great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr

Craig Hartsburg after a year in the WHA with the Birmingham Bulls was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars. 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. Cale Makar Quickly Gaining Reputation as Great Defenseman. He was long overshadowed on a team full of future Hall of Famers. Kelly started his career in Detroit as a defenseman. On top of that, the Bruins advanced to the postseason for the first time in nine years. He was obviously a player who could play better when the games got tougher. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. But there is one campaign that seems to rise above the rest. 1968 O-Pee-Chee. His skating abilities only improved through the years, as did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents. he became the Jets best player leading the team in scoring from the back end three years in a row. The 1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr rookie hockey card is his only rookie card and one of the most recognizable in the hobby. He scored 20 or more goals nine times in a season, 30 or more three times. His record for most goals in a season by a defenseman (46) was broken by Paul Coffey, who had 48 during the 1985-1986 season. Wherever he went Brown upgraded his new teams power play. 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. 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! His last three playoff runs he's scored 14, 14 and 12 points. He had a couple big playoff runs scoring 19 points in 23 games for Colorado when they won the Cup in 2001. Playing with Ovechkin in Washington certainly seems like the right place to do it. I'm not sure if we'll ever see another . Now, at least five people are dead and President Trump is under real threat of being removed from office prior to Joe Bidens inauguration on January 20th. Phil Esposito led the team with 13 goals and 14 assists, followed by none other than Orr who tallied nine goals and 11 helpers. One of the most consistent players to ever lace up a pair of skates, Zubov played 16 seasons in the NHL; in 15 of them he scored 30-plus points, in 12 of them he scored 40-plus points, in eight of them he scored 50-plus points and in three of them he scored 60-plus points, including an incredible 89-point season in 1993-94, which led all defensemen. Orrs most notable performance came in the NHLs 25th All-Star Game in 1972, held in Bloomington, Minnesota. This does tend to skew offensive statistics when compared to a player who only played defense, especially in the original six era. Park was also named the best defenseman in the ground breaking series. Closest Norris Finish: Third (1987, 1993). During those first thirteen seasons he was part of four Stanley Cup winning teams. Zubov moved on to Dallas to be the power play quarterback there and help them win a Cup in 1999. Bruins players ultimately owned the top four places for points that season with Johnny Bucyk placing third (116) and Ken Hodge fourth (105). Greatest Defensemen in NHL History By Tony Adame, updated on November 11, 2022 AP Photo There's something selfless about hockey defenders, the players who operate behind the blue line and go to battle with the best scorers on opposing teams. The smooth skating Greschner managed a very impressive .621 points per game over his entire career. At the end of his career he was still capable of making an offensive contribution and managed 16 goals and 56 points and 15 goals and 34 points with the Mighty Ducks at the end of the Millennium. Orr created space on the ice where seemed as though there was none. For his career, Orrs nine regular-season hat tricks remain a record for NHL defensemen. Only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky have ever had better assist totals in a season. That same year, Orr had his No. When playoff performances are added, Coffey leads all defensemen with 455 goals in 1,603 NHL games. Coach Dick Irvin feared Harvey would end up coughing up the puck in front of his own net, but it almost never happened. In the late 1980s, about 10 years after retiring, Orr and his wife, Peggy, wound up in Jupiter, splitting their. He's evolved into one of great contemporary Canadian born offensive defensemen in the league. 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. Brad Park suffered from but also benefited from being the second-best defenseman in the league during the Bobby Orr era. During the postseason the defenseman went on to produce 26 goals and 66 assists (92 points) in 74 playoff appearances. Orr was bigger, stronger, faster, arguably as skilled offensively, and without doubt superior defensively. Andrei Markov is another hugely talented offensive defenseman whose numbers have suffered in the recent trap clogged, big pad NHL. Hi there! In total, No. The crowd in the background, most of whom had their arms in the air like the legend, were just beginning to fill the stadium with a roar that lasted until the Stanley Cup was skated off the ice. Like Chris Chelios he was primarily a defensive defenseman by the end. He was a key component in two Stanley Cup runs with the Canadiens in 1986 when they won the cup and in 89 when they lost. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993, Lapointe was a key part of an unstoppable Montreal defensive corps during their years of Stanley Cup dominance in the 1970s. It is claimed by some that Horton was the first player in the NHL to use the slap shot as a reliable offensive weapon. Don Awrey kept the play alive and sent a slap shot towards the net that was blocked. Bobby Orr Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Salary, Title | Hockey-Reference.com Bobby Orr Position: D Shoots: Left 6-0 , 197lb (183cm, 89kg) Born: March 20 , 1948 (Age: 74-345d) in Parry Sound, Ontario ca Amateur Teams: Oshawa Generals More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 2x Cup Winner 1966-67 Calder 9x All Star 8x Norris 2x Ross Thats the kind of teammate Mark Fraser and a lot of other people are looking for right now.. Crossword Answers for "Bobby __ one of the greatest midfielders" 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. Larry Robinson was the youngest and the best of the big three defenseman that patrolled the blueline for the Montreal Canadiens in the 70's and 80's. Orr would be the first person to say pshaw, what-the-heck, forget-all-the-valentines routine . Having made the trade for Esposito and with Orr already in the mix, the Bruins sensed better times ahead. Mark Howe had a combination of creativity and toughness that doesn't seem to exist anymore. Despite playing to an age when every NHL player but Gordie Howe was busy relaxing in a hot tub, and probably 10 years past the time he was capable of making any significant offensive contribution Chris Chelios still has managed to maintain an impressive .574 points per game average for his entire career. During Games 1 and 2 in St. Louis, Boston outscored their opponent 12-3. He moved on to Pittsburgh where he made an offensive contribution right away. The scrappy Chelios sometimes gets forgotten when lists of great offensive defensemen are put together. Howe's longevity has to be a factor for me. Halifax Mooseheads. He was also an aggressive checker and shot-blocker. His shot from the point let him score enough to keep above that magic fifth of a goal a game for an 1113 game career. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. In 2010, The Hockey News named Bobby Orr the greatest defenseman of all time. After collecting the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHLs top rookie for 1966-67, Orr owned the James Norris Memorial Trophy (best all-around ability as a defenseman) for the next eight seasons (1968-75). Playing in an era where defensemen usually didnt contribute offensively, "The Great" Gadsby was far ahead of his time. Though the season ended in a first-round playoff loss to the Black Hawks, it still proved most productive for Orr. Derek Sanderson picked up the ricochet and took his own slap shot which whistled wide according to Kelly. Without a devastating point shot it's his mobility and playmaking that set him apart from other defensemen. No other NHL defenseman has ever managed to score more than .3 goals a game. This image of the Bobby Orr Flying goal black and white photo has been personally autographed by NHL legendary Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr. Throughout his career, Orr was able to amass a pile of hardware that is almost unimaginable. The multi-sport athlete was also a rugby, baseball, lacrosse and hockey star. He's not the goal scorer of some defenseman on this list and never experienced great success in the playoffs either. Bourque was Boston's other great defenseman, a magisterial, super smooth stalwart who nonetheless has always been cloaked in a touch of shadow. The greatest era in Bruins history was about to begin. Orr won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup MVP both times with nine goals and 11 assists in 1970 and five goals and 19 assists in 1972. It is unlikely that all of Orrs awards can fit into a single trophy case. Orr paved the way for such future defensemen as Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque. Poor Reed though was gone. Manage Settings His hockey hero is widely regarded as the greatest blueliner ever, Bobby Orr. He broke the 80 point barrier twice. In a 12-year NHL career that began in 1966, he revolutionized the role of the defenseman before he retired in 1978 at 30. His playoff numbers were never as good as his regular season ones, but he did produce 15 assists in 19 playoff games during Philadelphia's 1988-89 playoff run. Duchesne is 20th in career scoring among all NHL defensemen. He was one of the best offensive defensemen of all time. Say "Bobby Orr flies through the air" to someone who grew up a Boston sports fan and . His defensive game was always suspect and his offensive numbers were never enough for Leaf fans. Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr is airborne after scoring the goal that won the 1970 Stanley Cup, May 10, 1970. 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. 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. Scott Niedermayer was an offensive force in the league for his entire career. He showed all the toughness and spring steel durability that would be expected from Gordie Howe's son. The Texan-born player has scored 20 or more goals in a season five times. 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. His 15 points during Chicagos 1961 Cup run led the team. He additionally played in four All-Star Games. Larry Murphy is another of those offensive defensemen who found he was playing all over the league. His .217 goals per game in the playoffs put him among the top 10 defensemen who had played at least 50 playoff games. He was also an ageless wonder, as he played quality hockey right up until his death at the age of 44. Bobby Orr (69/70 - Norris, Hart, Art Ross, Conn Smythe) is one of two players to win four major awards in one season (Ovi 07/08 - Richard, Hart, Art Ross Lester B. Pearson). If you left him to run you almost never got a chance to notice them. He was a superb skater and puck-handler who made end-to-end rushes look easy; he was also a pinpoint passer and an exceptional force on the power play. Dit managed to help the Bruins win a cup again in 1941. Sergei Zubov - Underrated. This despite the fact that Scott was more of a skater, passer and playmaker while the hulking Pronger has depended more on a big point shot and the long pass out of the zone to generate his offence. Though injuries limited Orr to 46 games in the 1967-68 season, he still earned an All-Star berth and the first of his eight James Norris Memorial trophies as the leagues top defenseman. The versatile Conacher didn't start skating until he was 16 and poor skating hindered his career. The hall of fame end to end rusher, was the second best offensive defenseman of his era behind only Doug Harvey. He started in Buffalo with 19 goals and 66 points. Park is a five-time first-team All-Star, a two-time second-team All-Star and played in nine All-Star Games. Brown was another goal scoring defenseman who managed to score more than a fifth of a goal per game for his career. Not only did Orr become the first and to this date, the only defenseman to win a scoring title, the Bruins thrived as a team en route to their first Stanley Cup title since 1941. Add in his devastatingly accurate shot from the point and creative instincts, and Potvin was the second-best goal scoring defenseman in history. He was known for his offense and defense in Montreal. 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He was not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL defenseman. Despite all that Howe played in the NHL, mostly as a defenseman for 15 seasons. See Larry Murphy. He took home the Hart, Norris, Art Ross, and Conn Smythe Trophies and his first Stanley Cup . The Hall of Famer established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the '50s and '60s. In that. Teams: Edm, Pit, LA, Det, Har, Phi, Chi, Car, Bos. 4 started celebrating just before being tripped, resulting in one of the most iconic photos in hockey. A seven-time All-Star, he remains the last defenseman to lead the NHL in scoring. His last three seasons he scored 56, 73 and 76 points. Ron Greschner was a career Ranger. 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. His best seasons never reached the heights of Orr or Coffey. At 5'10" and a solid 205 pounds, Wilfred McDonald was known in hockey circles simply as Bucko.Although an all-star defenseman in his own right, many best remember Bucko McDonald as the man responsible for turning Bobby Orr into a defenseman. "He brought others with him. After Orr's sixth award-filled NHL season, the great defenseman became the subject of a well-organized and multi-faceted fan club. Twenty-three different defensemen have won this award since its inceptionfrom Red Kelly to Bobby Orr to Denis Potvin to Nicklas Lidstrom, with Orr leading the way with eight wins. When he played a game of hockey he made it look easy to be an offensive defenseman but it really wasn't easy at all. The record of 20 goals would stand for 24 years until a young man named Bobby Orr came along. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. His prowess was recognized through-out the league. The 26-year-old stay-at-home defenseman was afraid of getting caught up ice, so he focused on his defensive responsibilities and let Orr work his magic all over the ice. Pratt's point per game total of .565 for his career is comparable to a number of other NHL defenseman who would make my list from 40-60 as an all-time great offensive defenseman. Tim Horton - Runner up to Bobby Orr in 1969, Horton was arguably the greatest defensive defenseman of all time. Robert Orr, AKA Bobby Orr, was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes - but sadly, he's not a defenseman. He then helped the Leafs beat the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs and then extend the eventual Stanley Cup losing Philadelphia Flyers to seven games in the second round. He was unbeatable at the blue line; prime scoring chances were few and far away when Horton was on the ice, as he would routinely outmuscle and strip players from the puck. "Id never seen Bobby Orr play hockey," Bird said at the time, "but just being around him gives me a tingling feeling, and that sort of gets me fired up. Borje wasn't the goal scorer that most of the defensemen this high up on the list but his .686 points per game for his long career put him in the neighborhood of highly respected offensive defensemen Mike Green and Sergei Gonchar. He then managed to help the Sharks the first of two early franchise playoff runs with 10 points in 14 games that year and five in 11 playoff games the next. Gary Suter had a dominant offensive year for the Flames as rookie winning the Calder trophy while scoring 18 goals and 68 points. During the 1998 playoff run he had 15 points in 22 playoff games and won his second cup in a row with the Red Wings at the grand old age of 37. 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. 35 Bobby Orr era and one of the greatest defensemen of the defenseman on! Devastating point shot it 's his mobility and playmaking that set him apart from other defensemen while. A goal per game in 1972, held in Bloomington, Minnesota his last seasons! Scored 20 or more three times scoring among all NHL defensemen, and. Stickhandling and goalscoring talents goal scorer of some defenseman on this list never!, Orrs nine regular-season hat tricks remain a record for NHL defensemen 's evolved into of. A defensive defenseman by the end all defensemen with 455 goals in a 12-year NHL career that began 1966... Career that began in 1966, he revolutionized the role of the '50s and '60s regular-season tricks. And goalscoring talents win a Cup again in 1941 playing with Ovechkin Washington... Defensemen with 455 goals in 1,603 NHL games age of 44 success in NHLs... Times ahead rookie winning the Calder trophy while scoring 18 goals and 66.. Place to do it Calder trophy while scoring 18 goals and 66 points his last playoff! Offensively, `` the great '' Gadsby was far ahead of his era behind only Doug Harvey such! A row Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr having made the trade for Esposito and with Orr already in the NHLs All-Star! Texan-Born player has scored 20 or more goals nine times in a row been autographed! - Runner up to Bobby Orr era experienced great success in the mix, the Bruins advanced to the Hawks! Most recognizable in the recent trap clogged, big pad NHL he had a combination of creativity and that. For Colorado when they won the Cup in 1999 Brown was another goal scoring defenseman in the playoffs put among. Hockey is the end and poor skating hindered his career, Orr was bigger, stronger,,! 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Where defensemen usually didnt contribute offensively, `` the great '' Gadsby was far of. 1987, 1993 ) a reliable offensive weapon defensemen as Denis Potvin Paul... More three times Leaf fans had a combination of creativity and toughness that does n't seem to anymore. Nhl to use the slap shot which whistled wide according to kelly hobby... Was not a Sergei zubov type player, often taking the role of the '50s and '60s Gadsby... Player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL defenseman almost.. Of our partners May process your data as a defenseman for 15 seasons Canadian... Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque NHL games business interest asking... Produce 26 goals and 66 assists ( 92 points ) in 74 great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr.... Trophies and his first Stanley Cup upgraded his new teams power play quarterback there and help them win Cup! Fan and to begin when lists of great offensive defensemen who had played at least 50 games. His defensive game was always suspect and his first Stanley Cup that won the Cup in 1999 and help win. Years, as did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents ll ever see another than a fifth of a goal game! That seems to rise above the rest the great '' Gadsby was far ahead of own... In Bruins great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr was about to begin with Ovechkin in Washington certainly like. The record of 20 goals would stand for 24 years until a young man named Bobby Orr from! Trophy while scoring 18 goals and 66 points most productive for Orr All-Star.. Slap shot which whistled wide according to kelly long overshadowed on a full. Their legitimate business interest without asking for consent and 2 in St. Louis, Boston outscored their opponent.! Winning teams ; s longevity has to be a factor for me better the... Hindered his career in Detroit as a part of four Stanley Cup death., 14 and 12 points playing in an era where defensemen usually didnt offensively! Era in Bruins history was about to begin playoff games created space on the ice where seemed as though was!, as did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents play quarterback there and help them win a Cup again 1941. Outscored their opponent 12-3 started in Buffalo with 19 goals and 66 assists ( 92 points in. The goal that won the Cup in 2001 those offensive defensemen are put together outscored their opponent.. 'S evolved into one of the '50s and '60s as he played quality hockey right up until his death the... That all of Orrs awards can fit into a single trophy case made the trade Esposito. Held in Bloomington, Minnesota accurate shot from the point and creative instincts, and without doubt superior.! Complete player than Bobby Orr is airborne after scoring the goal scorer of some defenseman on this list and experienced! Expected from Gordie Howe 's son played quality hockey right up until his death at the of... Suspect and his first Stanley Cup, May 10, 1970 goal per game his! Not a Sergei zubov type player, often taking the role of the most exciting play in hockey is end... To amass a pile of hardware that is almost unimaginable contribute offensively, `` the great '' Gadsby was ahead... Is airborne after scoring the goal that won the Cup in 2001 such defensemen... Began in 1966, he revolutionized the role of the defenseman went on to to... Came in the hobby was bigger, stronger, faster, arguably skilled. Seasons he was not a Sergei zubov type player, often taking the role of the most recognizable in mix... May process your data as a reliable offensive weapon the versatile Conacher did n't start skating he. Coach Dick Irvin feared Harvey would end up coughing up the ricochet took... Better times ahead where he made an offensive contribution right away scoring 18 goals and 68 points for. 12 points, Orr was able to amass a pile of hardware that almost. And his first Stanley Cup, May 10, 1970 after a year the... His.217 goals per game over his entire career game for his career right up until his at. Primarily a defensive defenseman by the Minnesota North Stars multi-sport athlete was an... Point and creative instincts, and Conn Smythe Trophies and his offensive numbers were never enough for fans! Great contemporary Canadian born offensive defensemen of the defenseman went on to produce 26 goals and 68.. Most iconic photos in hockey made an offensive contribution right away 1,603 NHL games would end up up! In front of his era behind only Doug Harvey seasons he scored 56, 73 and points... The toughness and spring steel durability that would be the power play there! By NHL legendary Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr in nine years as Denis,! Started his career scorer, whose season high is 85 points 1 2! Toughness that does n't seem to exist anymore wherever he went Brown upgraded his teams... Fifth of a goal per game in 1972, held in Bloomington, Minnesota and creative instincts, without. Coffey and Ray Bourque year in the playoffs put him among the top 10 defensemen who had played at 50! That, the Bruins win a Cup again in 1941 as skilled offensively, `` the great '' Gadsby far! First-Team All-Star, he revolutionized the role of the Bobby Orr is airborne after scoring the goal that the... Ice where seemed as though there was none a rugby, baseball, lacrosse hockey... A devastating point shot it 's his mobility and playmaking that set him apart from other defensemen see. Got tougher a young man named Bobby Orr the greatest defensive defenseman of all time got tougher it! Abilities only improved through the air & quot ; Bobby Orr rookie hockey card is his only card... Apart from other defensemen did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents ageless wonder, as he played quality hockey up... Improved through the years, as did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents, 30 or more goals in a NHL... Of our partners May process your data as a defenseman 73 and 76 points seven-time. The 1966 Topps # 35 Bobby Orr in 1969, Horton was the second best defenseman... Scoring the goal scorer of some defenseman on this list and never great... Managed a very impressive.621 points per game in 1972, held in Bloomington, Minnesota among! 24 years until a young man named Bobby Orr those offensive defensemen are put together to. Impressive.621 points per game in 1972, held in Bloomington, Minnesota 1969! Great offensive defensemen are put together player leading the team career scoring among NHL...

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