On May 10, 1970 Bobby Orr arguable scored the most recognizable hockey highlight in not only Boston history but sports history. Bourque is one of the all-time great NHL defensemen, winning the Norris Trophy five times. Perhaps a longer career would have seen Craig much higher on this list. Then, in Orrs own words, Derek gave me a great pass and when I got the pass I was moving across. Bobby first played organized hockey at age 5, and soon showed an ability to skate faster than anyone else his age. Detroit at this time had produced some epically bad teams often scoring 40-50 goals fewer than they gave up. Teams: Buf, Win, Stl, Cal, NJ, Wsh, Cal, Chi, Tor. 4 jersey retired by the Bruins and was invested as an officer in the Order of Canada. The Hall of Famer established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the '50s and '60s. He had another near point a game playoff. The year the Flames won the Cup, Al led the team and the league with an amazing 31 points in 22 playoff games. Before then that offensive output was Standard Operating Procedure for Chris. Sign up for our regular 'Bruins Newsletter' for all the latest. Just like the citys hero, hockey itself took flight in Boston. He was no slouch as a defender either. That same year, Orr had his No. Through two decades of solid, consistent play, Murphy quietly established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the modern era. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Orrs goal didnt just put an end to a 29-year Stanley Cup drought in Boston. 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 didn't contribute offensively, "The Great" Gadsby was far ahead of his time. He was a point a game player for the next 12 years. It is claimed by some that Horton was the first player in the NHL to use the slap shot as a reliable offensive weapon. Kelly started his career in Detroit as a defenseman. With all due respect for those experts, the NHL has seen its share of superstars, but no past or present player ever was as complete as Bobby Orr. His first full season ,1977-78, featured the only playoff series Detroit won while he was on the team. The sample size on Weber is admittedly small with only 329 games under his belt in the regular season so far. He played in an era before the slap shot and before a player received a point for the second assist. He was basically a point a game defenseman in Calgary but apparently he wasn't Al. Sergei Zubov - Underrated. He scored 20 and had 82 points for his first and only point a game season. He had a couple big playoff runs scoring 19 points in 23 games for Colorado when they won the Cup in 2001. Teams: LA, Phi, Que, Stl, Ott, Stl, LA, Phi, Det. The acquisition of Esposito was huge, as he and Orr developed a rapport in both offensive production and as team leaders. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1988, 1994). 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. His prowess was recognized through-out the league. It was just the third time they were forced to take a matchup by one goal during their historic playoff run. His hockey hero is widely regarded as the greatest blueliner ever, Bobby Orr. Red Kelly ran for parliament in 1962 and won all well playing with the Leafs in 1962 and winning another Stanley cup. Eighty games were the most he ever managed in a single year. 5 Orr's vs. 5 Howe's, like that could happen. For good measure, he added another hat trick in the postseason. When he scored 23 in 1997-98 with LA, he also won the James Norris trophy as the league's best defenseman that year. "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 had the skills to rush from end to end and the desire to do it. Dave Babych was a big point man in Hartford, Winnipeg and Vancouver. 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. It was the shot that made Al great. It did far more for the city than that. Leetch won two James Norris trophies to go with his Calder and Conn Smythe. Being traded for the two favourite players in their western Canadian markets Dale Hawerchuk and Al Macinnis did nothing to help his popularity or the regard he was held in. Though the season ended in a first-round playoff loss to the Black Hawks, it still proved most productive for Orr. Right from his rookie season (he holds the record for most assists and points by a rookie defenseman), Murphy was an offensive superstar with a keen hockey sense who was a solid and trustworthy defender as well. 2023 Attraction Web S.E.C. I expect him to move up on this list as his career progresses. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. His skills were critical to early Islander success, especially in 1975-77 where he almost singlehandedly lead the team on long playoff runs. You had to be better than you had ever been.". That combined with his performance in the Olympics where he was arguably Canada's best defenseman indicates a player capable of raising his game when the stakes get higher. Potvin broke into the league with 17 goals and 54 points in 77 games to win the Calder trophy. The Ducks look to be hoping his numbers with them will closer to the .686 points per game he's managed since coming back from Slovakia. Carlyle scored an impressive 647 points in 1,055 regular season games. The talented defender was phenomenal in San Jose right from the start. 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. That was second on the team in playoff scoring only to Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora. His plus-minus rating for those games resides at a whopping plus-582. 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. He was an extremely physical and at times reckless D-man, who received more than 600 stitches to his face during his career. I was really trying to get the puck on net, and I did.. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Weaker defensive play, a lack of size and perceived lack of grit has always seemed to diminish the regard he's gotten over the years. It created a generation of diehard hockey fans in the region who have handed down their passion for black and gold hockey to their successors. His first shot in his first game won a regular season sudden death over time contest versus the Hamilton Tigers. He lead the Leafs in goal scoring and points that playoff year. Lapointe helped to win a total of six Cups with Montreal, providing substantial offensive contribution from the blue line. 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. His 396 goals were the second-most ever in a defensemans regular season career. That combined with the Second Six expansion that doubled the number of NHL teams from six to 12 teams for the 1967-68 season lead to an era of unrivaled offensive production, especially from defensemen. Published on January 8, 2021 at 4:43 a.m. 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. His .605 points per game added up over 19 seasons. More impressive are his playoff numbers. He counter attacked the Russians with a skill and speed that often left them wondering what had just happened. Guy scored 20 goals in a season three times including 28 during the 1974-75 campaign. 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. 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. Greschner provided continuity for the Rangers during the 80's. Though only 14, Orr thrived against players as old as 20. In total, No. Despite a history of injuries, particularly to his left knee, Orr managed to twice play a full slate of games for the Bruins with 76 in 1969-70 and 80 in 1974-75. Park was chosen MVP of the last and deciding game, Game 8. He is a one-time second-team All-Star and played in seven All-Star Games. 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. That notion proved correct. Visnovsky has managed to average .572 points per game for his career so far. Bruins players ultimately owned the top four places for points that season with Johnny Bucyk placing third (116) and Ken Hodge fourth (105). 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. As knee surgeries limited him to just 10 games, Orr endured a most frustrating 1975-76 season. After sweeping the Chicago Black Hawks in the second round, the Bruins went on to face the Blues. His third and final year in Winnipeg he had his best season with 79 assists and 97 points, both Jet records for a defenseman. Zubov has proved to be the exception to the rule that you can't be a great without also being a great goal scorer. Celebrating Alan Eagleson's plea deal in Boston, from left to right, are Bruins legend Bobby Orr, ex-Bruins defenseman Rick Smith, Russ Conway and Tom Lockwood at The Fours on Canal St. in. This slide show is designed to honour and rank those offensively skilled players who have played. The biggest debate seems to be in figuring out where he ranks in the pantheon of all time. Orr, the 74-year-old legendary defenseman, ranks No. Known as a devastating hitter, shutdown defenseman and long-time Devils captain, Stevens memorable and iconic career spanned 22 seasons and 1,635 games, and it's hard to believe that in that much time, he never won a Norris Trophy. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. 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. In NHL history, franchises have built dynasties around elite defensemen over and over again. His 11 points in 10 playoff games were second on the team only to Darryl Sittler's 12. Crossword Answers for "Bobby __ one of the greatest midfielders" Ultimately, he wound up playing in seven NHL All-Star Games. MacInnis is the third-highest scoring defenseman in NHL history. Orr picked up the loose puck, skated it to the red line and dumped it back into St. Louis zone. He scored more than 20 goals in a season five times. Larry Murphy is another of those offensive defensemen who found he was playing all over the league. Andrei Markov is another hugely talented offensive defenseman whose numbers have suffered in the recent trap clogged, big pad NHL. Before a player received a point a game season when I got the pass I was moving across team. Sports world, emailed daily continuity for the city than that frustrating 1975-76 season rush end! You had to be the exception to the rule that you ca n't be a great pass and when got! 1997-98 with great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr, Phi, Det Petr Sykora rapport in both offensive production and as leaders! Sign up for our regular 'Bruins Newsletter ' for all the latest the!, Phi, Que, Stl, Ott, Stl, LA, he another... 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