Bob Whitlock

Born: July 16, 1949 - Charlottetown
Position: Center/Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height: 5.10
Weight: 175

The son of PEI hockey legends Roy “Buck” Whitlock, Bob Whitlock showed magnificent hockey skills of his own at a very early age. As a teenager Bob instantly stood out from the other players and at only 15 he left the Island to pursue a hockey career. In two seasons with the Halifax Jr. Canadians Whitlock scored an astonishing 128 goals and 271 points in only 115 games. For his last year of Junior hockey Bob left the Maritimes to suit up for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHA were he would again be a point per game player.
Although he went undrafted Bob’s skill was enough to impress the scout and in October of 1969 the Minnesota North Stars signed him to a $12 000 contract. Bob spend the majority of the 69/70 season with Minnesota’s farm team, the Iowa Stars of the CHL. He netted a respectable 26 goals and 54 points in 63 games with Iowa be highlight of his first professional season was a one game call up to the National Hockey League. Sporting the number 26 Bob failed to notch any points in the game but he did blast 3 shots on net and finished the game as a +1. Bob not only lists the game as the highlight of his hockey career but as the “greatest moment of my life.”
After playing the 70/71 season for the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League Bob joined the Pheonix Roadrunners of the WHL. It was in Pheonix were Bob exploded into a hockey star. He tallied 33 goals and 79 points during the season and won the 1971/72 WHL Rookie-Of-The-Year Award. It was also during this season in which he would began to earn a reputation for his powerful slap shot that was frequently known to break the plexi glass.
In the year 1972 the World Hockey Association was formed. The WHA brought new opportunity for many players and Whitlock was no exception. On February 12, 1972 the newly formed Los Angeles Sharks drafted Bob in the 10th round of the General Player Draft. Five months later the Sharks dealt Bob to the Chicago Cougars. Whitlock dressed for 75 games with Chicago for inaugural season of the Rebel League. He accumulated 23 goals and 51 points with a slap shot that was said to be one of the best in all of hockey.
52 games through his second season with the Cougars Bob found his way back to the team that originally drafted him, the LA Sharks. He was a point per game player during his stint in Los Angeles but the team relocated at the end of the year and Whitlock was transferred to the Michigan Stags then quickly claimed by the Indianapolis Racers in the 1974 expansion draft. The 74/75 season with the Racers was Bob’s best in the WHA. He lead the team in goals in goals,31, and points with 57. Indianapolis, however, sported the worst record in the league with only 18 wins through 75 games.
Whitlock left the Racers midway through the 75/76 season to join the Mohawk Valley Comets of the North American Hockey League. The following year he split the season between the Erie Blades and Johnstown Jets, the team that would be the model for the Charlestown Chiefs of the famed movie Slap Shot. For the next 3 years Bob suited up for the Trail Smoke Eaters of the Western International Hockey League. After a dozen 20+ goal seasons he retired from professional hockey.
Bob Whitlock currently resides in Trail, British Columbia were he owns a succesfull insurance company. He visits PEI from time to time and was recently inducted into the PEI Sports Hall of Fame.