Brown was another goal scoring defenseman who managed to score more than a fifth of a goal per game for his career. A little more seasoning at the start of his career and a little more luck staying healthy and Al Iafrate probably would have been one of top 10 or 20 offensive defensemen of all time. Larson was the first US born player ever to score 200 goals in the NHL and the sixth defenseman to do so. Names like Eddie Shore (who was often Hollett's defensive partner), Dit Clapper and Art Coulter dominated the era. A seven-time All-Star, he remains the last defenseman to lead the NHL in scoring. Despite a much different ending, the 2019 Stanley Cup Final between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins could only bring to mind that only other finals meeting between the teams 49 years earlier. He played another seven and a half seasons in Toronto. Maybe he didnt want the media to run rampant with such a small footnote after all, the Bruins had just clinched the franchises first championship since 1941. Playing with Ovechkin in Washington certainly seems like the right place to do it. Orr scored that goal after completing a give-and-go with Derek Sanderson, and it remains one of the most unforgettable moments in hockey history. Still in that time he's been an exemplary defenseman for Nashville both offensively and defensively. Aubrey "Dit" Clapper would have rated higher as an offensive defenseman except for the fact that his best offensive years came as a left winger for the Boston Bruins. Gary Suter had a dominant offensive year for the Flames as rookie winning the Calder trophy while scoring 18 goals and 68 points. He then managed six goals in six games as the Capitals lost to the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. Hewon the NHLs hardest shot competition at the All-Star game seven times. 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. Only Ray Bourque managed to score more with 410, while playing 203 more games. The goal ranks up there with memories of the Boston Red Soxs 2004 World Series championship, the New England Patriots first Super Bowl win, and the Boston Celtics incredible streak of eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966. Hed have been a likely Conn Smythe candidate that year if the trophy had existed back then. During the playoffs he scored goals at a higher rate then in the regular season. In these cases I'm relying on anecdotal evidence. 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. Sergei Zubov - Underrated. Bobby first played organized hockey at age 5, and soon showed an ability to skate faster than anyone else his age. It is the most recognizable highlight in Boston sports history. The quick skating Housley was an offensive force for the Sabres and he played forward as well as defense for them. The record of 20 goals would stand for 24 years until a young man named Bobby Orr came along. Weber has a good shot and is a great puck mover. The Latvian speedster is still playing in Riga this year and has almost a point a game. More impressive are his playoff numbers. After beating St. Louis in four straight games to win the 1970 Stanley Cup finals, the Bruins returned to the finals in 1972 to beat the New York Rangers in six. Another Bobby Orr Was Drafted to the NHL. 74 Year Old #23. He and his mostly offensive skills won seven James Norris trophies as the league's best defenseman. His 46 goals stood as a record for a defenseman until Paul Coffey scored 48 in 1985-86. He was a stick handler, play maker and scorer of the first calibre. There was no way Emile Francis granted Park the same license that Orr could exercise in Boston. His skating abilities only improved through the years, as did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as regular-season Most Valuable Player three consecutive seasons (1969-70 through 1971-72). Orr was certainly an unbelievable player, so was Howe. He and Al MacInnis became one of the best power play point combinations in hockey. 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 . So I got a little lucky there.Blues defenseman Jean-Guy Talbot also took a one-handed swipe at the puck as Orr skated it to the corner, proceeding to dish it to Sanderson who was still waiting below the goal line. Orr enjoyed an outstanding junior career, and the Bruins who last qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1959 had high expectations for the 18-year-old when he joined them in 1966. Orrs regular season totals rest at 270 goals and 645 assists (915 points) in just 657 games. Clancy scored 136 goals in 592 regular season games which puts him in the top for goals per game scored by a defenseman over his career. 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. From the 1969-70 season to the 1974-75 campaign, the Ontario-native recorded 734 points in 447 games an incredible feat for any player, let alone a defenseman. Pisces Hockey Player #2. On top of that, the Bruins advanced to the postseason for the first time in nine years. He followed this up with a 15 point in 16 game playoff performance as the Flames swept Chicago and beat Philadelphia in seven games before losing to the North Stars in their first playoff year in Calgary. The multi-sport athlete was also a rugby, baseball, lacrosse and hockey star. Like Chris Chelios he was primarily a defensive defenseman by the end. Brad Park was one of the most talented two-way defensemen in history. When we speak of the greats of ice hockey, Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau enter into the conversation. The club newsletter even carried an apology for the delay. That 1970 series produced an iconic image of Orr flying through the air after scoring the title-clinching overtime goal in the fourth and final game. The Lester B. Pearson Trophy (now the Ted Lindsay) was created the next season. Players from earlier eras who are included often don't have comparable statistics. Visnovsky has managed to average .572 points per game for his career so far. "With Orr's exit, Boston fans felt as if a loved one had disappeared," Conway wrote. Playing in an era where defensemen usually didnt contribute offensively, "The Great" Gadsby was far ahead of his time. He scored over .7 points per game for his entire career and almost a fifth of a goal per game. His goal per game scoring numbers put him in a class with anyone who has ever played the game on defense except Orr, Coffey and Potvin. He's been a key member of the four Stanley Cup winning Detroit teams in the past 15 years winning the Conn Smythe in 2001-02 with 16 points in 23 games. He also won the Conn Smythe in 1977-78 with 21 points in 15 playoff games to tie with Guy Lafleur for the team playoff scoring lead. "Gordie in my mind is the best that ever played the game. He was an offensive dynamo during the first half of his career, eclipsing the 50-point mark eight times, including a 78-point season (which still stands as a New Jersey defenseman record), but refined his game during the latter part of his career to become a defensive specialist who was impossible to counter. It felt like a five-player stampede moving toward you and at his pace. Not only was he one of the best at reading plays, he was also more than capable of contributing offensively. Part of the problem with a career that spans eras is that the beginning can be lost in the mists of time. Still not convinced Bobby Orr is the greatest hockey player of all time? He managed an impressive 80 goals in his 494-game career. An absolute defensive force for Toronto, he led the team to four Stanley Cup wins during the 1960s. Orr did it seven straight seasons (1968-69 until 1974-75), five times scoring more . The most exciting play in hockey is the end to end rush. He has 202 goals in what has been a 1002 game career. Halifax Mooseheads. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1988, 1994). 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. The scrappy Chelios sometimes gets forgotten when lists of great offensive defensemen are put together. Babych had a career high with 74 points in Winnipeg. Here are 21 reasons why Orr is hockey's GOAT. You name it, Howe was great at it. But even in defeat, he remained humble and heroic. The shifty Visnovsky has scored 94 goals and 363 points in 633 games as he starts his 10th season in the NHL. He scored 20 or more goals nine times in a season, 30 or more three times. Orr was an unrivalled skater. Create an account. Iafrate was rushed into the league by a desperate Leaf team in 1984. He was an offensive star with Chicago and always near the top of the league in scoring among defensemen. That resistance to conformity apparently fueled his offensive instincts. On May 15, 1967, the Bruins completed the greatest trade in franchise history by sending Gilles Marotte, Jack Norris and Pit Martin to the Chicago Black Hawks for Fred Stanfield, Ken Hodge and Phil Esposito. A committee of hockey experts assembled by the same publication 13 years earlier named Orr the second-greatest player of all time behind Wayne Gretzky and in front of Gordie Howe. This is the only recognized rookie card of hockey's most legendary defenseman. He scored 15 goals or more for seven straight years. His last three seasons he scored 56, 73 and 76 points. 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. Doug Wilson is the first of the defensemen to produce more than .8 points per game for over a 1,000 game career. He skated like the wind and had one of the hardest slap-shots ever. He scored more than 20 goals in a season five times. Bourque comes second with 451 goals in 1826 games. 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. He was also an aggressive checker and shot-blocker. He counter attacked the Russians with a skill and speed that often left them wondering what had just happened. Last Name Orr #1. He had 12 points in 20 games the next year when they fell short. It was the shot that made Al great. During the playoffs, that increased to .23 goals per game near the very top of career performances for defensemen. He was no slouch as a defender either. Housley also played some games as a forward during his first few years in the league, collecting 68 career points at the position. The sports spectrum in New England was dominated by basketball at the time, as the Celtics had already brought home 11 championships by the time 1970 rolled around. He was a key to the offensive transition game the Jets liked to run. There is obviously no argument that Lidstrom is the best defenseman in the history of the Red Wings. He was considered one of the sport's greatest players. While offensively brilliant, Housley was average to mediocre in his own end, as he has a career plus/minus rating of minus-53. 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). He is still the only defenseman ever to score five goals in a game. There, he used his all-around talents to make offensive rushes up to ice. 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. His obvious offensive skills were an immediate boon to the Devils. Ray Bourque won five James Norris Memorial trophies in his career, slotting him behind only Orr and Doug Harvey. In 1920 Conacher also became Canada's light heavyweight boxing champion. 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. He was a three-time 20-goal scorer and two-time 80-point scorer. 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. Unfortunately, Orr's career expired early, as knee injuries got the . The legendary Pilote was Chicagos answer to Doug Harvey. He finished up in Pittsburgh where injury cut his career short. Blake had a bomb of a point shot that kept him in business through most of his career. The list of defenders in NHL history with two Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy includes only Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson, Brian Leetch, Nicklas Lidstrom and Duncan Keith. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. He had the skills to rush from end to end and the desire to do it. He held the record for most goals in a season by a defenseman with 46 in 1974-75. His .173 goals per game for his career put him in a goal scoring class with the likes of career point men like Sergei Zubov and Larry Murphy. 4 jersey retired by the Bruins and was invested as an officer in the Order of Canada. To achieve greatness Green will have to be able to put his game together in the playoffs which he hasn't managed yet. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1983, 1986, 1987). Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. His contributions are still undeniable. He played in the AHL for a time, but finished his career with the St. Louis Blues at the age of 44. He scored 20 and had 82 points for his first and only point a game season. His regular season career numbers are great: ninth-most goals all time, seventh-most assists, 14th-most goals per game and seventh-most points per game. Enterprise. Howe's peak looks like it was about 21 years long. Teams: Edm, Pit, LA, Det, Har, Phi, Chi, Car, Bos. First Name Bobby #14. 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. A big party started in Boston Garden. Orr also earned his final All-Star selection. Closest Norris Finish: Third (1987, 1993). The most productive years of his career were overshadowed by . Eighty games were the most he ever managed in a single year. On May 10, 1970 Bobby Orr arguable scored the most recognizable hockey highlight in not only Boston history but sports history. He had six more seasons when he scored more than 20 and another six seasons when he scored 15 goals or more. Paul Coffey was perhaps the fastest man ever to lace up skates. Injuries ended his career with the North Stars much too early. Though his father urged Bobby to focus on offense primarily as a forward, his hockey coach as a boy saw his abilities . Hes the only defenseman ever to win the Art Ross trophy as the leagues leading scorer and he did it twice in 1969-70 and in 1974-75. "I'm not in that picture. The young defenseman was already turning heads with his ability to score goals and win fights. All rights reserved. The acquisition of Esposito was huge, as he and Orr developed a rapport in both offensive production and as team leaders. His third and final year in Winnipeg he had his best season with 79 assists and 97 points, both Jet records for a defenseman. 10. During the postseason the defenseman went on to produce 26 goals and 66 assists (92 points) in 74 playoff appearances. But the nature of the play represents what truly made Orr immortal to hockey. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. In addition to the plus-minus record of 1970-71, Orr became the first player to give out at least 100 assists that same season. Most of these players were victims of many narrow misses amongst extremely tough competition. While not the goalscorer some of these offensive defensemen are, his skating ability made him capable of end to end rushes that were a trademark with the lanky Robinson. Larry was always a deliberate, measured unhurried offensive presence on the blue-line. 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). Elsewhere, Orr remains quietly involved in various charities and has been known to help former Bruins teammates and personnel in need. He used his lethal slap shot and prime playmaking ability to tie for the second-most career playoff points by a defenseman in the history of the franchise. Coach Dick Irvin feared Harvey would end up coughing up the puck in front of his own net, but it almost never happened. Salming endured what was at times brutal treatment with a stoicism and toughness that helped pave the way for every other Swedish player who has come to North America. When playoff performances are added, Coffey leads all defensemen with 455 goals in 1,603 NHL games. He was a quick moving defender who was great at getting the puck out of his zone in a hurry. Bourque is one of the all-time great NHL defensemen, winning the Norris Trophy five times. 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. Orrs top season for points actually came in 1970-71, when his 139 was second to teammate Phil Espositos 152. Francis "King" Clancy was a diminutive defenseman in an era when assists were only handed out for a key play that lead to a goal. 1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr Rookie Card. The Blues then traded Housley to the Flames for all-time Flame defenseman Al MacInnis. His career was attenuated by a case of flesh eating disease, but he still seemed to have his offensive chops at the end. I apologize in advance for any offensively talented defenseman from the pre-1967 era that I slight. He played his only games in November 1975 after the Bruins already had traded Phil Esposito to the New York Rangers. The Hall of Famer put up five seasons of 40 points or more with Chicago and New York, twice hitting the 50 mark, which was an incredible feat at the time. It was poetic that the Bruins best player potted the best goal in the franchises history. Fraser hopes, like many fans, that Orr will change his position and be part of the solution. He still holds the record for most assists in a season by a defenseman (102) and most points in a season by a defenseman (139) both from the ill-fated 1970-71 season. Helping lead Canada to the title with seven assists in two goals in seven games earned Orr tournament MVP honors. He endorsed Trump back in October, taking out a full-page ad of the New Hampshire Union Leader, where he called Trump the kind of teammate I want.. Orr combined speed, strength, skill and hockey savvy at both ends of the ice. While racking up all those accolades, the defenseman remained the best in the business as he was handed the Norris Trophy eight seasons in a row. He was a late season addition in 1993-94 and had six goals and 15 points in their run to the Stanley Cup finals versus the New York Rangers. In NHL history, franchises have built dynasties around elite defensemen over and over again. Brian Leetch was another of the flood of talented American defensemen who came into the NHL attempting to emulate Bobby Orr. Overall, Orr paced the NHL in plus-minus rating six times and led or co-led the league in assists five more, including a career-high 102 in 1970-71. Through two decades of solid, consistent play, Murphy quietly established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the modern era. Rhino only broke the 20 goal barrier once but 133 goals in 648 games have him scoring more than a fifth of a goal per game. With blazing speed and tenacity, Bobby Orr always seemed to be around the puck. Equally amazing to me if . Bobby Orr was the most creative individual in the game of hockey. Tremendous defensive defenseman with an offensive upside. 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. He is a three-time first-team All-Star and played in four All-Star Games. He added 26 goals and 66 assists in eight postseason runs and was a two-time Stanley Cup winner for the Boston Bruins. When the Islanders won their four Cups in a row from 1980-83, Potvin had 85 points and 27 goals in 78 playoff games. All the career scoring records for NHL defensemen belong to Ray Bourque. He's tied for Kevin Hatcher for 13th in goal scoring. He tied for third leading scorer for Vancouver in the playoffs with Cliff Ronning and behind only Geoff Courtnall and the amazing Pavel Bure. Orrs ability to pace the Bruins offense helped him surpass 100 points in six seasons, including league highs of 120 in 1969-70 and 135 for 1974-75. Guy scored 20 goals in a season three times including 28 during the 1974-75 campaign. Buy images; Sell images; Kelly started his career in Detroit as a defenseman. Game 4 of the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs the game headed to overtime. Paul had his best season in 1982-83 with 75 points in 78 games. He had another near point a game playoff. He destroyed all of the conventional wisdom about playing defence. Not coincidentally that was the same season the Ducks won their Stanley Cup and Niedermayer won his Conn Smythe trophy as the playoff MVP. If those two players had never existed, youd be looking at possibly the greatest defenseman in NHL history, with his six Norris Trophies and all. The game took place on May 10, 1970 Mothers Day. Orr helped redefine his position, as he's probably the fastest and smoothest skating defenseman to ever play. His .602 points per game is impressive and indicative of an able playmaker. The wisdom at the time was Swedish players would not endure rough play and if hit enough would go back home to Sweden. During Games 1 and 2 in St. Louis, Boston outscored their opponent 12-3. He's produced over half a point a game so far in his career and almost a fifth of a goal a game. He was seventh in the league in assists that year. 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 scored 20 goals in the 1999-2000 season. Coffey was also one of those rare offensive lights who managed to be a point a game player in the playoffs. #16492. Mike Green is the youngest player I have on my list and so has the most potential to climb and fall. Back to 1969-70, Orr became the only player ever to win the Norris, Ross, Hart and Smythe trophies all in the same season. It is claimed by some that Horton was the first player in the NHL to use the slap shot as a reliable offensive weapon. He was an extremely physical and at times reckless D-man, who received more than 600 stitches to his face during his career. Even at the end of his career in Detroit Murphy was still scoring 10 goals a year and 40-50 points. 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. Knee problems had taken their toll as Orr called it quits after playing his final game on Nov. 1, 1978, against the Vancouver Canucks. He lead the Oilers in scoring during their abortive Stanley Cup run. Campbell ends his article by pleading with Orr to change his position, hoping that he will be, once again, the player and teammate we all admire. He played in an era before the slap shot and before a player received a point for the second assist. Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr is airborne after scoring the goal that won the 1970 Stanley Cup, May 10, 1970. Detroit had their best playoff run in two decades making it to the conference final the next year. 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. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1977, 1980). He had three 20 goal or more seasons in LA all, unsurprisingly enough, while Gretzky was on the team. Dit managed to help the Bruins win a cup again in 1941. A . His plus-minus total of 124 for the 1970-71 season when the Bruins scored 124 more even-strength and shorthanded goals than they gave up with Orr on the ice remains a record today. Hockey Player #22. In 2010, The Hockey News named Bobby Orr the greatest defenseman of all time. Whether shooting or passing off the point of the power play, he's always a threat to create a goal. January 27, 2017, 9:36 PM. Orr created space on the ice where seemed as though there was none. Though the season ended in a first-round playoff loss to the Black Hawks, it still proved most productive for Orr. With Orr as the catalyst, Bruins fortunes were on the rise. However it fits in your life as a sports fan, what Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins did on May 10, 1970, still resonates 50 years later. Pronger is a man whose offensive production increases in the playoffs. The 1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr rookie hockey card is his only rookie card and one of the most recognizable in the hobby. 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 . Other great defensemen such as Red Kelly and Doug Harvey preceded Orr, but the latter inspired with his speed and artistry on the ice. He was incredible offensively and defensivelyon the power play, shorthanded, in the playoffs. He was dogged by injuries throughout his career making it hard for him to play a complete season. MOVE OVER, BOBBY. Then, in Orrs own words, Derek gave me a great pass and when I got the pass I was moving across. Defensively, Orrs penalty-killing abilities set a standard that remains to this day. Park was chosen MVP of the last and deciding game, Game 8. 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. Desire to do so 21 years long more for seven straight seasons ( 1969-70 through 1971-72 ) 1966 #..., play maker and scorer of the defensemen to produce more than 600 to! The solution two-way defensemen in history youngest player I have on my list so. Gave me a great puck mover s greatest players ; Sell images Sell... All time Riga this year and has been known to help former Bruins teammates and personnel in need time nine... 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That ever played the game 10, 1970 trophy ( now the Ted Lindsay ) was created next... His 10th season in 1982-83 with 75 points in 633 games as starts... S peak looks like it was poetic that the Bruins best player potted the best goal the! Measurement, audience insights and product development flesh eating disease, but it almost never.! Gets forgotten when lists of great offensive defensemen are put together 1994 ) to average.572 per... Zone in a cookie and when I got the pass I was moving across comparable.! Two-Time Stanley Cup wins during the postseason the great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr went on to produce 26 goals and assists... Both offensive production increases in the playoffs which he has n't managed yet playoffs the game of hockey skills seven. Truly made Orr immortal great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr hockey the blue-line eras who are included often do n't comparable! Of a point a game & # x27 ; m not in that.. It still proved most productive for Orr the last and deciding game, 8... Team leaders hockey 's GOAT always a threat to create a goal per game is a three-time 20-goal scorer two-time! 1920 Conacher also became Canada 's light heavyweight boxing champion was an offensive force for Boston...