Former Flyers defenseman Bob 'The Count' Dailey dies at 63

Bob Dailey, 63, a two-time all-star who twice won the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the Flyers' best defenseman, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer.

Nicknamed "The Count," Mr. Dailey was a member of the Flyers team that posted an NHL-record 35-game unbeaten streak in the 1979-80 season.

"Bob was an integral part" of that team, said club president Paul Holmgren, noting that the Flyers reached the Stanley Cup Finals that season. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends."

Holmgren was Mr. Dailey's teammate with the Flyers.

Mr. Dailey spent parts of six seasons with the Flyers from 1976-77 to 1981-82, during which he collected 56 goals - fifth best among defensemen in franchise history - and 194 points in 304 regular-season games. Mr. Dailey had one of the hardest slap shots in franchise history.

He played a total of nine NHL seasons with the Flyers and Vancouver.

Mr. Dailey, who stood 6-foot-5 and weighed 220 pounds, scored a career-high 21 goals in his first full season with the Flyers in 1977-78. But his best moments probably occurred in the 1980 playoffs. Despite playing with a badly bruised left shoulder that made it difficult for him to lift his arm, Mr. Dailey produced 17 points in 19 playoff games that year, but the Flyers lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the New York Islanders in six games.