Barry Ashbee played his junior hockey with the Barrie Flyers in the Ontario Hockey Association, started his professional career by playing eight seasons with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, although he did play 14 games with the Boston Bruins of the NHL during the 1965–66 season. He became an NHL regular with the Philadelphia Flyers during the 1970–71 season, and soon became one of their best defensemen. In fact, he was named to the NHL Second All-Star team and won a Stanley Cup with the team during the 1973–74 season, and had a +52 plus/minus rating during the regular season. However, his career also ended that year during the playoffs against the New York Rangers due to a severe eye injury he suffered after being struck by a puck. Barry Ashbee became an assistant coach with the team the next season, though he initially declined the job because he thought it was offered to him just out of sympathy. During his first season as an assistant coach, the Flyers won their second straight Stanley Cup. Ashbee had his name added to the cup for a second time. Ashbee was told that he had leukemia in April, 1977, and he died the next month. His number, 4, was retired by the Flyers on October 13, 1977 and the Barry Ashbee Trophy is now awarded each season to the best defenseman for the Flyers.