Barry Ashbee
Barry Ashbee ( born July 28, 1939 in Weston, Ontario, † May 12, 1977 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach, who in his active years from 1956 to 1974 among others for the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia flyers played in the National Hockey League.
Career
Ashbee played during his time with the Barrie Flyers Junior in the Ontario Hockey Association. After several years with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Eastern Professional Hockey League in 1962, he came to the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League. At that time there were only six teams in the National Hockey League. To fight for a place here, failed the robust Ashbee. Only in the 1965/66 season he came to 14 matches with the Boston Bruins. A severe knee injury made him the following season expose completely.
When the NHL had increased in the 1970/71 season to 14 teams, the Philadelphia Flyers brought him in their team. His physical game fit into the concept of the Flyers. Here he became one of the best defenders of the team. As Philadelphia in the 1973/74 season, the first of the new team which was able to win the Stanley Cup, stood Aschbee in the squad. The final series he missed, however, after he had suffered a serious eye injury in the semifinal series against the New York Rangers. After the injury did not allow a return as a player, he took over the job as the Flyers assistant coach. At the end of the season following a back number has been blocked by the Flyers for the first time. Barry Ashbee number 4 is since no longer awarded. Since then, the best defender of the team with the Barry Ashbee Trophy is awarded.
In April 1977, was diagnosed with leukemia Ashbee. Just one month later, he succumbed to this disease.