Bob Clarke – Flyers/C (player 1969-84) (GM 1984-90, 1994-06), (executive 2007-present) Robert Earle Clarke was one of the greatest team captains in the history of the game. Clarkie played his entire 15-year career in the orange and black and captained the team to two Stanley Cup Championships. Clarke served as captain from 1973-79 and 1982-84. Clarke has served as team captain, assistant coach, General Manager, and Senior Vice President. He has been to four Stanley Cup finals as a player, three finals as a GM, and one finals as Sr.VP.
As a player, Clarkie was fierce and courageous. On March 19th, 1981, Clarke was hit in the face with a shot off the stick of linemate Reg Leach. Clarkie got stitched up and returned to score his 19th goal of the season. It was his 1,000th NHL point.
Clarkie was a three-time Hart Trophy winner, an eight-time NHL All Star, a Frank J Selke Trophy winner (1983), and a Bill Masterton Trophy winner (1972). He had three 100+ point seasons, and is the Flyers all-time leader in games played (1,144), assists (852), points (1,210), and shorthanded goals (32). The Bobby Clarke Trophy is awarded annually to the Flyers team MVP. In junior hockey, the WHL gives the Bobby Clarke Trophy to the league’s leading scorer.
In 1998, the Hockey News ranked Clarke 24th on their Top NHL Players of All-Time list. Clarke’s #16 has been retired by the team and he is a member of the Flyers Hall of Fame. Clarke was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.
