Netminder Bob Froese split his eight-year NHL career between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers. He was a consistent rather than dominant player who usually worked best in a two-man goalie system as opposed to playing the lion's share of games.
Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Froese started his junior career with the hometown Black Hawks of the OHA before suiting up for the Oshawa Generals and Niagara Falls Flyers. Following his last year of junior in 1977-78, he was selected 160th overall by the St. Louis Blues. He toiled in the minors for four seasons before signing with Philly as a free agent in June 1981.
Froese split the 1982-83 season between the NHL and the Maine Mariners of the AHL. He registered a fine 17-4-2 record and four shutouts while playing behind one of the top defensive teams in the league. He played 48 games in 1983-84 but the Flyers eventually looked to Pelle Lindbergh as their goaltender of the future.
Following Lindbergh's tragic death in 1985, Froese was thrust into a more prominent role along with Darren Jensen. Froese led the NHL with five shutouts and shared the William Jennings trophy with Jensen. Coach Mike Keenan was upset with his netminder after the Flyers fared poorly in the 1986 playoffs. Early the next season he was traded to the Rangers for defenceman Kjell Samuelsson and was a solid back up to John Vanbiesbrouck. He retired after seeing limited duty with the "Blueshirts" in 1989-90.
