Bobby Orr

For other people named Robert Orr (disambiguation), see Robert Orr (disambiguation) (disambiguation).

Bobby Orr
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1979
Born	(1948-03-20) March 20, 1948 Parry Sound, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Played for	Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks
National team	Canada
Playing career	1966–1978
Website	http://www.bobbyorr.com/

Robert Gordon Orr, OC (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A defenceman, Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Orr played most of his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Boston Bruins before joining the Chicago Black Hawks for his final two seasons. Orr won two Stanley Cup championships with the Bruins when Boston defeated the St. Louis Blues in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final in four games and the New York Rangers in the 1972 Stanley Cup Final in six games, scoring the clinching goals in both series, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP both years. Orr also led Boston to the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals where they were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.

Winning a record eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the league's best defenceman, Orr is often credited for revolutionizing his position. Orr remains the only defenceman to have won the league scoring title with two Art Ross Trophies and holds the record for most points and assists in a single season by a defenceman. Orr also won three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player, helping Boston to three regular season first-place finishes. In his final achievement before knee injuries ended his career prematurely, he was MVP of the 1976 Canada Cup.

When Orr turned professional in 1966, his first contract made him the highest paid player in NHL history as a rookie. The contract was one of the first in the sport of professional ice hockey to be brokered by an agent. However, after his retirement, Orr found that he was deeply in debt and he had to sell off almost everything he owned to pay his debts. Orr broke with his agent Alan Eagleson and rebuilt his finances through personal endorsements and public relations work. In 1996, Orr became a player agent. Today, Orr is president of the Orr Hockey Group player agency and is Taylor Hall's agent. As of 2009, his firm represents over 30 active NHL players.

Hockey career

Early life

Orr was born in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. His grandfather, Robert Orr, was a professional soccer player from Ballymena, Ireland before emigrating to Parry Sound early in the 20th century. Orr's father, Doug Orr, was a hockey prospect, and was invited to join the Atlantic City Seagulls. Doug Orr turned down the offer and joined the Canadian Navy during the Second World War, returning to Parry Sound, where he worked in the CIL dynamite factory. Doug Orr married Arva Steele and they had five children: Patricia, Ronnie, Bobby, Penny and Doug Jr. Bobby was a sick baby and his survival was tenuous.

Orr displayed his hockey talents from an early age. He started skating and playing shinny at age four. He played his first organized hockey at age five, in the 'minor squirt' division. Although he was tiny and apparently frail, he soon was able to skate faster than anyone his own age, speed he demonstrated in races around the rink and in games. Until he was ten years old, Orr played on the wing, as a forward. His coach, former NHL player Bucko McDonald moved Orr to defence. Although Orr played defence, McDonald encouraged Orr to use his talents as a stickhandler, a natural skater and scorer to make offensive rushes. According to McDonald: "I used to tell Doug the kid was in his natural position when he played defence. You didn't have to be genius to see that - honest. I don't think Doug agreed, but he accepted my decision." Orr would later credit McDonald: "Bucko taught me almost everything I know."

Orr was discovered at a bantam tournament in Ontario by the Boston Bruins' Wren Blair, who described him as "a combination of Doug Harvey and Eddie Shore." The Bruins invested $1,000 to sponsor his team and earn his rights. Four teams - Toronto, Detroit, Montreal were in competition to sign him. He was signed by the Bruins at age fourteen. Orr explained why he signed with the Bruins as because "they're a team of the future. They're rebuilding and I want to be part of that building program."

Blair was involved with a plan to start a new Oshawa Generals franchise in a new arena in Oshawa. Despite the Bruins already having a junior franchise, the Niagara Falls Flyers, Blair was able to convince the Bruins to own another. He arranged a deal whereby the Bruins owned 51% of the franchise. But Orr would have to play for Oshawa. At fourteen, Blair convinced the Orr family to allow Bobby to attend the Flyers' tryout camp. When camp came to an end and it came time to sign with the Bruins, a meeting with Bruins' owner Weston Adams went sour and Orr headed back to Parry Sound. Blair was able to smooth over the situation and convince Arva that Bobby was old enough to leave home. To get the Orr's signatures on a "C-Form", (committing Bobby to the Bruins at age eighteen), Blair agreed to have Bobby stay in Parry Sound for his schooling, skipping Generals' practices and only drive south to play games on weekends. The bonus for signing was an unprecedented $10,000, a new car and the Bruins would pay to stucco the family home.

As a fifteen-year-old, Orr played for the Oshawa Generals in the Metro Toronto junior league, competing against eighteen-, nineteen- and twenty-year-olds. The next season, the Toronto league folded, and the Generals moved into the Ontario Hockey Association. Orr moved to Oshawa, where he attended high school and boarded with a local family.

In his third season, Orr led the Generals to the OHA championship, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup, and competing in the Memorial Cup Final in 1966. In his final season with Oshawa, he averaged two points per game. A controversy broke out over Orr's participation in the Cup Final. Orr had suffered a groin injury, an injury that is painful and weakens a player's skating ability. Bruins' management demanded that Orr not play in the Final. Bobby and his parents were adamant that Bobby be allowed to play for the national championship. He was not yet signed to the Bruins, and they threatened that he would never play for them if he was held out. Also, the Generals had advertised heavily that this was the last chance to see Orr in junior. Blair decided to defy the Bruins' ownership and let Orr play. While Orr dressed and played some, he was not a factor and Edmonton defeated Oshawa for the Cup. Oshawa coach Bep Guidolin was fired for letting Orr play, while Blair left the organization of his own accord to join the expansion Minnesota North Stars.

Orr and Eagleson

By the time Orr turned 16, he was still two years away from making jump to the NHL and his father Doug was dissatisfied with the Bruins' treatment of the prospect. Doug had asked the Bruins' Blair for more money for Bobby and was turned down. Doug Orr met Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson at a juvenile fastball tournament dinner in Parry Sound and asked Eagleson to help out with the situation. Eagleson agreed to work with the family for free and continued to do so for the next two years. Bobby and Eagleson developed a relationship Orr would later describe as being like brothers. The two soon became a team, discussing Bobby's future plans without his father.

Eagleson was determined to get Orr a top salary. When Hap Emms, the general manager of the Bruins offered a $5,000 signing bonus and $7,000 and $8,000 for his first two years in the league, Eagleson countered with $100,000 for the two years. Or Orr would refuse to play with the Bruins and play for Canada's national team instead, like Carl Brewer. Orr wanted desperately to play in the NHL, but he went along with Eagleson's strategy and was willing to play for the nationals. The Bruins and Orr agreed on a $25,000 signing bonus, and a salary "less than $100,000" for the two years, a figure kept secret. Speculation has ranged from $25,000 salary to $40,000 at a time when the typical maximum rookie salary was $8,000. The official signing ceremony was done on Emms' boat, the Barbara Lynn, where Eagleson and Emms had conferred during negotiations.

At the time, it made Orr the highest-paid player in league history. But beyond that, the signing became one of the most important in the history of professional hockey. Until that time, players had been forced to accept whatever NHL management paid in salaries. It was the start of the player's agent era in professional hockey. For Eagleson, it was the start of his sports business empire. Based on the Orr signing, Eagleson would become the executive director of the new National Hockey League Players' Association and started on his rise to become one of the most powerful men in the sport and business of ice hockey.

Bruins career

Man in hockey player equipment on skates on ice with 'B' logo in ice below.

Orr at 1966-67 Bruins camp in jersey 27

In 1966–67, his first professional season, Orr scored 13 goals and 28 assists, one of the best rookie seasons in NHL history to that point and unprecedented by a defenceman. Orr won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's outstanding rookie and was named to the Second All-Star team. New York Rangers defenceman Harry Howell, won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenceman that year. In accepting the award, Howell said he was glad to win when he did, predicting "Orr will own this trophy from now on." Orr was runner-up in voting.

The Bruins weren't convinced at first that Orr belonged on defence, trying him out at centre first. Through the pre-season, Orr was given jersey number 27 to wear. At the season's start, the Bruins offered him jersey number 5, that of past Bruins star Dit Clapper, but Orr declined and chose jersey number 4. Orr made his NHL regular-season debut on October 19, 1966, against the Detroit Red Wings, getting one assist. On October 22, he scored his first NHL goal against the Montreal Canadiens. It was a slap-shot past Gump Worsley and the Gardens crowd gave Orr a standing ovation.

In that first season, Orr was challenged physically as a rookie by the veterans, and he earned respect by fighting Montreal tough guy Ted Harris and defeating him in his first NHL fight. On December 4, 1966, Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Marcel Pronovost checked him into the boards, injuring Orr's knees for the first time in the NHL. He would miss nine games and the Bruins would lose six of them. The team finished with a 17–43–10 record, leaving the Bruins in last place. However, attendance at Boston Gardens had increased by forty-one thousand fans.

In 1967–68, his second season, injuries limited Orr to just 46 games. Prior to the season, Orr had injured his right knee during a charity game in Winnipeg during the summer requiring five weeks in a cast. In December, Frank Mahovlich flattened him and broke Orr's collar bone and separated the shoulder. He returned in January in time to play in the All-Star Game, but had to sit out five games afterwards due to soreness in his left knee. In February, he had to leave a game against Detroit after his left knee went stiff. He would receive the first of his many operations on the knee, repairing ligament and removing cartilage. Orr would finish the season, but required a further operation during the off-season to remove a bone chip. Despite the injuries, Orr won the first of a record eight consecutive Norris trophies and was named to the First All-Star team.

After finishing last in 1966–67, the Bruins made the playoffs, the start of twenty-nine consecutive playoff appearances. The Bruins had last made the playoffs in 1958–59. Prior to the season, the Bruins had added Phil Esposito, Fred Stanfield and Ken Hodge from Chicago in one of the most famous deals ever made. The Bruins also added rookies Glen Sather and Derek Sanderson, developing a more aggressive image that led to the nickname of the 'Big Bad Bruins.' The Bruins, happy to make the playoffs, were swept by eventual champion Montreal in the first round.

In 1968–69, Orr skipped the pre-season to rest the knee but was in uniform for the season start. He required an ice pack on the knee after every game and missed nine games after he caught a skate in a crack in the ice, twisting his knee. He returned to the lineup and finished the season playing through the pain, sometimes struggling to get up to speed and relying on team-mates instead of making the plays himself. In other games, Orr was outstanding, scoring his first career NHL hat trick on December 14 against Chicago, adding two assists for a five-point night. He scored 21 goals on the season, breaking the goal scoring record for a defenceman, and totalled 64 points to set a new point scoring record for one season for a defenceman.

Orr developed a feud with Toronto rookie defenceman Pat Quinn that season. In a late season game, Orr attempted to knock the puck loose from the Maple Leafs goaltender Bruce Gamble and Quinn cross-checked Orr to the ice. Orr kicked Quinn and Quinn kicked Orr. On-ice officials would break it up, but the feud would continue into the playoffs. The Bruins finished second in the East Division and drew the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. In the first game, in Boston, Quinn would catch Orr with his head down during a rush, and catch him with an open-ice hit, knocking Orr unconscious. Quinn, assessed five minutes for elbowing, would be attacked in the penalty box by a fan and Quinn swung at the fan with his stick, breaking the glass. Quinn went back on the ice and the Boston fans showered garbage onto the ice. Orr was carried out on a stretcher to the dressing room where he revived after the concussion. According to a Boston cop at the scene "The fans here don't like anybody to touch Orr. He's their Frank Merriwell and Jack Armstrong rolled into one. To my thinking, it looked like a clean check." The game degenerated from that point into a brawl after the score reached 10–0 for the Bruins. The Bruins would go on to sweep the Maple Leafs before losing in six games to Montreal in the second round. Orr would return for the third game against Toronto, getting two assists as the Bruins won their first games in Toronto since 1965.

In 1969–70, Orr doubled his scoring total from the previous season, to 120 points, six shy of the league record and led the league in scoring. As of 2010, Orr is the only defenceman in history to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer. In addition to the Norris and the Art Ross, Orr captured the first of three consecutive Hart Trophies as regular-season MVP and later won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his playoff performance, becoming the first player in history to win four major NHL awards in one season.

Orr scoring "The Goal" against the St. Louis Blues, winning the 1970 Stanley Cup.

Orr went on to lead the Bruins in a march through the playoffs that culminated on May 10, 1970, when he scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history and one that gave Boston its first Stanley Cup since 1941. The goal came off a give-and-go pass with teammate Derek Sanderson at the 40-second mark of the first overtime period in the fourth game, helping to complete a sweep of the St. Louis Blues. According to Orr:

"If it had gone by me, it's a two-on-one. So I got a little lucky there, but Derek gave me a great pass and when I got the pass I was moving across. As I skated across, Glenn had to move across the crease and had to open his pads a little. I was really trying to get the puck on net, and I did. As I went across, Glenn's legs opened. I looked back, and I saw it go in, so I jumped."

The subsequent photograph by Ray Lussier of a horizontal Orr flying through the air, his arms raised in victory – as he made the shot, he had been tripped by Blues' defenceman Noel Picard while watching the puck pass by goaltender Glenn Hall – has become arguably the most famous and recognized hockey image of all time.

After scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal, Orr raises his hands in excitement, while flying across the ice after being tripped by a St. Louis player.

The following season, the powerhouse Bruins shattered dozens of league offensive records. Orr himself finished second in league scoring while setting records that still stand for points in a season by a defenceman and for plus/minus (+124) by any position player. Orr's Bruins were heavy favourites to repeat as Cup champions, but were upset by the Montreal Canadiens and their rookie goaltender Ken Dryden, at one time Bruins' property, in the first round.

For the season, the Bruins gave Orr a solid gold puck, one of four they gave out to Bruins players - to each of the four Bruins who scored over 100 points that season - Esposito, Orr, Johnny Bucyk and Ken Hodge. Orr later gave his puck to Alan Eagleson. In 2007, Eagleson sold the puck in an auction of memorabilia for $16,500.

Orr signed a new five-year contract on August 26, 1971, for $200,000 per season - the first million dollar contract in the NHL. In the following 1971–72 season, Orr placed second in the scoring race to team-mate Phil Esposito, and won the Hart and Norris trophies, helping the Bruins to a first-place finish in the East. In the playoffs, Orr led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup again, leading the scoring in the playoffs and scoring the championship-winning goal. For his performance in the playoffs, he is awarded his second Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, making him the first two-time winner of this award. Final opponent New York Rangers forward Vic Hadfield commented "We played them pretty even, but they had Bobby Orr and we didn't." By this time, Orr already knew that his left knee was deteriorating and he would not have many seasons left.

The 1972–73 season saw upheaval at the Bruins. Coach Sinden became the general manager. Bruins players Gerry Cheevers, Derek Sanderson and Johnny McKenzie left to join the upstart World Hockey Association. Coach Tom Johnson was fired fifty-two games into the season, replaced by Bep Guidolin, who had once coached Orr. The Adams family, which had owned the team since its inception in the 1920s, sold it. The Bruins' season came to a premature end in a first-round loss in the playoffs, losing Esposito to injury in that first round. Orr himself did make it to 101 points during the regular season, but had only two points in the playoff loss.

In 1973–74, Orr led the Bruins to another first-place finish in the regular season. The Bruins made it to the Stanley Cup final again, losing this time to the Philadelphia Flyers. Flyers' coach Fred Shero commented: "They had Orr and he can do an awful lot. But we've got 17 good hockey players and every one of them put out. It was 17 against one."

In the 1974–75 season, Orr broke his own previous record for goals by a defenceman, scoring 46 goals to go with 89 assists for his sixth straight 100-point season. He won the league scoring title and the Art Ross Trophy for the second time. 1974–75 would be his last full season and his last season playing with Phil Esposito. The Bruins placed second in the Adams Division, and lost to the Chicago Black Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, losing a best-of-three series, two games to one.

The 1975–76 season was his final season with the Bruins and it was tumultuous. Orr's contract was ending after the season, potentially making him a free agent. The Bruins were sold by Storer Broadcasting in August 1975 and the new Jacobs ownership group had to promise to keep Orr as a condition of the purchase. The Bruins and Orr reached a verbal agreement with the Jacobs during the summer of 1975, including a controversial agreement for Orr to take an 18.5% share of the Bruins after his playing days were over. The agreement was to be checked out as to whether it would be legal for tax reasons and whether or not the league would approve it.

Before the season started though, Orr underwent another surgery on September 20, 1975. The Bruins' contract talks with Orr and Eagleson became difficult. The Bruins' insurer would not insure a contract with Orr and doctors advised the Bruins that Orr would not be able to play much longer. Orr returned to the lineup on November 8, 1975, the day after the Bruins traded Esposito to the New York Rangers. Orr was able to play the next ten games for the team, but had to stop on November 28 due to pain in his knee. The next day, he underwent another knee surgery. Originally thought to only be out for seven to eight weeks, his knee did not respond to therapy and he returned home to Parry Sound. He would not play again for the Bruins. His impending free agency led to speculation that the Bruins would trade him, but despite his injury, they were negotiating to keep him until the end.

During his Bruins career, Orr was often the player the press wanted for a post-game interview. Orr instead would hide in the trainer's room. Team-mate Terry O'Reilly described him as a "very private, very shy guy, who just happened to be the best hockey player in the world." According to the Bruins public relations director Nate Greenberg "one of my toughest jobs in the day was trying to get Orr to come out of the trainer's room to talk to the press. The reason he wouldn't or didn't all the time was that he really wanted his team-mates to get proper accolades, while everybody, all the time wanted him." As of 2010, Orr has not authorized a biography of himself, preferring to not be the center of attention.

Free agency, and the move to Chicago

In September 1975, the Bruins and Eagleson had reached a deal that would pay Orr $4 million for ten years. But when Orr's knee required surgery, the Bruins offered $295,000 per season and a payment of $925,000 or 18.6% of the Bruins in June 1980. Eagleson turned down the offer and on June 7, 1976 was quoted in the Toronto Star as saying "Boston offered a five-year deal at $925,000 or 18.6 percent ownership of the club in 1980. I didn't think it would be wise for him to be a player-owner." On June 9, 1976, after Orr had signed with Chicago, Eagleson told the Toronto Globe and Mail that the Bruin offer was "a five-year offer for $295,000 a year. In addition, Orr was to receive $925,000 in cash payable in June 1980. That was to be a cash payment or involve Orr's receiving 18.6 percent of the Bruins stock." According to a famous 1990 story in the Toronto Star by Ellie Tesher, Orr stated that Eagleson never told him of the offer, during negotiations or after. While Eagleson had spoken publicly to reporters of the offer, he had not discussed it with Orr.

In 1976, the Bruins offered Orr $600,000 per season, but he would have to pass a physical heading into each training camp. Only the first year's money was guaranteed. Eagleson was quoted at the time "There is only one way that Bobby Orr will ever be back with the Bruins. And that's if Jeremy Jacobs asks him for another meeting and straightens out the whole situation. Otherwise he's gone." Instead, Orr became a free agent, with Boston to receive compensation. Orr and Eagleson whittled down a list of potential teams to St. Louis and Chicago. Chicago offered a five-year guaranteed contract with the Black Hawks, and on June 8, 1976, he officially signed with the Black Hawks. The Bruins' Harry Sinden had complained of tampering by the Black Hawks, and demanded that Chicago owner Bill Wirtz submit to a lie detecter test. According to documents held by Orr, they had a valid case. Orr signed with the Black Hawks at a meeting in May 1976, prior to becoming a free agent.

Then-Bruins head coach Don Cherry suggested that the reason Orr never re-signed with the Bruins was that he had complete trust in Eagleson at the time (Orr said that he described Eagleson as a brother); as Cherry recalled Orr had refused to speak with the Bruins team president directly, allowing Eagleson to mislead or withhold enough details from Boston's offer. Orr's departure from the Bruins was acrimonious and he has not held an official role with the Bruins since. Years later, it emerged that Eagleson had very good relations with Black Hawks owner Bill Wirtz and NHL president John Ziegler that colluded to hold back salaries of certain players. Orr disassociated himself with Eagleson in 1980.

Orr's contract with Chicago, five years in length, was for $3 million dollars, to be paid over 30 years. Spreading out the payments in this way was done to minimize taxes. While a player, he never cashed a Chicago paycheck, stating that he was paid to play hockey and would not accept a salary if he was not playing.

1976 Canada Cup

After signing with Chicago, Orr was given permission by the Black Hawks to play for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup tournament. Orr's knee had been injured during the 1971–72 season, necessitating surgery after the season. He wasn't healthy enough to play for Team Canada in the subsequent 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union, although he did participate as a non-player. His participation in the Canada Cup was considered ill-conceived, it may have been the 'last straw' that killed his career. Orr himself said that he knew before the tournament that "I knew I didn't have much longer. That series didn't do it. I thought I could get the next season in, but not much after that. I knew, looking at that team, I wouldn't have to do as much. I wouldn't have traded it for anything."

Despite his knee, Orr's performance in the Canada Cup led to him being named to the tournament All-Star team and he was named the overall MVP for the tournament. According to team-mate Bobby Clarke, Orr "would hardly be able to walk on the morning of the game. And he would hardly be able to walk in the afternoon. And then, at night, he would be the best player on one of the greatest teams ever assembled. He was the best player in every game; he was the best player in the tournament. He couldn't skate like he used to, but he could still go." According to Darryl Sittler, "Bobby Orr was better on one leg, than anybody else was on two."

Retirement

File:HHOF1999-Orr.jpg

Orr's exhibit at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 1999.

Orr signed with Chicago, but his injuries limited him to only 26 games over the next three seasons. He sat out the entire 1977–78 season. By 1978, Orr had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries, was having trouble walking and barely skated any more. However, in the summer of 1978, he decided to make a comeback. He played six games of the 1978–79 season and came to the conclusion that he could no longer play and informed the Black Hawks that he was retiring. He started a new role as an assistant to Chicago general manager Bob Pulford. He scored his last NHL goal and point against Detroit on October 28, 1978, at Detroit's Olympia Stadium.

Orr retired having scored 270 goals and 645 assists in 657 games, adding 953 penalty minutes. At the time of his retirement, he was the leading defenceman in league history in goals, assists and points, tenth overall in assists and 19th in points. As of 2010, the only players in league history to have averaged more points per game than Orr are Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy, all of them forwards. "Losing Bobby", said Gordie Howe, "was the greatest blow the National Hockey League has ever suffered".

The Hockey Hall of Fame waived the normal three-year waiting period for induction into the Hall and he was enshrined at age 31 – the youngest player living at the time of his induction in history. As of 2010, Orr is one of only ten players to get in without having to wait three years.

His number 4 jersey was retired by the Bruins on January 9, 1979. At the ceremony, the crowd at Boston Garden would not stop applauding and as a result, most of the evening's program had to be scrapped at the last second due to the constant cheering. The crowd did not allow Orr to say his thank you speech until he put on a Bruins jersey. The day was proclaimed "Bobby Orr Day" in Boston and the event raised thousands of dollars for charity. He attended the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives and was given a five-minute standing ovation.

Style of play

Orr inspired the game of hockey with his command of the two-way game, which was unusual for a defenceman in the NHL before his arrival. Orr pioneered an offensive style for a defenceman, and he has influenced countless defencemen who followed him. His speed – most notably a rapid acceleration – and his open-ice artistry electrified fans as he set almost every conceivable record for a defenceman. When Orr and the Bruins visited cities, attendance was usually a sell-out.

According to the Bruins' Phil Esposito, "No matter how fast an opponent was, Bobby could skate faster than him if he needed to do it in the framework of a play. If he was caught up-ice and the other team had an odd-man rush, that's when you saw his truly great speed. Very seldom did he not get back to have a hand in breaking up the play."

Former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden described of Orr: "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. He brought others with him; he wanted them involved. That's what made him so different: It felt like a five-player stampede moving toward you—and at his pace. He pushed his teammates, [because] you're playing with the best player in the league and he's giving you the puck and you just can't mess it up. You had to be better than you'd ever been."

In contrast to the style of hanging-back defensive play common in the later 1950s and 1960s, Orr was known for his fluid skating and end-to-end rushing. Orr's rushing enabled him to be where the puck was, allowing him not only to score effectively but also to defend when necessary. According to longtime Bruins coach and general manager Harry Sinden, "Bobby became a star in the NHL about the time they played the National Anthem for his first game with us".

Orr also benefited from playing most of his career in Boston Garden, which was 15 feet (4.6 m) shorter than the standard NHL rink. This suited his rushing style very well, as he was able to get from one end of the ice to the other faster than in a standard rink.

His style of play was hard on his left knee, leading to injuries and surgeries that shortened his career. The left knee took all of the punishment and was operated on "13 or 14" times according to Orr. Orr was a left-hand shot who played the right side. He would race down the right wing with the puck and attempt to beat the opposing defenceman using his speed and strength. He 'protected the puck', leading with his left knee, and holding his left arm up to fend off opponents. This put him into a position where a hit by the opposing defencemen would often hit the left knee. Also, he would often end up crashing into either the opposing goalie, the net or the end boards. "It was the way I played," Orr has said. "I liked to carry the puck and if you do that, you're going to get hit. I wish I'd played longer, but I don't regret it." Orr stated in 2008. "I had a style—when you play, you play all-out. I tried to do things. I didn't want to sit back. I wanted to be involved."

His right knee was basically undamaged during his career; his left knee looks like "a roadmap of downtown Boston" according to sportswriter Bob McKenzie. His left knee was used in a MasterCard commercial in 2008, his scar lines used in an animation connecting his many achievements to the year of the individual scar line. According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article Orr has since had two knee replacement surgeries that have left him pain-free.

Orr was also known for his mean streak. According to his former coach Don Cherry, one night in Los Angeles the Bruins were losing. With a minute to go, Orr pulled one of the Bruins off the ice, left the bench and attacked a Kings player. Asked why, Orr said to Cherry "He was laughing at us." According to Cherry, he fought a lot. On another occasion in November 1967, Orr was clipped in the face by a stick from the Toronto Maple Leafs' Brian Conacher. Boston team-mate Johnny McKenzie flattened Conacher from behind and started punching Conacher. Orr, cut and bleeding, got up from the ice, pulled MacKenzie off Conacher and started punching Conacher. Conacher, who was not fighting back, was also sucker-punched by the Bruins' Ken Hodge. Orr would be booed in Toronto from that date onwards.

Post-hockey career

Shortly after Orr retired, an independent accountant revealed that Orr's liabilities exceeded his assets, leaving him essentially bankrupt despite being supposedly one of the highest-paid players in the NHL. Eagleson had set up a corporation to receive Orr's income and pay Orr a salary, but the arrangement was rejected by US and Canadian tax authorities. His assets in July 1980 totalled $456,604 and his tax, legal and accounting bills totalled $469,546. Eagleson, who had once said Orr was 'fixed for life', criticized Orr for 'living beyond his means' and ignoring his investment advice. Orr split with Eagleson on April 1, 1980. As part of the legal settlement with Orr, Eagleson agreed to purchase various of Orr's assets for $620,000, including his Orr-Walton Hockey Camp, which paid off $450,000 of Orr's bank loans.

Orr served briefly as an assistant coach for Chicago, and as a consultant to the NHL and the Hartford Whalers. The Black Hawks balked at paying him the balance of his contract, and Orr took them to court, settling in 1983 for $450,000, one-third of the money owed him. $200,000 of that went to taxes and legal fees. Orr moved back to the Boston area and formed Can-Am Enterprises with partners Tom Kelly and Paul Shanley, which built up a clientele of endorsements for Orr, including Baybank and Standard Brands. Orr did eventually restore his finances, thanks to endorsement contracts and public relations work.

Orr later played a role in the exposure of Alan Eagleson's misconduct over the years. He had once considered Eagleson a "big brother", but broke with him after suspecting that Eagleson was not being truthful. In addition to misleading his clients about contract terms, Eagleson used the NHLPA pension fund to enrich himself. Eventually, Eagleson was convicted in American and Canadian courts and sentenced to eighteen months in a Canadian prison, of which he served six months. Facing certain expulsion, Eagleson resigned from the Hall in March 1998. Orr was one of eighteen former players who threatened to resign from the Hall of Fame if Eagleson was not removed.

Orr became an agent representing hockey players in 1996. Along with investors, Orr purchased the Woolf Associates agency founded by Boston lawyer Bob Woolf. To prevent conflicts of interest, Orr sold an investment in a minor pro hockey team and cut his ties with a credit card firm that had a contract with the NHLPA. Orr became a certified agent, although he would not be negotiating with hockey clubs. Player agent Rick Curran merged his agency with Orr's in 2000. Curran and Orr along with partner Paul Krepelka incorporated the agency as Orr Hockey Group in February 2002.

The group represents such players as Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Marc Staal, Nathan Horton, Jeff Carter, Steve Downie, Anthony Stewart, Tomáš Kaberle, Taylor Hall and Colton Orr (no relation). Spezza, asked to comment on the experience of having Orr as an agent, replied: "I don't think I have a true feeling for how great he is. I have so much respect for him. I watch him on tapes and it's just ridiculous how good he was compared to the guys he was playing against. He's a great guy and you don't even know it's Bobby Orr, the way he talks to you."

For a number of years, Orr has coached a team of top Canadian Hockey League junior players against a similar team coached by Don Cherry in the annual CHL Top Prospects Game. Cherry, briefly his former coach in Boston, considers Orr the greatest hockey player who ever lived, noting that Orr was a complete all-around player who could skate, score, fight, and defend. As of 2010, Orr's teams have won most of the games, winning seven of the eleven times Orr has coached against Cherry. Orr's participation was criticized as a conflict-of-interest while he was a player's agent and he stopped coaching in the series. Organizers of the series convinced Orr to return to coaching in the series.

Personal life

Orr married Peggy Wood, a Detroit native and speech therapist who worked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, whom he met while on vacation. They became engaged on Christmas Day, 1972 and married in September 1973. They have two sons, Darren and Brent. Son Darren works as a player's agent at Orr Hockey Group. Orr is a grandfather. Orr's mother Arva died in November 2000, 18 months after being diagnosed with cancer. Orr's father Doug died in 2007.

Orr was known to be fiercely loyal to former Bruin personnel and teammates. When Derek Sanderson had alcohol and prescription drug-abuse problems and wound up penniless, Orr spent his own money to ensure that Sanderson successfully completed rehab. Decades later, Orr and Sanderson went into business together managing finances for hockey players. Orr also helped out Bruins trainer John (Frosty) Forristall, his roommate during his first years with the Bruins, who had just been fired from the Tampa Bay Lightning for alcoholism in 1994. Forristall's drinking put him on bad terms with his brother John, so he returned to Boston jobless and soon afterwards was diagnosed with brain cancer. Orr took Forristall into his home for a year until he passed away at age 51. Orr was a pallbearer at his funeral.

Orr was well-known for his charitable works, although he kept mentions of them out of the newspaper. Writer Russ Conway writes of one occasion when Orr visited Boston Children's Hospital, with a box of programs, pennants, pucks, pictures and Boston memorabilia: "We went from room to room, Orr popping in, unannounced to visit the kids. Some couldn't believe their eyes; sick as they were, they laughed in astonishment and delight. Bobby Orr! He talked and joked with every one of them, asking names, rubbing heads, giving everybody a little present from the box, leaving a stick, autographing everything in sight." Orr made Conway promise to not print a word in the newspaper. Orr was involved in numerous charity fund raisers. In 1980, Orr was awarded the Multiple Sclerosis Silver Hope Chest Award by the Multiple Sclerosis Society for his "numerous and unselfish contributions to society".

Honours

Orr's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

In 1979, Orr was invested as an officer in the Order of Canada. A museum exists in his honour in his hometown of Parry Sound, called the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame, where his Order of Canada medal is on display. Also named in his honour is The Bobby Orr Community Centre Orr has been honoured with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.

On November 27, 2008, the Oshawa Generals retired Orr's number 2 jersey. Orr thanked all who helped him in the four years he played in Oshawa: "I did a lot of growing up in Oshawa from ages 14 to 18 and I'll be forever grateful for those people who helped me in that time of my life."

Orr was one of the eight bearers of the Olympic flag at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

On May 10, 2010, the fortieth anniversary of the commemorated event, the Boston Bruins unveiled a bronze statue of Orr scoring "the goal" outside of the TD Garden, where the Bruins play their home games.

Career achievements

Orr played only 12 seasons and just 657 games, of which only his first nine (totaling 621 games) were full, and accomplished many records and achievements in his career, a number of which still stand today, and are listed below.

As of 2010:

• Sixth all-time by a defenceman in career goals, 11th in career assists and ninth in points
• Second all-time in career plus-minus rating (+597)
• Fifty-first overall in league history in career assists and 80th in career points
• First defenceman to score 30 goals in a season (1969–70)
• First defenceman to score 40 goals in a season (1974–75)
• First player to record 100 assists in a season (1969–70)
• Only defenceman to lead the league in scoring (1969–70, 1974–75)
• Only player ever to win the Norris Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy in one season (1969–70)

Awards

• Awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year) in 1967, the youngest ever to win the award, and the youngest ever to win a major NHL award up to that time
• Named to the Second All-Star Team in 1966–67 (his only full season when he did not make the First Team, as a rookie)
• Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in eight of his nine full seasons (1968-1975)
• Awarded the James Norris Trophy eight times (from 1968 to 1975, his last full season)
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game eight times (from 1968 to 1975)
• Won the Art Ross Trophy in 1969–70 and 1974–75
• NHL Plus/Minus leader in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975, the most in history
• Awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy three times consecutively (from 1970 to 1972)
• Awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1970 and 1972, the first two-time winner of the playoff MVP award
• Stanley Cup winner in 1970 and 1972
• NHL All-Star Game MVP in 1972
• Won Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year in 1970
• Received Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award in 1970
• Voted the greatest athlete in Boston history in the Boston Globe newspaper's poll of New Englanders in 1975, beating out baseball and basketball stars such as Ted Williams, Bill Russell, Carl Yastrzemski and Bob Cousy
• Awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1975
• Named the Canada Cup Tournament MVP in 1976.
• Awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1979
• Named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1979
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979, with the mandatory three-year waiting period waived, making him the youngest inductee at 31 years of age
• Voted the second greatest hockey player of all time by an expert committee in 1997 by The Hockey News. Orr is behind only Wayne Gretzky and ahead of Gordie Howe as well as being named the top defenceman of all time
• Ranked 31 in ESPN's SportsCentury: 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century in 1999
• Named the top defenceman of all time in 2010 by The Hockey News

Records

• Most points in one NHL season by a defenceman (139; 1970–71)
• Most assists in one NHL season by a defenceman (102; 1970–71).
• Highest plus/minus in one NHL season (+124; 1970–71)
• Tied for most assists in one NHL game by a defenceman (6; tied with Babe Pratt, Pat Stapleton, Ron Stackhouse, Paul Coffey and Gary Suter)
• Held record for most assists in one NHL season from 1971 to 1981 (102; broken by Wayne Gretzky and also bettered by Mario Lemieux)
• Held record for most goals in one NHL season by a defenceman from 1968 to 1986 (21, in 1967–68, 37 in 1970–71, broke own record in 1974–75 with 46; broken in 1985–86 by Paul Coffey with 48)
• Held record for most points by a defenceman in one game from 1973 until 1977 (7 (3 goals/4 assists) in game November 15, 1973)
• Held record for longest consecutive point-scoring streak by a defenceman from 1971 until 1984 ( 15 games, set in 1970–71 and 1973–74)
• Held record for most consecutive 100-or-more point seasons from 1974 until 1980 ( 6, from 1969–70 until 1974–75)
• Held record for career plus-minus rating from 1978 until 1985 (+597)
• Held record for most assists in a season by any player from 1971 until 1981 (102)

Career statistics

• Career highs in each statistical category are marked in boldface.

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

International play

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

International statistics

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

See also

• List of NHL players with 100-point seasons

References

Bibliography

• Bock, Hal (1974). Hockey '75: Stars And Records. Pyramid Books. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Brunt, Stephen (2006). Searching for Bobby Orr. Random House. ISBN 9780676976519. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Conway, Russ (1995). Gross Misconduct. Macfarlane Walter & Ross. ISBN 092192781. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Cox, Damian (February 10, 1997). "Orr once again major player in NHL game". Toronto Star. p. B1. {{cite news}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Cruise, David; Griffiths, Alison (1991). Net Worth: Exploding the Myths of Pro Hockey. Viking. ISBN 0670831174. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2010). National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2011. Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 9781894801195. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• DiManno, Rosie (1999), "Portrait of the Artist As A Young Bachelor", in MacInnis, Craig (ed.), Remembering Bobby Orr, Stoddart Publishing, pp. 29–43, ISBN 0773731962 {{citation}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Dryden, Steve (1998). The Top 100 NHL Players of All Time. Toronto: Transcontinental Sports Publishers. ISBN 0-7710-4175-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley (1983). Everybody's hockey book. Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0684180227. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Hunter, Douglas (1997). Champions: The Illustrated History of Hockey's Greatest Dynasties. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 1572432136. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• MacInnis, Craig, ed. (1999). Remembering Bobby Orr. Stoddart Publishing. ISBN 0773731962. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• McKenzie, Bob (2000), "Full Speed Ahead", in Dryden, Steve (ed.), Century of Hockey, McClelland & Steward Ltd, pp. 8–13, ISBN 0771041799 {{citation}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Orr, Frank (1999), "How Great Was He?", in MacInnis, Craig (ed.), Remembering Bobby Orr, Stoddart Publishing, pp. 77–91, ISBN 0773731962 {{citation}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

• Podnieks, Andrew (2003). The goal: Bobby Orr and the most famous goal in Stanley Cup history. Triumph Books. ISBN 1-572435704. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

• Price, S.L. (March 2, 2009). "The Ever Elusive, Always Inscrutable And Still Incomparable Bobby Orr". Sports Illustrated.com. Retrieved March, 20 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Simpson, Rob (2008). Black and gold: four decades of Boston Bruins photographs. John Wiley & Sons Canada. ISBN 9780470154731. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

• Order of Canada Citation
• Bobby Orr career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Bobby Orr biography at Legends of Hockey
• Bobby Orr player profile at NHL.com
• Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Website
• His game-winning overtime goal ending the 1970 Stanley Cup finals