Bobby Orr

For other people named Bobby Orr, see Robert Orr.

Bobby Orr
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1979
File:BobbyOrr.jpg
Born	(1948-03-20) March 20, 1948 Parry Sound, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Played for	Boston Bruins Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career	1966–1978

Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC (born March 20, 1948 in Parry Sound, Ontario) is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman and is considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Playing career

Born in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, Orr displayed his ice hockey talents at a very early age. He started skating and playing Shinny at age four, and was signed by Boston Bruins' scout Wren Blair at the age of twelve. As a 14-year-old he played for the Oshawa Generals in the junior league Ontario Hockey Association, competing against eighteen-, nineteen- and twenty-year-olds; National Hockey League rules dictated that he could not join the Boston Bruins before reaching eighteen. In his third season Orr led the Generals to the OHA championship, and in his final season with Oshawa he averaged two points a game. Prominent Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson negotiated his first contract with the Bruins. At the time it made Orr the highest-paid player in league history.

In his first professional season — although missing nine games with a knee injury presaging such woes throughout his career — he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's outstanding rookie and, while the perennially cellar-dwelling Bruins finished in last place that season, sparked a renaissance that propelled the Bruins to make the playoffs the following twenty-nine straight seasons. New York Rangers defenceman Harry Howell, the winner of the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenceman in Orr's rookie year, famously predicted that he was glad to win when he did, because "Orr will own this trophy from now on."

An injury to his right knee limited Orr to just 46 games in the 1968 season, but he nonetheless won the first of eight straight Norris trophies. In 1970 he did the unthinkable, doubling his scoring total from the previous season to score 120 points, six shy of the league record and becoming the first (and to date, only) defenceman in history to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer. Besides the Norris and Art Ross, Orr also captured the first of his three consecutive Hart Trophies as regular-season MVP and later won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his playoff heroics, being the only player in history to win four major NHL awards in one season. He went on to lead the Bruins in a march through the playoffs that culminated on May 10, 1970, when he scored one of the most acrobatic goals in hockey history to give Boston its first Stanley Cup in 29 years. The subsequent image of Orr flying through the air, his arms raised in victory — he had been tripped by Blues' defenceman Noel Picard at the moment of shooting — became a prize-winning photograph and is arguably the most famous and recognized hockey image of all time.

Bobby Orr scoring "The Goal" against the St. Louis Blues, winning the 1969-70 Stanley Cup.

The following year, 1971, in a season where the powerhouse Bruins shattered dozens of league offensive records, Orr finished second in league scoring while setting records that still stand for points in a season by a defenceman and for plus/minus (+124) by any position player. He led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup again the following season, leading the league in scoring in the playoffs and scoring the championship-winning goal en route to his second Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

His knee problems would take an increasing toll after 1973. Despite being limited by knee injuries which would later force him to retire early, he continued to dominate the National Hockey League during his career, leading the Bruins to another first place league finish and the Stanley Cup finals in 1974. In a shortened career, he still won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's most outstanding defenceman eight times, more than any other player in NHL history.

In 1976, despite several knee operations that left him playing in severe pain, Orr was named the most valuable player in the Canada Cup international competition.

At the end of the 1976 season, Orr's contract was over and the Boston Bruins needed to renew it. The Bruins offered Orr a lucrative contract, including over 18% ownership in the Bruins organization. However, Eagleson, who by this time was doubling as Orr's agent and executive director of the NHLPA, falsely told Orr that the Chicago Black Hawks had a better deal, something that was not revealed for a number of years. It later emerged that Eagleson had very good relations with Black Hawks owner Bill Wirtz, and frequently colluded with owners he favoured to hold down salaries.

Orr subsequently signed with Chicago, but his injuries rendered him too severely hurt to play effectively, and, after playing in only 26 games over the next three seasons, retired in 1979. Famously, he never cashed a Chicago pay check, stating that he was paid to play hockey and would not accept a salary if he wasn't playing.

Orr retired having scored 270 goals and 645 assists in 657 games, adding 953 penalty minutes. At the time of his retirement, he was the leading defenceman in league history in goals, assists and points, 10th overall in assists and 19th in points. The only players in league history scoring more points per game than Orr are Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy.

Style of play

Orr inspired the game of hockey with his command of the two-way game, which was unique for a defenceman. Defencemen with offensive skills had not been very common in the NHL prior to his arrival, although there were some historically notable exceptions such as Eddie Shore, Doug Harvey and Red Kelly. However, their total offensive impact was limited to playmaking for the most part. Orr was unique in that he could score goals as well, and he influenced countless defensemen who followed him, such as Brad Park, Paul Coffey, Denis Potvin, and Ray Bourque. His speed, most notably a rapid acceleration, and his open ice artistry electrified fans as he set almost every conceivable record for a defenceman. In contrast to the style of hanging back defensive play common in the later 1950s and 1960s, Orr was known for his fluid skating and end-to-end rushing. Orr's rushing enabled him to be where the puck was, enabling him not only to score effectively but also defend when necessary.

Orr's style was augmented by the fact that his home arena for most of his career, Boston Garden, had an ice surface shorter than the standard NHL rink. He was thus able to get from one end of the rink to the other in a very short time.

Retirement

After more than a dozen knee operations forced Orr's early retirement in 1979, the NHL waived the mandatory three-year waiting period for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he was enshrined at age 31 — the youngest player ever to be inducted, and one of only ten players to get in without having to wait three years. "Losing Bobby," said Gordie Howe, "was the greatest blow the National Hockey League has ever suffered." One of Orr's lasting legacies is that his popularity helped to cement the expansion of the NHL in America and his 4 jersey - which was retired by the Bruins in January, 1979 - was popular with fans there.

He has been honored with his name recorded on Canada's Walk of Fame. A museum exists in his honor in his home town of Parry Sound called the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. In 1979 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Orr later played a role in the exposure of Eagleson's misconduct over the years. In addition to misleading his clients about contract terms, Eagleson used the NHLPA pension fund to enrich himself. Eventually, Eagleson was convicted in American and Canadian courts and sentenced to 18 months in Canadian prison, of which he served six months. Orr, who once considered Eagleson a "big brother," was one of several players who threatened to resign from the Hall of Fame if Eagleson wasn't removed. Facing certain expulsion, Eagleson resigned from the Hall soon after his conviction in 1998.

Subsequent to his playing career, Orr served briefly as an assistant coach for Chicago, and as a consultant to the NHL and the Hartford Whalers, spending the bulk of his retirement years as a Boston-area bank executive. He is currently a player-agent in Boston. Every year, Orr used to coach a team of top Canadian Hockey League players against a similar team coached by Don Cherry in the CHL Top Prospects Game.

Career achievements and facts

• Currently 6th all-time by a defenceman in career goals, 11th in career assists and 9th in points.
• Currently 51st overall in league history in career assists and 80th in career points.
• Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.
• Named to the Second All-Star Team in 1967.
• Awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1967.
• Awarded the James Norris Trophy in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.
• Won the Art Ross Trophy in 1969-70 and 1974-75, the only defenceman to ever lead the league in scoring.
• Awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1970, 1971 and 1972.
• Awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1970 and 1972, the first two-time winner of the playoff MVP award.
• Stanley Cup winner in 1970 and 1972.
• Besides the Stanley Cup, captured the Norris Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy in 1970, the only player in history to win four major NHL awards in one season.
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1975.
• Won Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year in 1970
• NHL Plus/Minus leader in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975, the most in history.
• Awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1975.
• Named the Canada Cup Tournament MVP in 1976.
• Awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1979.
• Named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1979.
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979, with the mandatory three-year waiting period waived, making him the youngest inductee at 31 years of age.
• Received Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award in 1970.
• Voted the greatest athlete in Boston history in the Boston Globe newspaper's poll of New Englanders, beating out Ted Williams, Bill Russell, Carl Yastrzemski and Bob Cousy.
• Voted second greatest hockey player of all time by an expert committee in 1997 by The Hockey News, ahead of Gordie Howe and behind Wayne Gretzky, as well as being named the top defenceman of all time.

Records

• Most points in one NHL season by a defenceman (139; 1970–71).
• Most assists in one NHL season by a defenceman (102; 1970–71).
• Highest plus/minus in one NHL season (+124; 1970-71).
• Tied for most assists in one NHL game by a defenceman (6; tied with Babe Pratt, Pat Stapleton, Ron Stackhouse, Paul Coffey and Gary Suter).
• Held record for most assists in one NHL season from 1971 to 1981 (102; broken by Wayne Gretzky and also bettered by Mario Lemieux), this is still a record for a defenceman.
• Held record for most goals in one NHL season by a defenceman from 1971 to 1986 (37 in 1971, broke own record in 1975 with 46; broken in 1986 by Paul Coffey with 48).

Career statistics

				Regular Season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PM	PP	SH	GW		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1962-63	Oshawa Generals	OHA		34	6	15	21	45
1963-64	Oshawa Generals	OHA		56	29	43	72	142						6	0	7	7	21
1964-65	Oshawa Generals	OHA		56	34	59	93	112						6	0	6	6	10
1965-66	Oshawa Generals	OHA		47	38	56	94	92						17	9	19	28	14
1966-67	Boston Bruins	NHL		61	13	28	41	102	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		--	--	--	--	--
1967-68	Boston Bruins	NHL		46	11	20	31	63	+30	3	0	1		4	0	2	2	2
1968-69	Boston Bruins	NHL		67	21	43	64	133	+65	4	0	2		10	1	7	8	10
1969-70	Boston Bruins	NHL		76	33	87	120	125	+54	11	4	3		14	9	11	20	14
1970-71	Boston Bruins	NHL		78	37	102	139	91	+124	5	3	5		7	5	7	12	10
1971-72	Boston Bruins	NHL		76	37	80	117	106	+86	11	4	4		15	5	19	24	19
1972-73	Boston Bruins	NHL		63	29	72	101	99	+56	7	1	3		5	1	1	2	7
1973-74	Boston Bruins	NHL		74	32	90	122	82	+84	11	0	4		16	4	14	18	28
1974-75	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	46	89	135	101	+80	16	2	4		3	1	5	6	2
1975-76	Boston Bruins	NHL		10	5	13	18	22	+10	3	1	0		--	--	--	--	--
1976-77	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		20	4	19	23	25	+6	2	0	0		--	--	--	--	--
1978-79	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		6	2	2	4	4	+2	0	0	0		--	--	--	--	--
OHA Totals				193	107	173	280	391						29	9	32	41	45
NHL Totals				657	270	645	915	953	+597	73	15	26		74	26	66	92	92

International play

• Was named to Canada's 1972 Summit Series team, but did not play in a game due to injury
• Played for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup

International Statistics

Year	Team	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1972	Canada	Summit	0	0	0	0	0
1976	Canada	Canada Cup	7	2	7	9	8

Player Agent

ORR Hockey Group is a Boston based player agent majority owned by Orr and repurchased in Feb 2002. The group represents such surging young talent as Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Rick DiPietro, Nathan Horton, Jeff Carter, Anthony Stewart and Brian Boyle.

Spezza when asked on the experience of having Orr as an agent replied: "I don't think I have a true feeling for how great he is. I have so much respect for him. I watch him on tapes and it's just ridiculous how good he was compared to the guys he was playing against. He's a great guy and you don't even know it's Bobby Orr, the way he talks to you." interview

Cultural references

• Orr is mentioned in the They Might Be Giants song "Wicked Little Critta", on their Mink Car album.
• He is mentioned in a song by The Tragically Hip, "Fireworks", from their 1998 album Phantom Power. The lyrics are: "If there's a goal that everyone remembers it was back in ol' 72 ...You held my hand and we walked home the long way/You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr..." The song refers to Paul Henderson's winning goal in the 1972 Canada-USSR summit series. Actually, Orr missed this tournament because of an injury, although he was on the roster.

External links

• Bobby Orr- Official Site
• Stockey Center / Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Website
• Career Stats
• Bobby Orr's Hockey Hall Of Fame Page

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