Today, Flyers alumnus Bob ‘The Hound’ Kelly announced his retirement more than 50 years after initially joining the Flyers organization. Most well-known for his NHL career spanning 10 years and scoring the Flyers 1975 Stanley Cup-winning goal, Kelly also spent 22 years holding multiple positions in the Flyers community relations department following his retirement from the league.
“Hound has been an integral part of the Flyers family for more than five decades, leaving a lasting impact on our team, our fans, and our community,” said Dan Hilferty, Chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor and Governor of the Philadelphia Flyers. “While we will miss his presence in an official capacity, his legacy will always be a part of this franchise – not only as a member of the infamous Broad Street Bullies, but as a champion for the game of hockey and our local community. We wish Hound nothing but the best in this next chapter of life and thank him for everything he has done for the Flyers organization.”
"As a member of the Flyers family for over 50 years, the time has come to step away to reflect on the incredible memories this journey has given me,” said Kelly. “From my days on the ice as part of the 'Broad Street Bullies' to my years working in the community, my time here has been nothing short of incredible. It has been an honor to help grow the game, connect with our amazing fans, and work alongside the Flyers Alumni to keep our legacy strong. Philadelphia will always be home, and the Flyers family will always be a part of me. I’ll cherish my time here forever."
On Saturday, March 29, the Flyers will honor Kelly’s career during their game against the Buffalo Sabres—the same team he scored his iconic Stanley Cup-winning goal against. Throughout the game, testimonials from Kelly’s teammates, family and friends will be shown in-game along with other special moments to honor his career and contribution to the organization. Flyers staff will wear specialty Bob Kelly “The Hound” pins during the game and players will wear Bob Kelly #9 shirts pregame.
Kelly joined the Flyers as Ambassador of Hockey in 2003 playing a pivotal role in fostering strong connections between the Flyers organization and the Philadelphia community. Most recently holding the title of Director of Community Development, Kelly made a direct impact on the local community through several programs focused on introducing new audiences to the game of hockey.
Throughout his tenure, Kelly played an integral role in a number of outreach programs, charitable initiatives, and youth engagement efforts. Kelly directly impacted thousands of local youth through Flyers Community Caravan, Flyers Recess, Learn to Play, Flyers Cup and more. With a focus on introducing new audiences to the game of hockey, Kelly led the charge and welcomed our local veterans to Flyers games and presented them with custom Military themed Flyers jerseys as they were honored as Hometown Hero. Kelly also served as a cornerstone and connection to the Flyers Alumni through his role in connecting fans with their favorite alumni through the organization’s annual Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp and Flyers Alumni Golf Outing.
On the ice, Kelly skated in 10 NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers (1970-80). The native of Oakville, Ontario, tallied 296 points (128-168=296), including 24 GWG, and collected 1285 penalty minutes in 741 games with the Flyers. He ranks 7th in penalty minutes and T-8th for games played all time in Flyers history. The hard-hitting power forward posted a career high in penalty minutes in 1972-73 with 238. In 101 career playoff games for Philadelphia, Kelly posted 9 goals and 14 assist for 23 points, along with 172 penalty minutes.
Kelly was an integral part of the famous “Broad Street Bullies” era in Philadelphia, helping the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 74-75. Kelly scored the Cup winning goal 11 seconds into the third period of game six against the Buffalo Sabres in the 1975 Stanley Cup finals.
