Bill Barber

Lore & Background

Barber was drafted seventh overall by the Flyers in the 1972 draft. He scored 30 goals and 34 assists in his first season and was a contender for the Calder Memorial Trophy. His best season was 1975–76, with 50 goals and 62 assists. He scored 53 goals in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Flyers, a franchise record shared with Rick MacLeish. He captained the Flyers in 1981–82 and part of 1982–83. He was forced to retire after the 1984–85 season due to reconstructive knee surgery. The Flyers retired his number 7 on October 7, 1990.

In Their Own Story

The Spectrum was shaking. It was the third period of a playoff game in '75, and the opposing winger had just broken through the neutral zone with a two-on-one. The crowd noise was a physical weight, a roar you felt in your sternum. Barber read the play a half-second before it developed. He didn't chase the puck. He tracked the winger's shoulders, saw the release point, and simply—without hesitation—planted his skates, dropped his shoulder, and put his body directly in the path of the shot. The puck hit his ribs with a sound like a gunshot. He didn't flinch. He didn't even look down. He turned, skated to the corner, and dug the puck out with his stick blade while the opposing forward was still staring at him in disbelief. The winger's stick was still up. The play was dead. The Spectrum exploded—not with a goal, but with the sound of a body absorbing a shot so the team could stay alive. And in that moment, every Flyers fan in the building knew exactly who Bill Barber was.

Reader's Guide

Barber was converted to left wing by coach Fred Shero. He scored at least 20 goals every season. He was a well-rounded player, valuable on the power play for setting up plays and scoring, and capable in a defensive role. He played in the 1976 Canada Cup, scoring a famous goal to send the final against Czechoslovakia into overtime, leading to a Team Canada victory. He played in the Flyers' 50th anniversary alumni game on January 14, 2017, alongside Bobby Clarke and Reggie Leach.

Did You Know?

• Barber shares the Flyers franchise record for playoff goals (53) with Rick MacLeish.
• He won the Jack Adams Trophy as head coach of the Flyers in 2000–01.
• His name was added to the Stanley Cup a third time in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
• The Bill Barber Sports Complex in Callander, Ontario, was opened in his honor on September 25, 2010.