Bobby Clarke

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Clarke was born in the small northern Manitoban mining town of Flin Flon. Around the time he was 12 or 13, he learned he had type 1 diabetes. NHL teams feared he would never be able to play because of his diabetes, but Bombers coach Pat Ginnell took Clarke to the Mayo Clinic after the 1967–68 season; doctors concluded that as long as he took care of himself he could play professionally. Ginnell showed that written statement to NHL scouts. Even with those assurances, Clarke fell to the second round of the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft, selected 17th overall by the Flyers. The Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens immediately offered deals for Clarke—Detroit offering two veteran players and Montreal offering a deal "Flyers management could hardly refuse"—but the Flyers refused both offers and made it clear Clarke was not for sale.

In Their Own Story

In Game 2 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, after losing Game 1, Clarke scored arguably the biggest goal of his career in overtime, putting a rebound shot in over Bruins goaltender Gilles Gilbert. The Flyers won three of the next four games and became the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup. Clarke played a key role in countering Bruins' star players, winning 48 of the 66 face-offs against Phil Esposito, and neutralizing Bobby Orr by chasing him down. The Stanley Cup winning goal in game six was scored after a fight between Clarke and Orr that sent both players to the penalty box. Following the Flyers' second championship in 1975, a widely circulated photograph captured Clarke smiling and embracing the Stanley Cup.

Reader's Guide

Clarke wore #16 and made his NHL debut on October 11, 1969, against the Minnesota North Stars. He recorded his first point on October 22 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, an assist on Lew Morrison's 3rd period goal, and scored his first goal on October 30 against the New York Rangers, beating Rangers goaltender Ed Giacomin 16:36 into the 3rd period. He played the entire 76-game schedule his rookie season and recorded 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists) while earning a trip to the NHL All-Star Game. He was also named NHL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. Clarke had three 100-point seasons, twice leading the league in assists, and was selected to play in nine NHL All-Star Games. He also won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 1983, as the league's best defensive forward. Upon retiring at the end of the 1983–84 season with 358 goals and 852 assists for a total of 1,210 points in 1,144 career games, he immediately became general manager of the Flyers.

Did You Know?

• Clarke was the first player from an expansion team to score more than 100 points in a season, with 104 points (37 goals, 67 assists) in 1972–73.
• He set the NHL record at the time for most assists by a centreman with 89 during the 1974–75 season.
• Clarke played two games wearing number 36 during the 1980–81 season after his jersey was stolen before a road game on February 27, 1981.
• He scored his 1000th career point on March 15, 1981, against the Boston Bruins, beating goalie Marco Baron 31 seconds into the third period after being struck by a Reggie Leach slapshot and returning to the ice stitched
• Clarke was named an assistant coach for the Flyers in 1979–80, a season where the Flyers went on an undefeated streak of 35 games—the longest in NHL history and in North American professional sports history.