Expectations were high for this first round pick. He had 31 goals and 46 assists the next year, but some of that output came as a forward. During the 40-second extra period, the Blues could barely keep the puck out of their own zone, opting to dump the puck down to Bostons blue line. (from Former Haverhill newsman captured Orrs famous flight, Eagle-Tribune, 05/11/2010) He was forever remembered as a superhero in the eyes of Bruins fans. Ray Bourque won five James Norris Memorial trophies in his career, slotting him behind only Orr and Doug Harvey. Dave Babych was a big point man in Hartford, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Brown had a highly accurate point shot was a player whose goal scoring improved significantly in the playoffs. St. Louis Keenan took a one-handed chop at the puck to no avail as the Bruins defenseman had already transitioned it to his stick blade. He set the record for assists by a defenseman in a season with 46 in 1959, and became the first defenseman in history to amass 500 points. His 46 goals stood as a record for a defenseman until Paul Coffey scored 48 in 1985-86. Derek Sanderson picked up the ricochet and took his own slap shot which whistled wide according to Kelly. Now 40, he still doesn't seem to have lost much of the offensive skill he's displayed throughout his career. He scored 20 and had 82 points for his first and only point a game season. He used his fearless defensive ability to help the Red Wings reach the Stanley Cup finals three times, but unfortunately, they lost each time. Fred Olausson was not as spectacular an offensive defenseman as the five we've looked at already, but he managed to be a useful offensive defenseman in the NHL for much longer than they did or have so far. You had to be better than you had ever been.". Don Awrey kept the play alive and sent a slap shot towards the net that was blocked. Detroit tried to trade Kelly to the Rangers in 1960 but Kelly retired rather than report. Orr paved the way for such future defensemen as Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque. It was a huge first season for Orr, leaving him with a Calder trophy and ever-growing fame. Names like Eddie Shore (who was often Hollett's defensive partner), Dit Clapper and Art Coulter dominated the era. Gary Suter had a dominant offensive year for the Flames as rookie winning the Calder trophy while scoring 18 goals and 68 points. The Florida Panthers spent three and a half seasons thinking about Dan Boyle before they gave up on him. A second deal was worked out with the Imlach coached Toronto Maple Leafs that Kelly accepted. Orr could lead every rush and still come back in time to play defense. It was just the third time they were forced to take a matchup by one goal during their historic playoff run. This prompted many fans to look back at what legendary NHL defenseman Bobby Orr did months ago. Leetch won that award with 11 goals and an incredible 34 points in 23 games. Before then that offensive output was Standard Operating Procedure for Chris. Pronger has scored goals and points at a fractionally higher rate. he also scored 21 goals that year breaking 20 for the first time. His best season saw him score 17 goals and 40 points for the Ottawa Senators in 1929-30. That didn't detract from the fact that he was a skilled offensive contributor early on. Nobody who ever laced up skates played the game better than No. Knee problems had taken their toll as Orr called it quits after playing his final game on Nov. 1, 1978, against the Vancouver Canucks. In between he managed to play almost 80 games a season every year. Sign up for our regular 'Bruins Newsletter' for all the latest. To gain inspiration for his basketball games, Boston Celtics great Larry Bird had a pregame ritual of looking up to the banner honoring Orr that hung from the rafters of the old Boston Garden. Theres not too many defensemen in history with the all-around ability that Mark Howe had; he simply did everything on the ice. He is just ahead of Paul Coffey, who had 196 points in 194 games. 5 Orr's vs. 5 Howe's, like that could happen. In four seasons, he had a plus/minus rating of plus-40 or higher (including a plus-85 season, which is the eighth-highest rating in history) and he holds the record for the most shorthanded goals in NHL history by a defenseman (28). He was one of only two great offensive defenseman to be more than a point a game player for his entire career. Bobby Orr Highlights. United States diplomat who did the groundwork for creating the United Nations (1871-1955) United States naval officer who commanded the `Constitution' during the War of 1812 and won a series of brilliant victories against the British (1773-1843) 3 letter answer (s) to hockey great bobby ORR Canadian hockey player (born 1948) He only got better. His impressive offensive totals increase in the playoffs and he's almost twice the goal scorer in the playoffs that he is in the regular season. If the James Norris was available, Eddie would have won four at least and probably would have equalled or surpassed Orrs eight and Harveys seven and Lidstroms six James Norris trophies if the award had been given out when he played. Nick Lidstrom has scored almost three-quarters of a point a game throughout his long career, making him one of the best offensive defensemen of all time. And you know the rest: Orr soared through the air in ecstasy having just won his first Stanley Cup. Coffey was the defenseman who broke Orrs record for most goals in a season with 48 in 1985-86 and just missed Orrs point record with 138 points that same year. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1956, 1958, 1959). He was the master of the long headman pass out of his zone as well. Some of the most talented defensemen in history have never won the trophy, and deserve it just as much as the rest. Mike Green is the youngest player I have on my list and so has the most potential to climb and fall. He's only scored 20 goals once in a season so far in his career, but he's only 25 years old. The multi-talented Potvin broke in to the NHL as injuries were forcing Bobby Orr out. He had a couple big playoff runs scoring 19 points in 23 games for Colorado when they won the Cup in 2001. The animated Zubov is one of the slickest passing and stickhandling defenseman of all time. In NHL history, franchises have built dynasties around elite defensemen over and over again. The multi-sport athlete was also a rugby, baseball, lacrosse and hockey star. He scored 31 goals once. Though he never led the league in goals, Orr scored a career-high 46 in 1974-75 with additional seasons of 37 (1970-71 and 1971-72), 33 (1969-70) and 32 (1973-74). The photo was snapped by photographerRay Lussier as Orr flew through the air like a Superman, his arms outstretched and an ecstatic expression on his face. Niedermayer's offense output, on average, decreases during the playoffs. Both teams fought for possession along the left boards before the puck squeaked out and a streaking Sanderson took a shot from the left face-off circle which also missed the cage. Chelios's second season in Montreal he had 64 points in 74 games. His .217 goals per game in the playoffs put him among the top 10 defensemen who had played at least 50 playoff games. During the postseason the defenseman went on to produce 26 goals and 66 assists (92 points) in 74 playoff appearances. Jul 24, 2021. Success on that stage propelled him to greater success in the NHL. His prowess was recognized through-out the league. Suter was an incredibly strong skater throughout his career. He'd been moved to St Louis by Winnipeg. Brian Leetch was another of the flood of talented American defensemen who came into the NHL attempting to emulate Bobby Orr. During 82 playoff games he had 77 points and 23 goals. Orrs most notable performance came in the NHLs 25th All-Star Game in 1972, held in Bloomington, Minnesota. The speed he plays at, and the skill he shows at speed, lends Mike Green's game a Paul Coffey quality. He's had more success, winning a Cup with Pittsburgh, and still has the potential to put up some good offensive numbers for a few more years. During the Boston Bruins 1969-70 seasonif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',823,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3-0');,Orr netted a remarkable 33 goals and 87 assists in 76 games. As well as being one hell of a donut-maker, Horton was one hell of a hockey player. Orr was great, he played 12 NHL seasons between the years 1966 and 1979. He was a second round pick for the Sharks (30th overall) in 1991 and he joined the team for 1992-93 season. Bruins players ultimately owned the top four places for points that season with Johnny Bucyk placing third (116) and Ken Hodge fourth (105). He is the best defenseman since Bobby Orr. No. Honorable Mentions: Steve Duchesne, Sergei Gonchar, J.C. Tremblay, Eric Desjardins, Kevin Lowe, Vladimir Konstantinov, Mike Green, Allan Stanley, Dan Boyle, Fern Flaman, Brad McCrimmon, Carl Brewer, Craig Hartsburg, Kevin Hatcher, Al Iafrate, Shea Weber, Jim Neilson, Rob Ramage, Pat Stapleton, Teppo Numminen. Sergei Zubov - Underrated. He moved east-west but was constantly looking for the spot where he could move north south and he invariably found it. Park was a bit of a pocket Potvin for the Rangers, exercising a similar physical presence. There is obviously no argument that Lidstrom is the best defenseman in the history of the Red Wings. The answer to this crossword puzzle is 8 letters long and begins with C. Below you will find the correct answer to Bobby __ one of the greatest midfieldersCrossword Clue, if you need more help finishing your crossword continue your navigation and try our search function. Nicklas Lidstrom is the best defenseman of his generation and one of the best of all time. Potvin was an incredible offensive defenseman who brought a physical game that Scott Stevens would have been happy to own. That resistance to conformity apparently fueled his offensive instincts. Its time for Orr to step up and to speak out against Trump and his sycophants just as forcefully as he did two months ago. He managed an impressive 80 goals in his 494-game career. Orr Destroyed By "Loonies" TORONTO (Mar. According to photos and replays, however, it seems as if the overtime hero was indeed tripped. He had 22 goals and 85 points on that offensive juggernaut that year and thought he was on his way to winning his third cup in a row in Pittsburgh. The club newsletter even carried an apology for the delay. Orr also remains the only defenseman to win the Art Ross Trophy as league scoring leader, which he did twice (1969-70 and 1974-75), and the Lester B. Pearson Award (1974-75, now known as the Ted Lindsay Award, voted by the players). Howe was a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s. He won the James Norris trophy as the leagues best defenseman that year. Jeff Brown was another power play specialist whose lack of a complete defensive game kept him moving. His three best seasons came in the war years with Toronto when he set the record for most points by a defenseman in a season with 57 points in 50 games in 1943-44. Thousands had to wait weeks to join up. He is a five-time 20-goal scorer, a seven-time 50-assist scorer and a five-time 70-point scorer, whose season high is 85 points. "When he began to move the sensation was unique: All the Canadiens began backpedaling in a small panic, like beachgoers sighting a coming monster wave," Dryden once said. He's a slick skating playmaker who always seems perfectly calm as he makes the play. After a stint in the minors during his second season, Turnbull put his offensive game together in his third year, scoring 20 goals and 56 points. Bourque maintained a phenomenal .98 points per game average throughout his 1,612 game career. Hartsburg could play in big games, obviously on the international stage and as well in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Perhaps a longer career would have seen Craig much higher on this list. Everyone agrees that Gretzky, Orr, Lemieux, and. Many Bruins fans who werent alive to witness Orrs most famous moment were surely told about it with the sense of an old folk tale though this one is 100-percent true. Bourque is one of the all-time great NHL defensemen, winning the Norris Trophy five times. When playoff performances are added, Coffey leads all defensemen with 455 goals in 1,603 NHL games. The talented Gonchar is the definitive power play quarterback, confident and creative at the point with a fine hard, accurate shot. Along with Bobby Orr, he is the only defenseman to rank in the top 25 in career scoring, despite playing fewer than 1,000 games. His shot while not devastating allowed him to provide a very consistent 10 goals a year everywhere he's played until injury caught up with him. He was a great skater and playmaker with a very useful point shot. He had 31 points in 33 games during his next season in Vancouver. Is a seven-time Stanley Cup winner, one-time Conn Smythe winner, named to second All-Star team once, played in four All-Star Games and finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting four times. That was second on the team in playoff scoring only to Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora. His 396 goals were the second-most ever in a defensemans regular season career. Though the Bruins struggled with other problems en route to a last-place finish in the final season of a six-team NHL, Boston fans took a renewed interest in the team as home attendance at Boston Garden increased by 41,000 that season. Hockey. The smallish Housley was as talented a puck moving defenseman as has ever been in this league. The physical Potvin was an abundantly talented skater, stick handler and playmaker. In a 12-year NHL career that began in 1966, he revolutionized the role of the defenseman before he retired in 1978 at 30. As a young player he got to play with and learn from the legendary Brad Park. Closest Norris Finish: Third (1987, 1993). Far from a one-season wonder, Orr was the first defenseman to score 30 goals in a season (1969-70), then the first to notch 40 (1974-75). Now here they are, the 50 greatest offensive defensemen of all time. Eddie had a will to play and a knowledge of the game that made him a great if eccentric teacher of hockey skills years after he stopped playing. He scored 40 points in his first full season as a fresh faced rookie with New Jersey. The 19 goals in Detroit and 3 in Bostonmarked his last +20 goal season. He accomplished all of this while playing at a time where offensive defensemen were rare, as he and Orr were basically the only ones in the league during the late '60s and early '70s. The Texan-born player has scored 20 or more goals in a season five times. Pairded with Earl Seibert, Hollett . His career pinnacle came in 1981-82 when he won the James Norris trophy, had 85 points and scored an amazing 39 goals. He scored well in the regular season and was another player who could gear it up for the playoffs. LOS ANGELES - It was looking at a living Mount Rushmore of hockey. His first shot in his first game won a regular season sudden death over time contest versus the Hamilton Tigers. He could step up and through defenses before they realized he was moving. He was a first-team All-Star three times, a second-team All-Star three times and played in seven All-Star Games. Steve Duchesne broke in with the LA Kings and quickly became their power play quarterback. Not content to be Wayne Gretzky's teammate, swift-skating Oiler defenseman Paul Coffey suddenly is getting himself compared to Bobby Orrand not unfavorably, either. His contributions are still undeniable. Again only he, Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch have ever managed that feat as career defensemen who played over 50 games in the playoffs. He had trouble translating that into offense and then injury cut short what could have been one of the great offensive careers of a defenseman. Throw in the fact that the slap shot wasn't popularized until Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion had success with it in the early 1950's and it's easy to see why the offensive contribution from defensmen in those era's was often minimal. Leetch had four game-winning goals on his way to a Conn Smythe win. Still in 1978-79 he scored 31 goals and 101 points. Bobby Orr, byname of Robert Gordon Orr, (born March 20, 1948, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada), Canadian American professional ice hockey player who was the first defenseman to lead the National Hockey League (NHL) in scoring. He suffered a nasty injury from a collision with a net the next year that degraded his offensive ability. His skills and size on the back end helped them win the cup in 1938-39. He also won four Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh and Detroit. William Hollett was a high scoring defenseman overshadowed by other great blue liners of his time. Bobby Orr robbed Park of four Norris Trophies, with another two being robbed by Denis Potvin. He is a three-time first-team All-Star and played in four All-Star Games. Pronger-esque defenseman with superb offensive proficiency. Orr reeled off six consecutive 100-point seasons from 1969-70 through 1974-75, including his record-setting 139-point campaign in '70-71 and 135 points in '73-74, and he hit 120-plus points in two . Because of this, these defensemen are often overlooked because of an absence of Norris wins, as it leaves a void in an otherwise incredible career. Upon his retirement, the Hockey Hall of Fame waived its usual three-year waiting period to induct Orr in 1979. He was no slouch as a defender either. Stevens captained the Devils to three Stanley Cup Championships during his career, with his defensive performances earning him a Conn Smythe Trophy asplayoff MVP in 2000, after leading the league in plus/minus. This list then will be highly weighted towards defensemen who have played in the last 45 years in the NHL. Horton was described by his opponents as one of the strongest players and heaviest hitters to set foot in the NHL. Paul Coffey's game had defensive holes in it. Calgary, Alberta, native Cale Makar has played three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and each season he's been getting better and . The addition of Steve Yzerman in 1983 was the beginning of the climb back to competence. Some of these "comparisons" are too funny! Unveiled on May 10, 2010, this statue commemorates Boston Bruins Hall-of-Fame defenseman Bobby Orr (1948-) and one of the most iconic moments in NHL history. He quarterbacked the power play in Tampa Bay and he was able to keep up with the high priced talent that was there. An extra 20 years has got to mean a lot! Forced to play in Sweden and Finland for four years after graduating from university, Brian Rafalski was finally given a chance by the New Jersey Devils. Despite all of this, Park played at a time where Bobby Orr was breaking records every night, and therefore, never got the true recognition that he deserved. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. Housley was traded again for another teams veteran hero. When the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994, it was notMark Messier or Mike Richter who was the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs. The quick skating Housley was an offensive force for the Sabres and he played forward as well as defense for them. The Cup was a result of Orrs most memorable moment his flying goal. His best year was with St Louis in 1992-93 when he scored 25 goals and had 78 points in 71 games. He scored over .7 points per game for his entire career and almost a fifth of a goal per game. Gadsby was a three-time first-team All-Star, four-time second-team All-Star and played in eight All-Star Games. Meanwhile, Rick Smith, Esposito, and John Bucyk netted three goals for Boston in order to send the game into overtime. Al, in his injury-shortened 799-game career averaged .19 goals per game, which puts him in the top 30 goal scorers per game of all defenseman. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. He retired, early for a Howe at age 40. Bobby Orr - The man many consider the greatest hockey player ever - and certainly the greatest defenseman in NHL history - Orr played his first two seasons with the Boston Bruins, winning eight straight Norris Trophies, three Hart Trophies, two Conn Smythe Trophies, and a pair of Art Ross Trophies as the only defenseman ever to lead the . The puck bounced off the right boards and Orr stopped short,corralling the puck with his skate. Conacher was named Canada's best athlete of the first half of the 20th century. Dit managed to help the Bruins win a cup again in 1941. The talented Chelios hasn't scored 10 goals in an NHL season since 1996-97 with Chicago. He played another seven and a half seasons in Toronto. That notion proved correct. On December 4, 1966, Toronto Maple Leafs' defenceman Marcel Pronovost checked him into the boards, injuring Orr's knees for the first time in the NHL. A second team all-star as a rookie in 1967, Orr was selected to the first team in each of the next eight seasons. Helping lead Canada to the title with seven assists in two goals in seven games earned Orr tournament MVP honors. Still his .268 goals per game in that period makes him the sixth-best goals per game defenseman of all time among those defenseman who played at least 50 playoff games. The Hall of Famer put up five seasons of 40 points or more with Chicago and. Al was unfortunately a player who could have benefited from seasoning in the minors. He scored well over a fifth of a goal a game in his NHL career and had almost .8 points per game for 929 regular season games. He is also the second-highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, behind Mike Modano. Only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky have ever had better assist totals in a season. Larson followed this season up with 18 goals the next year five seasons in a row where he scored more than 20 goals as a defenseman. Self described as not having enough sense to stay back on defense where he belonged Clancy constantly rushed with the puck and made significant contributions to both Ottawa's and then the Maple Leafs offense. As knee surgeries limited him to just 10 games, Orr endured a most frustrating 1975-76 season. Brad Park was one of the most talented two-way defensemen in history. Niedermayer has stayed a little healthier. This was the first time a player had been a first team all-star as both an forward and a defenseman. For the first time in his long public life, hockey's greatest all-time player is affiliated with more than just the game and his revolutionary role in it.. Opinion. Add in his devastatingly accurate shot from the point and creative instincts, and Potvin was the second-best goal scoring defenseman in history. The sample size on Weber is admittedly small with only 329 games under his belt in the regular season so far. Another Bobby Orr Was Drafted to the NHL. He has the second-most points per game for a defenseman in the playoffs with 97 in 95 games behind only Bobby Orr, who had 92 in 74 playoff games. He scored more than 20 goals in a season five times. Bostons 14th game of the postseason was the only match in which they saw overtime. It's one of the great moments in sports history: Bobby Orr, celebrating the overtime goal that, in 1970, brought the Stanley Cup to Boston for the first time in 29 years. Eighty games were the most he ever managed in a single year. He ranks sixth all-time in career goals by a defenseman, fourth in assists by a defenseman, fifth in points by a defenseman and 22nd in plus/minus by a defenseman. As I went across, Glenns legs opened. Playing in an era where defensemen usually didnt contribute offensively, "The Great" Gadsby was far ahead of his time. At 31, he was the youngest former player living at the time of his induction. Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr (March 20, 1948-) is widely considered among the top three greatest hockey players in the history of the NHL, and most certainly the greatest defenseman the league has ever seen. He was the best offensive defenseman on that team. Orr picked up the loose puck, skated it to the red line and dumped it back into St. Louis zone. Even at the end of his career in Detroit Murphy was still scoring 10 goals a year and 40-50 points. It can be said that Bobby Orr created the "Offensive defenseman.". Closest Norris Finish: Second (1983, 1986, 1987). He scored more than 20 goals three times in the NHL though that first season he was mostly a winger. He lead the Oilers in scoring during their abortive Stanley Cup run. Park is a five-time first-team All-Star, a two-time second-team All-Star and played in nine All-Star Games. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 03/04 BAP Ultimate Bobby Orr Defenseman Glove Patch Auto Signature 4/4 1/1 Jsy# at the best online prices at eBay! He was one of the best offensive defensemen of all time. Since Oct. 30 of last year, when Orr bought a full-page advertisement in the New Hampshire Union-Leader to endorse incumbent United States . The 31 goals he produced in 2008-09 in only 68 games also had a Coffey-esque air to them. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. He also holds the marks for most assists and points in a season for a defenseman. This included, but it wasn't limited to, three Hart Trophies, two Art Ross . His 11 points in 10 playoff games were second on the team only to Darryl Sittler's 12. 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Other great blue liners of his induction specialist whose lack of a donut-maker, was... On the team for 1992-93 season a slick skating playmaker who always seems perfectly calm as he makes the.!