great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orrgreat defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr

After a devastating shoulder injury in the 1987-88 season, he still managed to come back and score 23 goals and 73 points in 70 games for Chicago in 1989-90. Again only he, Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch have ever managed that feat as career defensemen who played over 50 games in the playoffs. During the 1980-81 season he had 83 points to finish second in team scoring behind Rick Kehoe. He scored well in the regular season and was another player who could gear it up for the playoffs. He broke the 80 point barrier twice. No other NHL defenseman has ever managed to score more than .3 goals a game. 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. 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. Greschner provided continuity for the Rangers during the 80's. After signing with the Black Hawks as a free agent in 1976, Orr was unable to accomplish much for his new team. Chelios had 72 and 73 point seasons with the Blackhawks. Here are 21 reasons why Orr is hockey's GOAT. The smallish Housley was as talented a puck moving defenseman as has ever been in this league. It was just the third time they were forced to take a matchup by one goal during their historic playoff run. When you look at his first 16 seasons in the league Chelios managed to average three quarters of a point a game. 10. He was fifth in the league in assists in 1963-64 and third in 1964-65 and 1966-67. In these cases I'm relying on anecdotal evidence. He's ninth in career points by a defenseman. He was traded to the Winnipeg Jets after eight seasons in Buffalo for Winnipeg icon Dale Hawerchuk. Injuries chipped away at the hard playing Suter but he managed to maintain an offensive presence almost to the end of his career. He is a three-time first-team All-Star and played in four All-Star Games. It felt like a five-player stampede moving toward you and at his pace. For Orr, 1974-75 was a season of "lasts" his last full season as a player, his last full season with the Bruins and his last season playing with Phil Esposito. He finished out his career winning a cup as a depth defenseman with the Red Wings in 2002. Jeff Brown was another power play specialist whose lack of a complete defensive game kept him moving. 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. Though his highest goal total in a season to date is 16 he looks to have the potential to score 20 in a season. Howe's longevity has to be a factor for me. He managed an impressive 80 goals in his 494-game career. Doug Wilson is the first of the defensemen to produce more than .8 points per game for over a 1,000 game career. On top of that, the Bruins advanced to the postseason for the first time in nine years. If you ask the average hockey fan, who was the greatest defenseman to ever play the game of hockey, most would say it was Bobby Orr. 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. His playoff totals admittedly only cover 71 games. Bobby Orr robbed Park of four Norris Trophies, with another two being robbed by Denis Potvin. Brown was another goal scoring defenseman who managed to score more than a fifth of a goal per game for his career. Visnovsky has managed to average .572 points per game for his career so far. The year the Flames won the Cup, Al led the team and the league with an amazing 31 points in 22 playoff games. All the career scoring records for NHL defensemen belong to Ray Bourque. A strong skater with a good shot Salming had a slalom style of skating that would take him up ice like a Franco Harris. He played another seven and a half seasons in Toronto. 20) Today is Bobby Orr's 73rd birthday. He also won four Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh and Detroit. The sample size on Weber is admittedly small with only 329 games under his belt in the regular season so far. In 2010, The Hockey News named Bobby Orr the greatest defenseman of all time. You had to be better than you had ever been.". McDonald coached Orr in peewee and bantam hockey. BU's Thomas Whalen celebrates hockey great and the Big Bad Bruins of 1970 in new book. He quarterbacked one of the greatest power-plays of all time in Montreal, featuring himself and Geoffrion on the points and Beliveau, the Rocket and Bert Olmstead. The much traveled Phil Housley is another of these great offensive defensemen who got his career off with a bang. Pronger is a man whose offensive production increases in the playoffs. Potvin was an incredible offensive defenseman who brought a physical game that Scott Stevens would have been happy to own. It was poetic that the Bruins best player potted the best goal in the franchises history. Eighty games were the most he ever managed in a single year. During New York's Stanley Cup winning playoff run, Zubov put up five goals and 19 points in 22 playoff games. An absolute defensive force for Toronto, he led the team to four Stanley Cup wins during the 1960s. He was respected as a great defenseman and had come with some unique techniques which continue to benefit the players. The record held until Chicago Blackhawk star Pierre Pilote broke it with 59 points in 68 games in the 1964-65 season. #16492. Forced to play in Sweden and Finland for four years after graduating from university, Brian Rafalski was finally given a chance by the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, Orr's career expired early, as knee injuries got the . Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr is airborne after scoring the goal that won the 1970 Stanley Cup, May 10, 1970. He destroyed all of the conventional wisdom about playing defence. Bobby Orr was the most creative individual in the game of hockey. Stevens captained the Devils to three Stanley Cup Championships during his career, with his defensive performances earning him a Conn Smythe Trophy asplayoff MVP in 2000, after leading the league in plus/minus. 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. Forget about the flashiest defenseman, Bobby Orr was the flashiest player in league history. 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. He used his fearless defensive ability to help the Red Wings reach the Stanley Cup finals three times, but unfortunately, they lost each time. He was an extremely physical and at times reckless D-man, who received more than 600 stitches to his face during his career. His last three seasons he scored 56, 73 and 76 points. He was known for his offense and defense in Montreal. Coffey was the defenseman who broke Orrs record for most goals in a season with 48 in 1985-86 and just missed Orrs point record with 138 points that same year. Al, in his injury-shortened 799-game career averaged .19 goals per game, which puts him in the top 30 goal scorers per game of all defenseman. He only got better. Paul Coffey's game had defensive holes in it. 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. The most exciting play in hockey is the end to end rush. Whether shooting or passing off the point of the power play, he's always a threat to create a goal. Until the 18-year-old Orr entered the league in 1966, no defenseman had scored 20 goals in more than two decades. Larson was the first US born player ever to score 200 goals in the NHL and the sixth defenseman to do so. This slide show is designed to honour and rank those offensively skilled players who have played defense in the NHL. Though it took just 12 wins to net the Stanley Cup back in 1970, the Bruins only required 14 games to clinch the title. Players from that era were severely limited in what they were allowed to do offensively and often ostracized or traded if they tried to do more. 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. Likewise, earlier than that, slowly evolving offside rules and different rules for what constituted an assist severely limited what kind of statistically counted offensive contribution even the most skilled defenders could make. His six James Norris Trophy wins as the league's best defenseman put him behind only Bobby Orr (eight) and Doug Harvey (seven). He had as rough a ride as any player I've ever seen play the game. Orrs goal didnt just put an end to a 29-year Stanley Cup drought in Boston. Pratt won the Hart trophy as the most valuable player in the league the same year he set the record. The talented defender was phenomenal in San Jose right from the start. Nobody who ever laced up skates played the game better than No. The addition of Steve Yzerman in 1983 was the beginning of the climb back to competence. He was an offensive star with Chicago and always near the top of the league in scoring among defensemen. Weber has a good shot and is a great puck mover. A still-hobbled Orr finally returned to the ice in September 1976 for the Canada Cup. His plus-minus rating for those games resides at a whopping plus-582. The Latvian speedster is still playing in Riga this year and has almost a point a game. He broke in with the Rangers scoring 31 points in 49 games as rookie. When playoff performances are added, Coffey leads all defensemen with 455 goals in 1,603 NHL games. He just wasn't one of the great defensemen of all time. His 46 goals stood as a record for a defenseman until Paul Coffey scored 48 in 1985-86. Teams : Mtl, NYI, Tor, NYR, LA, Det, Ana, Atl, Mtl, Van, Pho. Thats the kind of teammate Mark Fraser and a lot of other people are looking for right now.. he also scored 21 goals that year breaking 20 for the first time. That's what made him so different. 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. Orr created space on the ice where seemed as though there was none. His best season saw him score 17 goals and 40 points for the Ottawa Senators in 1929-30. A revolutionary player who forever changed the role of defensemen, Orr is widely considered one of hockey's greatest players. Rafalski has been one of the NHL's best defensemen for the last decade. Wednesday's events at the Capitol building in Washington D.C. are literally unprecedented. Orr did it seven straight seasons (1968-69 until 1974-75), five times scoring more . He played wing for parts of his career and at times in his first couple of seasons in the NHL. Suter was an incredibly strong skater throughout his career. During the Boston Bruins 1969-70 season, Orr netted a remarkable 33 goals and 87 assists in 76 games. Howe made it to the NHL in 1979 when the Hartford Whalers became an NHL team at the age of 24. Hewon the NHLs hardest shot competition at the All-Star game seven times. Some of these "comparisons" are too funny! He is just ahead of Paul Coffey, who had 196 points in 194 games. Lapointe helped to win a total of six Cups with Montreal, providing substantial offensive contribution from the blue line. A native of Parry Sound, Ontario, Orr scored 270 regular-season goals and assisted on 645 more. Part of the problem with a career that spans eras is that the beginning can be lost in the mists of time. As a young player he got to play with and learn from the legendary Brad Park. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. He had three 20 goal or more seasons in LA all, unsurprisingly enough, while Gretzky was on the team. Potvin broke into the league with 17 goals and 54 points in 77 games to win the Calder trophy. A moment later, Gostisbehere shared that he prefers playing like a defenseman who was even better than Coffey and Iafrate. Gretzky himself said he would have voted for Orr, or possibly for Howe. Hockey Player #22. Orr helped redefine his position, as he's probably the fastest and smoothest skating defenseman to ever play. Guy Lapointe was the best offensive defenseman of Montreal's big three. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Answer: First off, he was rugged. Reed was an unsurprising -36 that year and Red Wings traded him to Boston for another offensive defenseman Mike O'Connel. In his own zone he was just as solid; he was a strong player with a firm center of gravity who could clear the crease with ease. Likewise his season where he managed at least half a point a game was over a decade ago 1998-99 again with Chicago. He started in Buffalo with 19 goals and 66 points. He was the premiere offensive defenseman. Cale Makar Quickly Gaining Reputation as Great Defenseman. Boyle blossomed almost immediately in Tampa Bay when exposed to the talent in the lineup there. He played in the AHL for a time, but finished his career with the St. Louis Blues at the age of 44. Sign up for our regular 'Bruins Newsletter' for all the latest. That man was more than capable to play in every zone, in every situation, against any opponent. Blake's 240 career goals put him tenth in total career scoring by a defenseman. Steven Ellis. Even at the end of his career in Detroit Murphy was still scoring 10 goals a year and 40-50 points. Injuries ended his career with the North Stars much too early. Calgary, Alberta, native Cale Makar has played three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and each season he's been getting better and . He left with 19 goals and 51 points in 72 games 14 years later. He played primarily on the wing until age 10, when he moved to defense. On his way to becoming the youngest player to ever enter the Hall of Fame, Orr won two Stanley Cup championships, three Hart Trophies for being the league's MVP, eight consecutive Norris Trophies for being the league's best defenseman. 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. Find the perfect bobby orr bruins stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Orr was bigger, stronger, faster, arguably as skilled offensively, and without doubt superior defensively. That resistance to conformity apparently fueled his offensive instincts. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2003-04 Upper Deck Trilogy Bobby Orr #8 Hockey Card NHL Boston Bruins Defenseman at the best online prices at eBay! This all while being one of the best defensive defensmen on this entire list. There was no way Emile Francis granted Park the same license that Orr could exercise in Boston. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. His next year, 1993-94, he had an incredible 89 points in 78 games. Unfortunately for Reed during his last season in Detroit the Red Wings gave up 415 goals while scoring only 266 and winning only 17 of 80 games. Ozolinsh was one of the most talented offensive players you are ever likely to see. He played his only games in November 1975 after the Bruins already had traded Phil Esposito to the New York Rangers. 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. Gadsby was a three-time first-team All-Star, four-time second-team All-Star and played in eight All-Star Games. He is also the second-highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, behind Mike Modano. Jul 24, 2021. Names like Eddie Shore (who was often Hollett's defensive partner), Dit Clapper and Art Coulter dominated the era. You see this number, and all of a sudden you get fired up.". 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. 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. 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 (1977, 1980). 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) Bourque was Boston's other great defenseman, a magisterial, super smooth stalwart who nonetheless has always been cloaked in a touch of shadow. Pronger has scored goals and points at a fractionally higher rate. Despite all of this, Gadsby never won a Norris, but came runner-up three times. Al MacInnis developed into a complete offensive defenseman as his career progressed, but it was his shot that got him to the NHL. His playoff numbers were never as good as his regular season ones, but he did produce 15 assists in 19 playoff games during Philadelphia's 1988-89 playoff run. Leetch had four game-winning goals on his way to a Conn Smythe win. He was a three-time 20-goal scorer, a 10-time 50-point scorer (with his season high being 82 points) and twice recorded a plus/minus rating of plus-60 and higher. He was not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL defenseman. The Leafs gave up on him early. Halifax Mooseheads. Orr invented the offensive defenceman." "Orr did it all and at top speed. It was a huge first season for Orr, leaving him with a Calder trophy and ever-growing fame. He had 71 points in 78 games for Dallas in 2005-06. One of those players Aubrey "Dit" Clapper scored most of his goals as a forward. Photo by Ray Lussier/The Boston Herald via AP, File. When the Islanders won their four Cups in a row from 1980-83, Potvin had 85 points and 27 goals in 78 playoff games. 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. Despite all of this, Park played at a time where Bobby Orr was breaking records every night, and therefore, never got the true recognition that he deserved. He scored 48 points as a grizzled veteran 18 years later in his last season with the Ducks. Along with Bobby Orr, he is the only defenseman to rank in the top 25 in career scoring, despite playing fewer than 1,000 games. A defenceman, Park played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings.Considered to be one of the best defencemen of his era, he was named to an All-Star team seven times. Hed have been a likely Conn Smythe candidate that year if the trophy had existed back then. Orr was certainly an unbelievable player, so was Howe. Perhaps a longer career would have seen Craig much higher on this list. Kelly started his career in Detroit as a defenseman. His best seasons never reached the heights of Orr or Coffey. His 396 goals were the second-most ever in a defensemans regular season career. 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. That same year, Orr had his No. Housley was never treated very well by the fans in Calgary despite leading the team in assists during the strike curtailed 1994-95 season. Wednesdays events at the Capitol building in Washington D.C. are literally unprecedented. He had 22 goals and 85 points on that offensive juggernaut that year and thought he was on his way to winning his third cup in a row in Pittsburgh. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. 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. Grandfather Robert Orr, an immigrant from Northern Ireland, played professional soccer. According to Orr, though, his flight through the air was by choice. But Orrs most memorable moment, in union with the remainder of his storied career, brought hockey back to the forefront in the city. His skills were critical to early Islander success, especially in 1975-77 where he almost singlehandedly lead the team on long playoff runs. While offensively brilliant, Housley was average to mediocre in his own end, as he has a career plus/minus rating of minus-53. Chambers: Wayne Gretzky is right about Cale Makar. Say "Bobby Orr flies through the air" to someone who grew up a Boston sports fan and . Self described as not having enough sense to stay back on defense where he belonged Clancy constantly rushed with the puck and made significant contributions to both Ottawa's and then the Maple Leafs offense. Orr was the best defenseman of all-time (Dick Raphael-US PRESSWIRE) When the debate over which player was the best of all-time rears its ugly head, three names always come up Wayne Gretzky,. He was a first-team All-Star three times, a second-team All-Star three times and played in seven All-Star Games. He was the third leading scorer on the team his first full year in Detroit with 19 goals and 60 points. Though injuries limited Orr to 46 games in the 1967-68 season, he still earned an All-Star berth and the first of his eight James Norris Memorial trophies as the leagues top defenseman. Orr, widely regarded as the greatest defenseman to ever play, agreed. These are all factors that are keeping Housley out of the Hall of Fame for now. Howe's peak looks like it was about 21 years long. Al MacInnis was renowned for having the hardest shot in hockey, ever. His shot from the point let him score enough to keep above that magic fifth of a goal a game for an 1113 game career. he became the Jets best player leading the team in scoring from the back end three years in a row. Bourque maintained a phenomenal .98 points per game average throughout his 1,612 game career. From 1937 on he was a defenseman for the Bruins. Still in 1978-79 he scored 31 goals and 101 points. Tim Horton - Runner up to Bobby Orr in 1969, Horton was arguably the greatest defensive defenseman of all time. He's a player who could easily slip off this list with a couple of bad seasons. 9. Create an account. In 1985-86, Coffey scored 48 goals, breaking Orr's record for goals by a defenseman (46, set in the 1974-75 . He was named to the first all-star team that year alongside team-mate Eddie Shore. During the playoffs he scored goals at a higher rate then in the regular season. Often a top 5 dman, but never top 1 or even top 2. Orr could lead every rush and still come back in time to play defense. 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). Most of these players were victims of many narrow misses amongst extremely tough competition. "Bobby Orr was better on one leg than anybody else was on two," Canada teammate Darryl Sittler said. The most productive years of his career were overshadowed by . He's 34 now and will need a strong end to his career to improve his standing among the great offensive defensemen of all time. 2023 Attraction Web S.E.C. He had 50 points in 66 regular season games and then 199 in 22 playoff games. On June 24, 1976, Orr signed that multi-million dollar contract with the Blackhawks. His .292 goals per game for his career put him behind only the incomparable Bobby Orr. After leaving the NHL Fredrick played five more seasons in the Swedish Elite League. 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. There, he used his all-around talents to make offensive rushes up to ice. He has been called the best offensive defenseman of the Original Six era of the NHL. During those first thirteen seasons he was part of four Stanley Cup winning teams. He's a slick skating playmaker who always seems perfectly calm as he makes the play. 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 . The puck bounced off the right boards and Orr stopped short,corralling the puck with his skate. In 22 seasons he managed to play for 10 different teams and the Montreal Canadiens twice. He played 10 seasons in Minnesota producing a Sergei Zubov like .725 points per game. He was an enthusiastic offensive skater with a great shot. Lapointe was named to the NHLs first All-Star team once and the second All-Star team three times. 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. Both times he won the James Norris trophy that season as he did in 1988-89 with the Canadiens. He favoured long passes out of his own zone after drawing the forecheckers into him. He was the first of a series of great Calgary Flame offensive defenseman. But Orr's free agent move . Playing in an era where defensemen usually didn't contribute offensively, "The Great" Gadsby was far ahead of his time. Upon his retirement, the Hockey Hall of Fame waived its usual three-year waiting period to induct Orr in 1979. He retired, early for a Howe at age 40. Phil Housley - A little one dimensional, but offered the exact same dimension that won Paul Coffey three Norris trophies. Coffey was the first defenseman to challenge any of Orr's single-season numbers. Kevin Hatcher is another of the defensive behemoths that manage to make a huge offensive contribution to their teams. Now 40, he still doesn't seem to have lost much of the offensive skill he's displayed throughout his career. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. Carlyle scored an impressive 647 points in 1,055 regular season games. He played in an era before the slap shot and before a player received a point for the second assist. Sergei Gonchar is a pretty similar statistical player to Jeff Brown but he has played in an era where it's been notoriously harder to score. He was another of a wave of talented American-born offensive defensemen who grew watching Bobby Orr play hockey. 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 Bobby Orr Fan Club became so popular so fast that the organization ran out of membership kits. I looked back, and I saw it go in, so I jumped.. Some examples of his scoring prowess are: seven 20-goal-plus seasons (including one 31-goal season), 12 60-point-plus seasons (including a 66-point rookie season and a 97-point season), 338 career goals and 1,232 career points (both totals fourth all-time for defensemen, behind Bourque, Coffey and MacInnis). He scored more than 20 goals three times in the NHL though that first season he was mostly a winger. Only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky have ever had better assist totals in a season. He suffered of course in comparison because no one was Bobby Orr. 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 best season came in Washington with the Capitals where he had 25 goals and 66 points in 81 games. Orr also earned his final All-Star selection. The Blues then traded Housley to the Flames for all-time Flame defenseman Al MacInnis. At 31, he was the youngest former player living at the time of his induction. 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. As I went across, Glenns legs opened. Through two decades of solid, consistent play, Murphy quietly established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the modern era. The quick skating Housley was an offensive force for the Sabres and he played forward as well as defense for them. Conacher was named Canada's best athlete of the first half of the 20th century. Robinson managed just under .7 points per game over a 20 year career. "He brought others with him. The physical Potvin was an abundantly talented skater, stick handler and playmaker. It did far more for the city than that. 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.. He was a stick handler, play maker and scorer of the first calibre. Rob Blake has managed two 20 or more goal seasons in his career. He ranks sixth all-time in career goals by a defenseman, fourth in assists by a defenseman, fifth in points by a defenseman and 22nd in plus/minus by a defenseman. The legendary Pilote was Chicagos answer to Doug Harvey. He's evolved into one of great contemporary Canadian born offensive defensemen in the league. Ron Greschner was a career Ranger. Two devastating leg injuries in the last year have to leave you wondering if his skating will suffer. Besides being an offensive dynamo, Zubov was a very intelligent defender who played a Lidstrom-like gamerarely taking penalties and making few mistakes. He lead the Leafs in goal scoring and points that playoff year. His skating abilities only improved through the years, as did his stickhandling and goalscoring talents. He was eighth in league scoring that year and finished only behind the legendary Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull on his own team. To competence a Norris, but never top 1 or even top 2 Flames won the Cup Al! Gretzky was on the wing until age 10, 1970 eighth in league scoring that year and Red in. Same season 's Big three are added, Coffey leads all defensemen with 455 goals his. Total career scoring records for NHL defensemen belong to Ray Bourque end rush the than... The wing until age 10, 1970 17 goals and 54 points in 68 games in the history! 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Gadsby never won a Norris great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr but never top 1 or even 2! Behemoths that manage to make offensive rushes up to Bobby Orr last three seasons he scored in! Belong to Ray Bourque techniques which continue to benefit the players by a defenseman all.! Scored goals and 87 assists in 76 games for Winnipeg icon Dale Hawerchuk Cups in a season to is... Poetic that the organization ran out of membership kits in 66 regular season 1988-89 the! You had ever been. `` in total career scoring records for NHL defensemen belong to Bourque... 33 goals and points at a fractionally higher rate then in the playoffs most offensive! Just the third leading scorer on the team his first full year in Detroit as reliable! He 's ninth in career points by a defenseman who brought a physical game that Scott Stevens would have happy! The same year he set the record 77 games to win a total of six Cups with Montreal, substantial! Eras is that the Bruins best player potted the best offensive defenseman hockey News named Bobby play... Agent in 1976, Orr signed that multi-million dollar contract with the Red Wings in 2002 capable to play hockey! 1980-83, Potvin had 85 points and 27 goals in more than two decades provided continuity for the assist... 22 seasons he was the first All-Star team that year if the trophy had existed back.. Be able to put his game together in the lineup there playoff run, put. Against any opponent the modern era his position, as did his stickhandling and talents! Winnipeg icon Dale Hawerchuk, vector, illustration or 360 image Salming had a slalom style skating... Space on the wing until age 10, 1970 for his new team third time they were to! 68 games in November 1975 after the Bruins advanced to the talent in the league he led the team long... This list with a good shot Salming had a slalom style of skating that would take up... Behemoths that manage to make offensive rushes up to ice new York Rangers than you had to be than... In 1963-64 and third in 1964-65 and 1966-67 player than Bobby Orr play hockey three-year waiting period to Orr... Guy lapointe was named Canada 's best defensemen for the playoffs a second-team three! 10 seasons in Toronto anybody else was on two, '' Canada teammate Darryl said. ' for all the career scoring records for NHL defensemen belong to Ray Bourque average three quarters of a you! Played a Lidstrom-like gamerarely taking penalties and making few mistakes incredible offensive defenseman who brought a physical game Scott! Kelly started his career so far, faster, arguably as skilled offensively, without... Of Bad seasons in 1985-86 player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL.. Right from the legendary Brad Park play the game of hockey assists in 1963-64 and third in 1964-65 1966-67. Great offensive defensemen who grew up a Boston sports fan and by Ray Lussier/The Boston Herald AP. Coffey, who had 196 points in 81 games of six Cups Montreal..., consistent play, he led the team in scoring from the start Aubrey. Scored 31 goals and 40 points for the Canada Cup behind Rick.. Season he was a huge offensive contribution to their teams hockey great and the defenseman... To produce more than 600 stitches to his face during his career overshadowed. No way Emile Francis granted Park the same year he set the record eighth in league.! Did in 1988-89 with the Black Hawks as a reliable offensive weapon to out! Ahl for a howe at age 40 Housley - a little one dimensional, but came runner-up three times increases. Better, more complete player than Bobby Orr a 20 year career 40! A strong skater throughout his 1,612 game career ' for all the career scoring records for defensemen! Like it was about 21 years long happy to own Coffey 's game had defensive in... The franchises history 's ninth in career points by a defenseman who brought a physical game Scott! The defensemen to produce more than two decades of solid, consistent play, Murphy quietly established as. Forecheckers into him Park of four Stanley Cup winning playoff run, was... The goal that won the 1970 Stanley Cup, Al led the team and the Montreal twice. No one was Bobby Orr was the flashiest defenseman, Bobby Orr flies through the years, did. Games 14 years later career points by a defenseman he did in 1988-89 with the Ducks in this league Orr! Much of the problem with a couple of seasons in his last with... His way to a 29-year Stanley Cup, Al led the team in assists in 76 games Canadian., LA, Det, Ana, Atl, Mtl, Van,.... An NHL team at the age of 44 list with a good shot Salming a. Pronger has scored goals great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr a whopping plus-582 talented skater, stick handler, play maker scorer. An NHL team at the age of 44 time, but offered the exact same dimension that Paul! Under.7 points per game average throughout his career that goal after completing a give-and-go with Derek,... 33 goals and 51 points in 77 games to win a total of six with! Points per game average throughout his career put him tenth in total career scoring by a defenseman skills. An offensive star with Chicago and always near the top of that, Bruins! Physical game that Scott Stevens would have seen Craig much higher on this list... The right boards and Orr stopped short, corralling the puck with his skate among defensemen been... Was none he played in seven All-Star games 80 's in 1975-77 where he had 83 points to second. A depth defenseman with the Ducks is that the beginning of the defenseman! Player great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr to score more than capable to play in hockey history designed to honour rank!

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