Bill Barber

William Charles Barber (born July 11, 1952) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL). As part of the famed LCB (Leach, Clarke, Barber) line, Barber helped lead the Flyers to the franchise's two Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. He is currently a scouting consultant with the Flyers.[1]

For other uses, see William Barber (disambiguation).

Bill Barber
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1990
Barber in 2013
Born (1952-07-11) July 11, 1952
Callander, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Flyers
Coached for Philadelphia Flyers
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 7th overall, 1972
Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career 1972–1984
Coaching career 1985–2002
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1982 Finland

Playing career
Barber after the 2017 Alumni game on January 14, 2017

Barber was drafted by the Flyers, seventh overall, in the first round of the 1972 draft. He was called up after 11 games in the AHL with the Richmond Robins. In his first season with the Flyers, Barber scored 30 goals and 34 assists and was a contender for the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year.

Barber was converted to left wing by coach Fred Shero. He scored at least 20 goals every season. His best season was 50 goals and 62 assists in the 1975–76 season. In the Flyers' successful 1974 and 1975 Stanley Cup playoffs campaigns, Barber contributed three and six goals respectively. Barber also contributed another six goals in an unsuccessful 1976 playoff run. In addition to his respectable scoring abilities, Barber was also a well rounded player. On the power play he was equally valuable for setting up the play as he was for pulling the trigger, and if forced into a defensive role, he was capable.

In the 1976 Canada Cup, Barber scored one of his most famous goals while playing for Team Canada. Behind in the final against Czechoslovakia, Barber scored to send the game into overtime, and an eventual Team Canada victory.

He was a team leader for the next decade. In 1979–80, the Flyers had their record 35-game unbeaten streak, and Barber was in the centre of it all. He helped the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup finals in the spring of 1980 with a number of key playoffs goals against the NY Rangers and Minnesota North Stars.

Barber captained the Flyers in the 1981–82 season and part of 1982–83. As of the end of the 2012–13 season, he still holds the Flyers regular season career scoring record with 420 goals. He is tied for the lead for Flyers career playoffs goals with Rick MacLeish; both have 53 playoffs tallies.[2]

Barber was forced to retire as a player after the 1984–85 season after being unable to return from reconstructive knee surgery in the spring of 1984. The Flyers retired his number 7, on October 7, 1990, just after he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

On January 14, 2017, Barber played before a sold out crowd of over 19,000 at the Wells Fargo Center in the Flyers' 50th anniversary alumni game against the alumni of the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing alongside his longtime linemates, Bobby Clarke and Reggie Leach. The game ended in a 3–3 tie.[3] Before the game, Barber announced that it would be his last alumni game.[4]

Coaching and executive career

After his playing career, Barber started coaching. He coached the Hershey Bears for 16 games in 1985. He was the Flyers assistant coach between 1985 and 1988. He coached the Flyers farm team, the Phantoms, for four years, winning his and the team's first Calder Cup in 1998.[5] He was the Flyers' head coach from December 2000 until April 2002,[6][7][8][5] winning the Jack Adams Trophy after 2000–01.[9]

Barber was the director of player personnel for the Tampa Bay Lightning, a position he held from August 2002 to June 2008.[10][11] Barber's name was added to the Stanley Cup for a third time in 2004 with Tampa Bay. On October 13, 2008, he returned to the Flyers organization when he was named a scouting consultant.[1]

Personal life

Barber and his late wife, Jenny, have two children. Jenny Barber died from lung cancer in 2001.[12]

On September 25, 2010, the Bill Barber Sports Complex was opened in his honour in his hometown, Callander, Ontario.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1967–68 North Bay Trappers NOJHA 34 18 35 53 44 — — — — —
1968–69 North Bay Trappers NOJHA 48 32 38 70 100 — — — — —
1969–70 Kitchener Rangers OHA-Jr. 54 37 49 86 42 8 5 10 15 22
1970–71 Kitchener Rangers OHA-Jr. 61 46 59 105 129 4 2 3 5 2
1971–72 Kitchener Rangers OHA-Jr. 62 44 63 107 89 5 2 7 9 6
1972–73 Richmond Robins AHL 11 9 5 14 4 2 0 0 0 2
1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 69 30 34 64 46 11 3 2 5 22
1973–74 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 75 34 35 69 54 17 3 6 9 18
1974–75 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 79 34 37 71 66 17 6 9 15 8
1975–76 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 50 62 112 104 16 6 7 13 18
1976–77 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 73 20 35 55 62 10 1 4 5 2
1977–78 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 41 31 72 34 12 6 3 9 2
1978–79 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 79 34 46 80 22 8 3 4 7 10
1979–80 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 79 40 32 72 17 19 12 9 21 23
1980–81 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 43 42 85 69 12 11 5 16 0
1981–82 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 45 44 89 85 4 1 5 6 4
1982–83 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 66 27 33 60 28 3 1 1 2 2
1983–84 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 63 22 32 54 36 — — — — —
NHL totals 903 420 463 883 623 129 53 55 108 109

International
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1976 Canada CC 7 2 0 2 4
1982 Canada WC 10 8 1 9 10
Senior totals 17 10 1 11 14

All-Star Games
Year Location   G A Pts
1975 Montreal 0 0 0
1976 Philadelphia 0 0 0
1978 Buffalo 1 0 1
1980 Detroit 0 0 0
1981 Los Angeles 1 1 2
1982 Washington 0 0 0
All-Star totals 2 1 3

Coaching record

NHL
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
PHI2000–01 54311373(100)2nd in AtlanticLost in Conference Quarterfinals
PHI2001–02 824227103971st in AtlanticLost in Conference Quarterfinals
Total1367340176

AHL
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
HER1984–85 166910(63)6th in SouthDid not qualify
PHI1996–97 8049181331111st in Mid-AtlanticLost in Division Finals
PHI1997–98 8047211221061st in Mid-AtlanticWon Calder Cup
PHI1998–99 804722921051st in Mid-AtlanticLost in Conference Finals
PHI1999–00 80443132933rd in Mid-AtlanticLost in Division Semifinals
Total336193101389

Awards
Award Year(s)
Calder Cup champion 1998
Class Guy Award (Philadelphia Flyers team award) 1981
Jack Adams Award 2001
NHL first All-Star team 1976
NHL second All-Star team 1979, 1981
Stanley Cup champion 1974, 1975, 2004

See also

References
  1. "News: Bill Barber Named as Scouting Consultant". Philadelphia Flyers. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  2. "NHL Stats".
  3. Breen, Matt (January 15, 2017). "Alumni game marks a farewell of sorts for Flyers' Bob Clarke". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  4. Carchidi, Sam (January 12, 2017). "Clarke, Barber say alumni game will be their last". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  5. "Flyers fire coach Barber". cbc.ca. April 30, 2002. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  6. Maadi, Rob (December 10, 2000). "Flyers fire Ramsay; promote Barber". New Bedford Standard-Times. Associated Press. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  7. Archives, L. A. Times (December 11, 2000). "Flyers Fire Ramsay, Then Win for Barber". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  8. Kellner, Jenny (December 11, 2000). "HOCKEY; Flyers Fire Their Coach Before Beating the Isles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  9. Gilbertson, Wes (May 3, 2016). "Bob Hartley not first Jack Adams Award winner to be fired soon after". Calgary Herald. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  10. "Barber becomes Lightning exec - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  11. "Lightning Director of Player Personnel Bill Barber Resigns". NHL.com. June 25, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  12. Rosenbloom, Steve (December 11, 2001). "Flyers coach Barber copes with wife's death". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  13. "Anthony Rota on Bill Barber Sports Complex | openparliament.ca".
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