great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr

Guy Lapointe was the best offensive defenseman of Montreal's big three. Orrs goal didnt just put an end to a 29-year Stanley Cup drought in Boston. Detroit at this time had produced some epically bad teams often scoring 40-50 goals fewer than they gave up. 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. Playing in an era where defensemen usually didnt contribute offensively, "The Great" Gadsby was far ahead of his time. His last three seasons he scored 56, 73 and 76 points. Craig Hartsburg after a year in the WHA with the Birmingham Bulls was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars. He was obviously a player who could play better when the games got tougher. He is a one-time second-team All-Star and played in seven All-Star Games. He scored 20 goals in the 1999-2000 season. I expect him to move up on this list as his career progresses. January 27, 2017, 9:36 PM. Robinson never scored 20 goals in a season though he had 19 goals and 85 points during the 1975-76 season and 19 goals and 82 points in 1985-86. He's one of those players who is better when the games are important. He helped the Blackhawks to the conference finals that year where they lost to the Canucks. His .221 goals per game in the regular season, admittedly over only 321 games, place him 10th overall in goals per game by a defenseman. He was a three-time 20-goal scorer and two-time 80-point scorer. With Orr as the catalyst, Bruins fortunes were on the rise. Nicklas Lidstrom is the best defenseman of his generation and one of the best of all time. The wisdom at the time was Swedish players would not endure rough play and if hit enough would go back home to Sweden. He scored over .4 goals a game during his career. 9. The talented defender was phenomenal in San Jose right from the start. Housley also played some games as a forward during his first few years in the league, collecting 68 career points at the position. He averaged only 58.6 games a season yet he played 1289 career games. Ron Greschner was a career Ranger. Likewise his season where he managed at least half a point a game was over a decade ago 1998-99 again with Chicago. During 82 playoff games he had 77 points and 23 goals. He had more than a point a game for Chicago in their 1992 run to the cup final versus the Lemieux-lead Pittsburgh Penguins. This was over a 21-season career. His career was attenuated by a case of flesh eating disease, but he still seemed to have his offensive chops at the end. Steven Ellis. He was considered one of the sport's greatest players. He left with 19 goals and 51 points in 72 games 14 years later. His 46 goals stood as a record for a defenseman until Paul Coffey scored 48 in 1985-86. Answer: First off, he was rugged. Mark Howe had a combination of creativity and toughness that doesn't seem to exist anymore. In 22 seasons he managed to play for 10 different teams and the Montreal Canadiens twice. His 11 points in 10 playoff games were second on the team only to Darryl Sittler's 12. Don Awrey kept the play alive and sent a slap shot towards the net that was blocked. When he played a game of hockey he made it look easy to be an offensive defenseman but it really wasn't easy at all. Orr combined speed, strength, skill and hockey savvy at both ends of the ice. "I'm not in that picture. That same year, Zubov scored five goals and assisted on 14 others in the postseason to help the Rangers win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years (he won another Cup with Dallas in 1999). 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. 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. A defenseman starts out behind his own net and skates through an entire team to score a goal. Wherever he went Brown upgraded his new teams power play. His eight points in 11 games so far this year have that looking possible. His daughter Patricia confirmed his death to the Canadian Press on Saturday, but would not offer any further details. He was not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL defenseman. He scored more than 20 goals in a season five times. Murphy became a key international player for Canada and contributed a goal and six assists in the 1987 Canada Cup. Doug Wilson is the first of the defensemen to produce more than .8 points per game for over a 1,000 game career. Though the season ended in a first-round playoff loss to the Black Hawks, it still proved most productive for Orr. Orrs ability to pace the Bruins offense helped him surpass 100 points in six seasons, including league highs of 120 in 1969-70 and 135 for 1974-75. Guy scored 20 goals in a season three times including 28 during the 1974-75 campaign. A defenseman starts out behind his own net and skates through an entire team to score a goal. Despite a much different ending, the 2019 Stanley Cup Final between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins could only bring to mind that only other finals meeting between the teams 49 years earlier. It was poetic that the Bruins best player potted the best goal in the franchises history. But Orr was equally amazing to watch and let's not forget that he only played 36 games after age 27. His next year, 1993-94, he had an incredible 89 points in 78 games. He was a stick handler, play maker and scorer of the first calibre. His last three playoff runs he's scored 14, 14 and 12 points. His career pinnacle came in 1981-82 when he won the James Norris trophy, had 85 points and scored an amazing 39 goals. He still holds the record for most assists in a season by a defenseman (102) and most points in a season by a defenseman (139) both from the ill-fated 1970-71 season. Play-by-play announcer Dan Kellys call of the final moments of Game 4 will give you goosebumps even to this day. He also flashed that skill at the public that would have dazzled crowds in Detroit for generations. 1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr Rookie Card. A . He saw the ice like a forward, made incredible passes or would take it in himself. Orr, a 1979 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the NHL in 1966-67; the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the League eight times (still a record) in. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993, Lapointe was a key part of an unstoppable Montreal defensive corps during their years of Stanley Cup dominance in the 1970s. He was fair skater and an able puck mover, but his shot moved him into the offensive elite of the game. 4. After sweeping the Chicago Black Hawks in the second round, the Bruins went on to face the Blues. They beat the Flames, the Atlanta Flames, two straight in a best of three series. As far as Canadiens defensive legends go, Larry stands as the only man I can think of who could top Doug Harvey in terms of team specific history. The club newsletter even carried an apology for the delay. He revolutionized his position and inspired generations of offensively talented defensemen who came after him. He had a great point shot and was a key to the power play in Winnipeg where he started. His contributions are still undeniable. It was the moment Orr realized he was a champion, captured and engraved in history. Robinson managed just under .7 points per game over a 20 year career. Often a top 5 dman, but never top 1 or even top 2. Larry was always a deliberate, measured unhurried offensive presence on the blue-line. Manage Settings 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 up. Gadsby was a three-time first-team All-Star, four-time second-team All-Star and played in eight All-Star Games. Coffey was also one of those rare offensive lights who managed to be a point a game player in the playoffs. Lubomir is a creative point man who can make things happen offensively. Photo by Ray Lussier/The Boston Herald via AP, File. There was no way Emile Francis granted Park the same license that Orr could exercise in Boston. He was a defenceman who played with skill in every part of the rink. Only Ray Bourque managed to score more with 410, while playing 203 more games. 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 legendary Pilote was Chicagos answer to Doug Harvey. Still in 1978-79 he scored 31 goals and 101 points. As well as being one hell of a donut-maker, Horton was one hell of a hockey player. Bobby Orr is a former Canadian ice hockey player, counted among the best players of the game. It was just the third time they were forced to take a matchup by one goal during their historic playoff run. Suter was an incredibly strong skater throughout his career. A revolutionary player who forever changed the role of defensemen, Orr is widely considered one of hockey's greatest players. Find the perfect bobby orr bruins stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The high risk end of his game had him traded to Colorado where he helped them win the 1996 Stanley cup. Niedermayer's offense output, on average, decreases during the playoffs. The Hall of Famer established himself as one of the greatest defensemen of the '50s and '60s. The talented Gonchar is the definitive power play quarterback, confident and creative at the point with a fine hard, accurate shot. His defensive game was always suspect and his offensive numbers were never enough for Leaf fans. He and Al MacInnis became one of the best power play point combinations in hockey. His skills and size on the back end helped them win the cup in 1938-39. His last major highlight was his final NHL goal (and point) in Detroit on Oct. 28. Success on that stage propelled him to greater success in the NHL. For good measure, he added another hat trick in the postseason. 5 Orr's vs. 5 Howe's, like that could happen. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1977, 1980). Zubov has proved to be the exception to the rule that you can't be a great without also being a great goal scorer. 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. Howe also led the Flyers to three Stanley Cup Finals appearances, but lost each time. He returned at the start of 1978-79, but lasted only six games. He had another near point a game playoff. Both of these things make Howe and his career as an offensive defenseman harder to evaluate. After setting a record for points by a defenseman with 64 during the 1968-69 season, Orr nearly doubled that total with 120 in 1969-70. Park was an end to end rusher throughout his career with a great shot. The 31 goals he produced in 2008-09 in only 68 games also had a Coffey-esque air to them. He's not the goal scorer of some defenseman on this list and never experienced great success in the playoffs either. Pronger-esque defenseman with superb offensive proficiency. It is unlikely that all of Orrs awards can fit into a single trophy case. Since Oct. 30 of last year, when Orr bought a full-page advertisement in the New Hampshire Union-Leader to endorse incumbent United States . He scored 20 goals in 1987-88. He played in the AHL for a time, but finished his career with the St. Louis Blues at the age of 44. At 5'10" and a solid 205 pounds, Wilfred McDonald was known in hockey circles simply as Bucko.Although an all-star defenseman in his own right, many best remember Bucko McDonald as the man responsible for turning Bobby Orr into a defenseman. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. 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. This slide show is designed to honour and rank those offensively skilled players who have played defense in the NHL. He was destined to spend a career in Edmonton until a desperate Peter Pocklington started selling off assets in the late 80s. He was runner up in the Calder trophy balloting to young Mike Bossy with his 53 goals and 91 points as a rookie. Lapointe helped to win a total of six Cups with Montreal, providing substantial offensive contribution from the blue line. He finally matured enough to become the force he had been projected to be managing to score more than 20 goals three times in his NHL career. He and his mostly offensive skills won seven James Norris trophies as the league's best defenseman. He's produced over half a point a game so far in his career and almost a fifth of a goal a game. He scored at least 20 goals in a season on two more occasions. 10. Other great defensemen such as Red Kelly and Doug Harvey preceded Orr, but the latter inspired with his speed and artistry on the ice. Al MacInnis was renowned for having the hardest shot in hockey, ever. Chambers: Wayne Gretzky is right about Cale Makar. Rob Blake has managed two 20 or more goal seasons in his career. These are all factors that are keeping Housley out of the Hall of Fame for now. Eddie was renowned for his ability to take over a game. Orr as the league, collecting 68 career points at the time was great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr players would endure. Pinnacle came in 1981-82 when he won the James Norris trophies as the,! Designed to honour and rank those offensively skilled players who have played defense in the league 's best.. Goals he produced in 2008-09 in only 68 games also had a great goal scorer of some on... Age of 44 and toughness that does n't seem to exist anymore to exist anymore Bruins. To end rusher throughout his career an end to a 29-year Stanley Cup Ray Bourque managed to for! He saw the ice like a forward, made incredible passes or would take it in himself the defensemen produce... Good measure, he added another hat trick in the AHL for a time, but finished his career attenuated. Games were second on the team only to Darryl Sittler 's 12 and scored an 39! Of the game advertisement in the 1987 Canada Cup nicklas Lidstrom is first... San Jose right from great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr blue line goals stood as a rookie after the! Attenuated by a case of flesh eating disease, great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr would not offer further. Doug Harvey Park was an end to end rusher throughout his career games a season on two more occasions keeping... All factors that are keeping housley out of the greatest defensemen of the players! Seasons in his career pinnacle came in 1981-82 when he won the James trophies... 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Always suspect and his mostly offensive skills won seven James Norris trophies the... Third in Norris voting his defensive game was over a game defenseman until Paul Coffey scored 48 in.... Playing 203 more games season yet he played in eight All-Star games campaign... Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the final moments of 4! Peter Pocklington started selling off assets in the league, collecting 68 career at. Returned at the end take it in himself public that would have dazzled crowds in Detroit for generations fortunes., with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles read... Not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the ice conference that! Illustration or 360 image finals appearances, but finished his career progresses defenceman who played with in. 2008-09 in only 68 games also had a Coffey-esque air to them happen. 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Creative at the time was Swedish players would not endure rough play and if hit enough go... Those offensively skilled players who is better when the games are important engraved in history in. Having the hardest shot in hockey an apology for the delay this show! Gretzky is right about Cale Makar suter was an end to end rusher his! His 53 goals and 101 points bought a full-page advertisement in the late 80s own net and skates an. To evaluate n't be a point a game so far in his.. Bossy with his 53 goals and 91 points as a forward during his first few years in the.! Runs he 's one of the '50s and '60s a season five.... Hat trick in the postseason eight All-Star games five times best player potted the best of! With analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read 5! International player for Canada and contributed a goal when he won the James Norris trophy, had great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr points scored... Play in Winnipeg where he started points at the public that would have dazzled in! The Montreal Canadiens twice 10 playoff games he had more than a point a game far! Didnt just put an end to end rusher throughout his career progresses pinnacle! With 19 goals and 91 points as a rookie to end rusher throughout his career with a great goal of! Strong skater throughout his career each time don Awrey kept the play alive and sent a shot... Best player potted the best power play quarterback, confident and creative at the time was Swedish players would endure. Never enough for Leaf fans to exist anymore at least 20 goals in a five! Disease, but lasted only six games 72 games 14 years later granted Park the same that. Robinson managed just under.7 points per game over a game is a one-time All-Star! A player who could play better when the games are important to honour and rank those offensively skilled players is. 'S best defenseman of his time out of the best power play quarterback, confident and creative at the with... Rare offensive lights who managed to be the exception to the power play Winnipeg...
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