Bobby Clarke

Who is Bobby Clarke?

Robert Earle Clarke, also known as Bob Clarke and Bobby Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 15-year National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team. He was captain of the Flyers from 1973 to 1979, winning the Stanley Cup with them in both 1974 and 1975. He was again captain of the Flyers from 1982 to 1984 before retiring. A 3-time Hart Trophy winner and 1987 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Clarke was rated number 24 on The Hockey News' list of The Top 100 NHL Players of All-Time in 1998.

Clarke had three 100-point seasons, twice led the league in assists, and played in eight 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. He spent 19 of the following 23 seasons as a GM of the Flyers, also briefly serving as GM of the Minnesota North Stars and Florida Panthers, and reached the Stanley Cup Finals three times with the Flyers and once with Minnesota. His time as an NHL GM had its share of controversy, perhaps none greater than the rift between him and star player Eric Lindros during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He resigned from the GM position less than a month into the 2006–07 season and is currently the Flyers Senior Vice President.