As we are on the eve of a new year...there's really no theme to this one. This week's AGM had quite the travel log when all is said and done, going up and down one coast after going to and from both coasts. All in all, he got a lot of flyer miles, while getting some playing time with the Flyers. This week, the profile of Bobby Taylor.
To start his career, Taylor played with his hometown Calgary Buffaloes for the 1962-63 season and 1963-64 season before moving out to Ontario to play with the OHA's St. Catherines Black Hawks for the 1964-65 season where he would play in 18 games. During the 1965 playoffs, Taylor was loaned to the Edmonton Oil Kings for four playoff games (1-3) and then into the Memorial Cup for three appearances (2-1).
In the 1965-66 season, Taylor was signed by the St. Louis Braves, but never played with the team. For the 1966-67 season, Taylor went home to play in the Western Canadian Senior League for the Calgary Spurs for 16 games, helping them to the Allan Cup-- where he would go 6-4, but lose out in the Finals. Taylor stayed with the Spurs for the 1967-68 season for 27 games and three in the playoffs (1-2). Taylor would go on to be with the Canadian National Team at the end of that season, but wouldn't appear in any exhibitions.
The Philadelphia Flyers would sign Taylor in the summer of 1968 and then assign him to the Eastern League Jersey Devils, where he would go 25-38-7 record in 70 games. It was an adventure for Taylor in the 1969-70 season, where Taylor would play eight games for the Devils, then go to the Western League to play for the Seattle Totems in five games, then ending up playing 14 games with the AHL's Quebec Aces, where he would also play two playoff games (1-1). Taylor would setting down with the Aces in the 1970-71 season, posting a 13-15-8 record in 39 games.
For the 1971-72 season, Taylor would stay in the AHL, but play for the Richmond Robins for 26 games for a 7-14-4 record, but also appear in six games with the Flyers (1-2-2). The Flyers would be Taylor's destination for the bulk of the 1972-73 season behind Bernie Parent-- going 8-8-4 in 23 games, as well as spending six games in Richmond.
It would be a split season for Taylor starting in the 1973-74 season, playing in 11 games with Richmond (4-4-3), then eight games with the Flyers (3-3-0) and would be a part of the Stanley Cup team with Philadelphia in those playoffs. It was another split season in the 1974-75 season, playing in five games for Richmond (3-1-1) and three for the Flyers (0-2-0) and once again along for the ride in another Flyers Stanley Cup victory. Third time was a charm for Taylor in the split, this time only appearing in four games for the Flyers (3-1-0) and then four for the Robins (0-2-1) before finally getting some reprieve.
In March of 1976, Taylor and Ed Van Impe were traded from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for Gary Inness. Taylor would only play in two games for the Penguins (0-1-0), then spend the rest of the time in the AHL with the Springfield Indians for 23 games and go 7-14-0 before hanging up the pads at season's end.
Post-hockey, Taylor would go into the broadcast booth, joining the Flyers broadcasting team from 1976 until 1992. He would then join the Tampa Bay Lightning broadcast team, where he is the color commentator for the TV side.
Though he had a rocky side of junior hockey, then sat out a season-- Taylor made a pretty decent career for himself. Granted, the trips up and down Interstate 95 in the 70's probably took it's toll, but at the same time he was able to experience two Stanley Cup runs, even if he didn't appear in a game.
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