Same grit, different year: Clement on Betts

by Mike Mazzeo
Posted: May 28, 2010

BILL CLEMENT, a gritty center for the Broad Street Bullies' 1974 and '75 Stanley Cup-winning teams, paused for a moment when asked to ponder which current Flyer he resembled when he played.

"I think Blair Betts," said Clement, now an analyst on the Flyers' pregame and postgame shows on Comcast SportsNet. "I was a penalty killer and more of a defensive player when I was here. I had a 20-goal season 1 year [21 in '75], and I was good on faceoffs. That was one of my roles. Bobby Clarke and I took the majority of the big faceoffs. I was always in support of Clarke on faceoffs.

"Blair's an important guy. He's an excellent checker and penalty killer."

Betts' worth to this season's Flyers - much like Clement's to the Bullies - cannot be measured in postseason points alone (he has only one assist in 17 games). Betts has won 56.6 percent of his faceoffs in the postseason and has been a valuable contributor on a penalty-kill unit that has been strong throughout the playoffs (87.0 percent).

Hard to believe Betts, the 30-year-old center, came into Flyers training camp on a tryout basis before making the team and inking a 1-year contract in October 2009. (He signed a 2-year extension in February.)

"I never had to do that," Clement said. "I was fortunate. I think the similarities disappear after that, regarding our careers and our travels." *

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