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.. It was the shot that made Al great. Orr combined speed, strength, skill and hockey savvy at both ends of the ice. Orr was also quite happy to hit and to drop the gloves. Niedermayer won a Conn Smythe and a Norris, Pronger won a Hart and a Norris. He managed to contribute offensively for almost his entire career. Though injured for most of the season he 21 points in 27 games the next year and had another great playoff performance with 17 points in 11 games to lead the team. He was fair skater and an able puck mover, but his shot moved him into the offensive elite of the game. Olausson's best season saw him score 20 goals in 1991-92 in Winnipeg. Leonard "Red" Kelly is another of those versatile players who was good enough to play forward or defense in the NHL. Orr also earned his final All-Star selection. he also had 20 points in 17 games in the Canadien's 1985-86 playoff run. 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. He was an enthusiastic offensive skater with a great shot. 74 Year Old #23. 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. Not only was he fast, his. Reinhart grew superfluous as the third offensive defenseman with the addition of Al Macinnis in 1981 and Gary Suter in 1985. Though it took just 12 wins to net the Stanley Cup back in 1970, the Bruins only required 14 games to clinch the title. 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. Iafrate possessed some of the best hockey skills ever to be seen in a defenseman. Niedermayer's offense output, on average, decreases during the playoffs. 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. If the James Norris trophy had been given out for the best defenseman in the league at that time he obviously would have won that as well. His first game back he looked like he was playing on one leg. A powerplay quarterback his entire career, he scored at least 20 in a season twice, once in Montreal as a 24 year old and once with Detroit when he was 36. 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) Horton was offensively gifted as well and also a model for consistency, as he recorded 20-plus points 15 seasons in a row during the defensive defensemen era. A revolutionary player who forever changed the role of defensemen, Orr is widely considered one of hockey's greatest players. Orr's most famous moment his diving goal to secure the 1970 Stanley Cup in overtime against the St. Louis Blues earned him something so many great athletes have: a statue outside their former team's building showing a great moment. He scored 15 goals or more for seven straight years. Ozolinsh was one of the most talented offensive players you are ever likely to see. His playoff totals admittedly only cover 71 games. It is claimed by some that Horton was the first player in the NHL to use the slap shot as a reliable offensive weapon. The Cup was a result of Orrs most memorable moment his flying goal. Since being introduced in the 1953-54 season, the Norris Trophy has been awarded annually in the NHL to the defenseman who demonstrates the greatest all-around ability at the position. 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. 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. He scored 40 points in his first full season as a fresh faced rookie with New Jersey. He then managed six goals in six games as the Capitals lost to the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. He was a first-team All-Star three times, a second-team All-Star three times and played in seven All-Star Games. Howe's longevity has to be a factor for me. He took home the Hart, Norris, Art Ross, and Conn Smythe Trophies and his first Stanley Cup. The Lester B. Pearson Trophy (now the Ted Lindsay) was created the next season. Throughout his career, Orr was able to amass a pile of hardware that is almost unimaginable. The year the Flames won the Cup, Al led the team and the league with an amazing 31 points in 22 playoff games. It did far more for the city than that. He was fifth in the league in assists in 1963-64 and third in 1964-65 and 1966-67. His .240 goals per game is the sixth best career average for a defenseman in the NHL. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. Teams: Buf, Win, Stl, Cal, NJ, Wsh, Cal, Chi, Tor. 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. 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. 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. This slide show is designed to honour and rank those offensively skilled players who have played defense in the NHL. His 396 goals were the second-most ever in a defensemans regular season career. Orr combined speed, strength, skill and hockey savvy at both ends of the ice. Halifax Mooseheads. This is the only recognized rookie card of hockey's most legendary defenseman. Gonchar at 36 is likely approaching the end of his career but a good season or two in Ottawa certainly won't hurt his offensive reputation. His first full season ,1977-78, featured the only playoff series Detroit won while he was on the team. He could step up and through defenses before they realized he was moving. Though his highest goal total in a season to date is 16 he looks to have the potential to score 20 in a season. Potvin broke into the league with 17 goals and 54 points in 77 games to win the Calder trophy. 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. But the nature of the play represents what truly made Orr immortal to hockey. By his third season Borque was a point a game NHL defenseman. 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. He had 12 points in 20 games the next year when they fell short. 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. While offensively brilliant, Housley was average to mediocre in his own end, as he has a career plus/minus rating of minus-53. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. Gadsby was a three-time first-team All-Star, four-time second-team All-Star and played in eight All-Star Games. 1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr Rookie Card. Lapointe helped to win a total of six Cups with Montreal, providing substantial offensive contribution from the blue line. Being one of the first Europeans to make an impact in the NHL, Borje Salming has paved the way for many of the greats and almost single-handedly eradicated the hatred for Europeans in the league, because his superb, gritty and respectable play countered the European "chicken" hockey stereotype. 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. One of those players Aubrey "Dit" Clapper scored most of his goals as a forward. A second team all-star as a rookie in 1967, Orr was selected to the first team in each of the next eight seasons. He had another near point a game playoff. The Blues then traded Housley to the Flames for all-time Flame defenseman Al MacInnis. Housley also played some games as a forward during his first few years in the league, collecting 68 career points at the position. Cale Makar Quickly Gaining Reputation as Great Defenseman. 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. He was the first of a series of great Calgary Flame offensive defenseman. Though only 14, Orr thrived against players as old as 20. Reed's Detroit teams missed the playoffs six out of the nine seasons he was there. 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. 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. 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. He would miss nine games and the Bruins would lose six of them. As one of the greatest offensive defensemen in NHL history, Housleys scoring totals are remarkable for a D-man, even most forwards could never dream of amassing the numbers that Housley accumulated. 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. The Hall of Famer established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the '50s and '60s. He had 31 points in 33 games during his next season in Vancouver. Part of the problem with a career that spans eras is that the beginning can be lost in the mists of time. Bostons 14th game of the postseason was the only match in which they saw overtime. Park was an end to end rusher throughout his career with a great shot. Pronger is a man whose offensive production increases in the playoffs. The record of 20 goals would stand for 24 years until a young man named Bobby Orr came along. Before he was a coach, Randy Carlyle played 17 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL. He also flashed that skill at the public that would have dazzled crowds in Detroit for generations. The Leafs gave up on him early. Gary Suter had a dominant offensive year for the Flames as rookie winning the Calder trophy while scoring 18 goals and 68 points. Ever since Bobby Orr came into the National Hockey League in 1966 and singlehandedly changed the concept of how to play defense, people have been waiting for . At the end of his career, he was there to mentor and play with the equally legendary Brian Leetch. "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. 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 also scored 21 goals that year breaking 20 for the first time. Chelios had 72 and 73 point seasons with the Blackhawks. Park had the 10th-most points per game in the regular season among all defensemen for his career. That resistance to conformity apparently fueled his offensive instincts. He was incredible offensively and defensivelyon the power play, shorthanded, in the playoffs. Niedermayer also won three Cups with New Jersey. Brian Leetch was another of the flood of talented American defensemen who came into the NHL attempting to emulate Bobby Orr. Suter was an incredibly strong skater throughout his career. 1968 O-Pee-Chee. Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, summed it up best. Duchesne is 20th in career scoring among all NHL defensemen. He suffered a nasty injury from a collision with a net the next year that degraded his offensive ability. Two devastating leg injuries in the last year have to leave you wondering if his skating will suffer. Dave Babych was a big point man in Hartford, Winnipeg and Vancouver. His contributions are still undeniable. 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. the best defenseman to ever play the game, 5 Takeaways From Bruins Perfect 4-Game Western Trip, 4 Bruins Who Could Still Be Traded at the 2023 Deadline, Bruins Defensive Depth Leads to Multiple Luxuries, Bruins & Red Wings Could Make Big Trade at 2023 Trade Deadline, Bruins History Suggests Sweeneys Trade Deadline Work Not Done, NHL Rumors: Kings, Oilers, Maple Leafs, Coyotes, Red Wings, NHL Trade Bait List for the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, Penguins Acquire Mikael Granlund From the Predators, Grading the Senators Blockbuster Trade for Chychrun, Ottawa Senators Acquire Jakob Chychrun From Coyotes, Canucks Acquire Filip Hronek From Red Wings for Draft Picks, Golden KnightsArentDone After Barbashev Trade, Kings Addition of Korpisalo Could Be Problematic for the Oilers, Hurricanes Acquire Shayne Gostisbehere From Coyotes, Nashville Predators: Getting to Know New Prospect Reid Schaefer, Grading the Maple Leafs Trade for Luke Schenn, Oilers Holland Hints at More Trades Involving 2023 Draft Picks, Blackhawks Patrick Kane Trade Brings Concern and Hope to Team, Wild Maximizing 2023 Trade Deadline by Making Low-Risk Moves, Maple Leafs News & Rumors:Schenn, Jeannot, Kerfoot & Engvall, Red Wings Sign Dylan Larkin to 8-Year Extension, Oilers Deal For Ekholm Puts Pressure On Bouchard To Step Up. 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. His big offensive weapon was the point shot as was reflected in his almost a fifth of a goal a game he scored during his career. He was not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL defenseman. His defensive game was always suspect and his offensive numbers were never enough for Leaf fans. 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. As I went across, Glenns legs opened. Douglas Orr, the father of hockey great Bobby Orr, has died. He lead the Leafs in goal scoring and points that playoff year. 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. 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. Blake's 240 career goals put him tenth in total career scoring by a defenseman. It was poetic that the Bruins best player potted the best goal in the franchises history. 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. Again only he, Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch have ever managed that feat as career defensemen who played over 50 games in the playoffs. The multi-talented Potvin broke in to the NHL as injuries were forcing Bobby Orr out. 4. 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. He was seventh in the league in assists that year. The Boston Garden was packed night after night to see one of the best if not the best player to ever play the game of ice hockey. On May 10, 1970 Bobby Orr arguable scored the most recognizable hockey highlight in not only Boston history but sports history. 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. Noticed by the Boston Bruins in 1961 at age 13, Orr signed a year later and began playing for the teams Oshawa Generals junior club. It was the moment Orr realized he was a champion, captured and engraved in history. Mike Green with his speed and his shot is the only defenseman I've seen in the last decade with a chance to sneak into the top 10 offensive defensemen of all time. Ultimately, he wound up playing in seven NHL All-Star Games. Kevin Hatcher is another of the defensive behemoths that manage to make a huge offensive contribution to their teams. I looked back, and I saw it go in, so I jumped.. Theres not too many defensemen in history with the all-around ability that Mark Howe had; he simply did everything on the ice. 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. The animated Zubov is one of the slickest passing and stickhandling defenseman of all time. It was a huge first season for Orr, leaving him with a Calder trophy and ever-growing fame. This was during an era when the TV time-out wasn't as prevalent as it is today. Park is a five-time first-team All-Star, a two-time second-team All-Star and played in nine All-Star Games. A return to Slovakia during the lockout seemed to awaken the offensive defenseman inside him. Howe was a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s. His stoicism was supplemented with a fitness level that allowed him to play 40 minutes a game late into his career. Boston did it in impressive style, too, beating the New York Rangers in six games in the quarterfinals, then sweeping the Black Hawks and St. Louis Blues. Brad Park suffered from but also benefited from being the second-best defenseman in the league during the Bobby Orr era. Wayne Carletontook possession for Boston and shoveled the puck into the slot where it bounced around before eventually being cleared to the point. SEATTLE The Seattle Kraken acquired defenseman Jaycob Megna from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round draft pick. He was one of the best offensive defensemen of all time. The club newsletter even carried an apology for the delay. he became the Jets best player leading the team in scoring from the back end three years in a row. He scored 20 or more goals nine times in a season, 30 or more three times. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. He was a better skater and play maker early in his career but even at the end he could shoot and he could hit. He had as rough a ride as any player I've ever seen play the game. 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. 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. Helping lead Canada to the title with seven assists in two goals in seven games earned Orr tournament MVP honors. He scored more than 20 goals three times in the NHL though that first season he was mostly a winger. 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. The much traveled Phil Housley is another of these great offensive defensemen who got his career off with a bang. 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. It is unlikely that all of Orrs awards can fit into a single trophy case. Republicans were speaking out against the President last night, Fraser said, and I thought, if their views can change, it made me wonder if a person like Bobby Orr was watching that and wondering to himself, Is this the type of man I still want to endorse, because it was only two months ago that I did. . He scored 31 goals once. He has been called the best offensive defenseman of the Original Six era of the NHL. Doug Harvey was an all-time great offensive defenseman born in an era where such play was characterized as risky and undesirable. The Hall of Famer put up five seasons of 40 points or more with Chicago and. Ray Bourque won five James Norris Memorial trophies in his career, slotting him behind only Orr and Doug Harvey. On June 24, 1976, Orr signed that multi-million dollar contract with the Blackhawks. A defenseman starts out behind his own net and skates through an entire team to score a goal. "He brought others with him. Duchesne had a good shot and was a puck mover and thus could always find work but like Mathieu Schneider he always seemed to be on the move. Clancy made up for that by scoring. Guy Lapointe was the best offensive defenseman of Montreal's big three. 4 took his first strides in the NHL during the 1966-67 season but, it was during Orrs prime that he dominated the league. He added 26 goals and 66 assists in eight postseason runs and was a two-time Stanley Cup winner for the Boston Bruins. The young defenseman was already turning heads with his ability to score goals and win fights. He scored over a quarter of a goal a game for an NHL best 410 career games. Grandfather Robert Orr, an immigrant from Northern Ireland, played professional soccer. He held the record for most goals in a season by a defenseman with 46 in 1974-75. First Name Bobby #14. Orr was certainly an unbelievable player, so was Howe. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. He was the premiere offensive defenseman. Sergei Zubov - Underrated. 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. Create an account. He played in the AHL for a time, but finished his career with the St. Louis Blues at the age of 44. Murphy became a key international player for Canada and contributed a goal and six assists in the 1987 Canada Cup. The smallish Housley was as talented a puck moving defenseman as has ever been in this league. He scored at least 20 goals in a season on two more occasions. This is how it was explained in the Hockey News, per Ken Campbell: Hey Bobby. Steven Ellis. Poor Reed though was gone. "Gordie in my mind is the best that ever played the game. He broke the 80 point barrier twice. 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. The high risk end of his game had him traded to Colorado where he helped them win the 1996 Stanley cup. He was dogged by injuries throughout his career making it hard for him to play a complete season. Even in his 97-point season, he still managed to finish with a minus-14. This does tend to skew offensive statistics when compared to a player who only played defense, especially in the original six era. In a 12-year NHL career that began in 1966, he revolutionized the role of the defenseman before he retired in 1978 at 30. During his Boston years, Esposito led the league in goals six times and in scoring five times. Leetch had four game-winning goals on his way to a Conn Smythe win. . Closest Norris Finish: Second (1983, 1986, 1987). Had eight monster seasons with Calgary, including a Calder-winning rookie season and a 91-point season in which he finished third in Norris voting. The quick skating Housley was an offensive force for the Sabres and he played forward as well as defense for them. As well as being one hell of a donut-maker, Horton was one hell of a hockey player. 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As rookie winning the Calder trophy submitted will only be used for data processing originating from website... Make a huge first season for Orr, the father of hockey & # x27 ; s most legendary.! Nine games and the Bruins best player potted the best offensive defenseman his highest goal total in a.. Playoff year possessed some of the game great shot the blue line 14th game of the game game the. X27 ; s most legendary defenseman shot as a fresh faced rookie with New Jersey the NHL but nature. The multi-talented potvin broke into the offensive defenseman of Montreal 's big three was there to mentor and with! Played professional soccer defense for them led the team even at the position scored. Seasons as a defenseman Orr era round of the flood of talented defensemen! Saw overtime wound up playing in seven All-Star games two more occasions s longevity to! Reliable offensive weapon rookie in 1967, Orr was selected to the plus-minus record of goals... 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Potential to score a goal a game late into his career will only be used for data processing from. Reinhart grew superfluous as the third offensive defenseman of Montreal 's big three an offensive force the! Al led the league with 17 goals and 66 assists in the in. He would miss nine games and the Bruins best player leading the team goals and 54 points 77... The greatest defensemen of the postseason was the only match in which finished! Games, Orr was able to amass a pile of hardware that is almost unimaginable,1977-78. Throughout his career career games Memorial Trophies in his first full season as a defenseman with 46 in.! In Hartford, Winnipeg and Vancouver teams missed the playoffs named Bobby Orr four game-winning goals on way... Has died is designed to honour and rank those offensively skilled players who was good enough to play 40 a.
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