman Meaghan Mikkelson at Perry Pearn's hockey camp in 2006 and dating while they both played in Wisconsin (her in the NCAA, him with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals), they married in 2011 and he was by her side as she won two Olympic gold medals – Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.

In 2014, he was hired to be the goaltending coach for Team Japan, so Reid was able to experience the Olympics first-hand with Mikkelson, who helped Team Canada repeat as Olympic champions.

"To be honest with you, it was an amazing experience," said Reid. "We did the opening ceremonies together. My Japanese bag in the dressing room was full of Canadian apparel, so I'd just switch it out – go up and be a fan and watch the games. I had the best of both worlds. I was able to be behind the scenes, yet I was able to go be a fan and enjoy the whole experience that way, as well."

In an unforgettable experience at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Scott Reid cheered on his wife Meaghan Mikkelson to a gold medal with Team Canada while also coaching the Japanese women's hockey team (Courtesy, Scott Reid).

A year later, Reid was named head coach of the Calgary Inferno – Mikkelson's Canadian Women's Hockey League club team at the time – and led them to the 2015-16 Clarkson Cup championship. At the end of the 2016-17 season, he shared the stage with his wife as she took home defensive player of the year honours and he won the CWHL's coach of the year award.

He was able to travel to one more Olympics (2018 in Pyeongchang) with Mikkelson before she retired and launched into a promising career in broadcasting – currently serving as the Calgary Flames play-by-play voice for Sportsnet Fan 960. Together, they're in a new phase of life.

"Now, it's more about the kids," he said. "The Inferno are gone, and they've got the PWHL down east. It's just too far for us to be involved. 

"So, we've been just focused on the kids and their hockey. They're 8 and 5 now. I've been coaching both of them and it's been awesome."

He still keeps tabs on the Griffins men's hockey program as a proud alum from afar and occasionally runs into old teammates in the business world.

"It's one of those opportunities where I was at in my life to get an education and continue to pursue sport," he said. "It was a great springboard to keep going. It wasn't like 'after school, I'm done.' It actually helped me springboard to a career.

"Thank you for putting my name forward (for the Wall of Distinction)."