Robert Brian "Robbie" Ftorek - Born January 2, 1952 in Needham, Massachusetts is a retired ice Hockey center, coach and general manager.

Ftorek played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments 1962, 1963 and 1964 with a Boston team.

- 1972 Winter Olympics Silver Medal Winner with USA Hockey.

- 1976 Canada Cup Team USA MVP

- Gordie Howe Trophy Winner 1977 as WHA-MVP with Phoenix Roadrunners.

- Adams Cup Champion 1984 with Tulsa Oilers.

- Calder Cup Champion 1995 with Albany River Rats (coach).
- F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Champion 1995 with Albany River Rats (coach).

- Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award Winner 1995, 1996 with Albany River Rats.

Ftorek turned pro with the AHL’s Virginia Wings in 1972, just months after winning a silver medal with the United States Olympic team in Sapporo, Japan. He was called up the NHL for 3 games, making his NHL debut with Detroit Red Wings on December 26, 1972 vs Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Olympia in a 1-1 tie.

Ftorek scored his 1st NHL goal vs Gilles Gilbert of Boston Bruins at 14:14 of 3rd period on October 13, 1973 at Detroit Olympia in a 9-4 Bruins win.

Ftorek scored his 1st NHL hat-trick vs Mike Palmateer and Dave Parro of Washington Capitals on March 18, 1981 at Capital Centre in a 6-4 Nordiques win.

Ftorek played in 334 regular season NHL games, scoring 77 goals (10 GWG), 150 assists with 262 penalty minutes and 19 NHL playoff games, scoring 9 goals (1 GWG), 6 assists with 28 penalty minutes.

Ftorek jumped to the World Hockey Association / WHA in 1974 becoming a star player for the Phoenix Roadrunners, Cincinnati Stingers and the WHA league itself,

The WHA joined/merged with the NHL in 1979

Ftorek played in 373 regular season WHA games, scoring 216 goals, 307 assists with 365 penalty minutes and 13 WHA playoff games, scoring 6 goals, 10 assists with 10 penalty minutes.

Ftorek was selected to the WHA First All-Star Team in 1977, 1979 and played in the 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 WHA All-Star Games.

Ftorek represented the United States 15 times as a senior, scoring 3 goals, 4 assists with 16 penalty minutes.

Ftorek was the first American to ever be named the most valuable player of a professional Hockey league (WHA) and the only one for nearly 40 years.

Robert "Robbie" Ftorek was inducted in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.

Robbie Ftorek was part of the initial group of players elected to the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2010.

Robbie Ftorek was inducted into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame in 2020.

NOTE
Robbie Ftorek and Claude Larose both were wearing the jersey number 8 while playing with the WHA Cincinnati Stingers in the 1977-78 season. The team apparently had received permission from the WHA's head office.
NEVER SEEN that before .... strange.