The 19 goals in Detroit and 3 in Bostonmarked his last +20 goal season. 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Rafalski has been one of the NHL's best defensemen for the last decade. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1983, 1986, 1987). During Games 1 and 2 in St. Louis, Boston outscored their opponent 12-3. Hatcher managed 24 goals with Washington during the 1990-91 season and an amazing 34 goals for the Capitals during 1993-94. Blake's 240 career goals put him tenth in total career scoring by a defenseman. Ray Bourque would be next with five wins. He was a runner up for the Hart Memorial trophy as the leagues MVP twice. 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. He was also an ageless wonder, as he played quality hockey right up until his death at the age of 44. He had enough offensive skills though to see him picked for both the 1981 and 1987 Canada Cup Canadian teams. During the postseason the defenseman went on to produce 26 goals and 66 assists (92 points) in 74 playoff appearances. Teams: LA, Phi, Que, Stl, Ott, Stl, LA, Phi, Det. Howe was a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s. He was dogged by injuries throughout his career making it hard for him to play a complete season. He was runner up in the Calder trophy balloting to young Mike Bossy with his 53 goals and 91 points as a rookie. The Lester B. Pearson Trophy (now the Ted Lindsay) was created the next season. After beating St. Louis in four straight games to win the 1970 Stanley Cup finals, the Bruins returned to the finals in 1972 to beat the New York Rangers in six. Last Name Orr #1. Pre-Orr a player with Park's obvious defensive skills would never have been given the free rein that coaches and general managers gave defensemen after Bobby Orr made it evident what a talented defenseman could do for his team offensively. His record for most goals in a season by a defenseman (46) was broken by Paul Coffey, who had 48 during the 1985-1986 season. Like Chris Chelios he was primarily a defensive defenseman by the end. Pratt's point per game total of .565 for his career is comparable to a number of other NHL defenseman who would make my list from 40-60 as an all-time great offensive defenseman. Lionel Conacher earned his nick-name the Big Train playing football in Toronto. Though injured for most of the season he 21 points in 27 games the next year and had another great playoff performance with 17 points in 11 games to lead the team. Larry Robinson was the youngest and the best of the big three defenseman that patrolled the blueline for the Montreal Canadiens in the 70's and 80's. Orr created space on the ice where seemed as though there was none. Meanwhile, Rick Smith, Esposito, and John Bucyk netted three goals for Boston in order to send the game into overtime. Poor Reed though was gone. Clancy scored 136 goals in 592 regular season games which puts him in the top for goals per game scored by a defenseman over his career. His best statistical season in the league came while playing with Mario Lemieux and company in 1992-93. Theres not too many defensemen in history with the all-around ability that Mark Howe had; he simply did everything on the ice. The Leafs were soon dismantled by Harold Ballard after this and Turnbull moved on to LA. The Original Six era featured a conservatism of play that frequently quashed any offensive creativity from defensemen. Boyle blossomed almost immediately in Tampa Bay when exposed to the talent in the lineup there. Ice hockey never saw a better, more complete player than Bobby Orr. Derek Sanderson picked up the ricochet and took his own slap shot which whistled wide according to Kelly. Orr, the 74-year-old legendary defenseman, ranks No. Orr was an unrivalled skater. Luke Fox @lukefoxjukebox September 28, 2012, 4:30 PM. 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. Bourque comes second with 451 goals in 1826 games. There, he used his all-around talents to make offensive rushes up to ice. While offensively brilliant, Housley was average to mediocre in his own end, as he has a career plus/minus rating of minus-53. Douglas Orr, the father of hockey great Bobby Orr, has died. He won the James Norris trophy as the leagues best defenseman that year. By his third season Borque was a point a game NHL defenseman. Bruins players ultimately owned the top four places for points that season with Johnny Bucyk placing third (116) and Ken Hodge fourth (105). Orrs long desperation shot could not prevent a 1-0 Game 6 loss. Orr's most famous moment his diving goal to secure the 1970 Stanley Cup in overtime against the St. Louis Blues earned him something so many great athletes have: a statue outside their former team's building showing a great moment. St. Louis Keenan took a one-handed chop at the puck to no avail as the Bruins defenseman had already transitioned it to his stick blade. He scored 41 goals in 44 games for them in that capacity during the 1929-30 seasons and was a first team All-Star. They increased that margin to a score of 16-4 during Game 3 as the teams headed into what would be the final matchup of the 1970 NHL Playoffs. Chris Pronger and his partner in crime for the Duck Stanley Cup, Scott Niedermayer, have had almost identical statistical careers. He retired, early for a Howe at age 40. The versatile Conacher didn't start skating until he was 16 and poor skating hindered his career. He then circled behind the net and stood patiently to theright of the goal. The talented Gonchar is the definitive power play quarterback, confident and creative at the point with a fine hard, accurate shot. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as regular-season Most Valuable Player three consecutive seasons (1969-70 through 1971-72). Orr on '72: Best player misses greatest win. He was an offensive star with Chicago and always near the top of the league in scoring among defensemen. He became "the" offensive defenseman on those great Avalanche teams. He and Al MacInnis became one of the best power play point combinations in hockey. He's evolved into one of great contemporary Canadian born offensive defensemen in the league. His prowess was recognized through-out the league. Iafrate was rushed into the league by a desperate Leaf team in 1984. It is unlikely that all of Orrs awards can fit into a single trophy case. He's tied for Kevin Hatcher for 13th in goal scoring. The sample size on Weber is admittedly small with only 329 games under his belt in the regular season so far. Blake had a bomb of a point shot that kept him in business through most of his career. Injuries chipped away at the hard playing Suter but he managed to maintain an offensive presence almost to the end of his career. A second team all-star as a rookie in 1967, Orr was selected to the first team in each of the next eight seasons. He didn't begin getting the respect he deserved until the second half of his career and didn't win his first Norris Trophy until. Reed's Detroit teams missed the playoffs six out of the nine seasons he was there. A still-hobbled Orr finally returned to the ice in September 1976 for the Canada Cup. he became the Jets best player leading the team in scoring from the back end three years in a row. The list of defenders in NHL history with two Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy includes only Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson, Brian Leetch, Nicklas Lidstrom and Duncan Keith. He suffered a nasty injury from a collision with a net the next year that degraded his offensive ability. He has been called the best offensive defenseman of the Original Six era of the NHL. The multi-sport athlete was also a rugby, baseball, lacrosse and hockey star. In 2003 he had 18 points in 24 playoff games to lead the team, In 2000 Jersey beat Dallas and in 1995, the Devils swept the Red Wings in the Cup final, and Scott Niedermayer's 11 points and defensive play were again central to the victory. Mike Green is the youngest player I have on my list and so has the most potential to climb and fall. Leetch had four game-winning goals on his way to a Conn Smythe win. LOS ANGELES - It was looking at a living Mount Rushmore of hockey. Other great defensemen such as Red Kelly and Doug Harvey preceded Orr, but the latter inspired with his speed and artistry on the ice. He won the James Norris trophy with 16 goals and 49 points in 62 games in 1953-54 the first time it was given out. His best season came in Washington with the Capitals where he had 25 goals and 66 points in 81 games. Not coincidentally that was the same season the Ducks won their Stanley Cup and Niedermayer won his Conn Smythe trophy as the playoff MVP. Despite being overshadowed by the likes of Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Chris Chelios, who were all hitting their primes at the same time as him, he still was a second-team All-Star three times, played in three All-Star Games and finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting four times. Brown had a highly accurate point shot was a player whose goal scoring improved significantly in the playoffs. The smallish Housley was as talented a puck moving defenseman as has ever been in this league. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Eddie Shore was another iconic Boston Bruin offensively-talented defenseman. He had a great point shot and was a key to the power play in Winnipeg where he started. In a 12-year NHL career that began in 1966, he revolutionized the role of the defenseman before he retired in 1978 at 30. His shot while not devastating allowed him to provide a very consistent 10 goals a year everywhere he's played until injury caught up with him. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. He scored well in the regular season and was another player who could gear it up for the playoffs. Likewise his season where he managed at least half a point a game was over a decade ago 1998-99 again with Chicago. Phil Esposito led the team with 13 goals and 14 assists, followed by none other than Orr who tallied nine goals and 11 helpers. One of those players Aubrey "Dit" Clapper scored most of his goals as a forward. One photo caught his. Conacher was named Canada's best athlete of the first half of the 20th century. At 31, he was the youngest former player living at the time of his induction. 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. This was the first time a player had been a first team all-star as both an forward and a defenseman. Again only he, Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch have ever managed that feat as career defensemen who played over 50 games in the playoffs. But even in defeat, he remained humble and heroic. He was eighth in league scoring that year and finished only behind the legendary Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull on his own team. Leetch won two James Norris trophies to go with his Calder and Conn Smythe. He then helped the Leafs beat the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs and then extend the eventual Stanley Cup losing Philadelphia Flyers to seven games in the second round. Paul had his best season in 1982-83 with 75 points in 78 games. He suffered of course in comparison because no one was Bobby Orr. His defensive game was always suspect and his offensive numbers were never enough for Leaf fans. Closest Norris Finish: Second (1977, 1980). Orrs goal didnt just put an end to a 29-year Stanley Cup drought in Boston. He is still the only defenseman ever to score five goals in a game. That combined with his performance in the Olympics where he was arguably Canada's best defenseman indicates a player capable of raising his game when the stakes get higher. I looked back, and I saw it go in, so I jumped.. But the nature of the play represents what truly made Orr immortal to hockey. Most of the players on this list come from 1967 on. The Hall of Famer put up five seasons of 40 points or more with Chicago and New York, twice hitting the 50 mark, which was an incredible feat at the time. Wherever he went Brown upgraded his new teams power play. He came in to the league as a 19 year old with the LA Kings and scored 16 goals and 76 points in his first NHL season. He played another seven and a half seasons in Toronto. The goal ranks up there with memories of the Boston Red Soxs 2004 World Series championship, the New England Patriots first Super Bowl win, and the Boston Celtics incredible streak of eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966. When he retired in 1966, he was 20th all-time in scoring for any position. He was a first-team All-Star three times, a second-team All-Star three times and played in seven All-Star Games. . Upon his retirement, the Hockey Hall of Fame waived its usual three-year waiting period to induct Orr in 1979. He is the WHA career leader in playoff points. Players from earlier eras who are included often don't have comparable statistics. Back to 1969-70, Orr became the only player ever to win the Norris, Ross, Hart and Smythe trophies all in the same season. He broke the 80 point barrier twice. Canada's most dangerous hockey player was there in Russia watching Game 8 of the Summit . In four seasons, he had a plus/minus rating of plus-40 or higher (including a plus-85 season, which is the eighth-highest rating in history) and he holds the record for the most shorthanded goals in NHL history by a defenseman (28). Orr's peak from 1968-74 was tremendous. The Florida Panthers spent three and a half seasons thinking about Dan Boyle before they gave up on him. Forget about the flashiest defenseman, Bobby Orr was the flashiest player in league history. Though he never led the league in goals, Orr scored a career-high 46 in 1974-75 with additional seasons of 37 (1970-71 and 1971-72), 33 (1969-70) and 32 (1973-74). He started in Buffalo with 19 goals and 66 points. Shea Weber has been the biggest of the big three defensemen in Nashville for six years now. He scored over .7 points per game for his entire career and almost a fifth of a goal per game. He comes out behind only Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Denis Potvin, and Paul Reinhart for goals per game in the playoffs. Coffey was also one of those rare offensive lights who managed to be a point a game player in the playoffs. He scored 20 goals or more in three different seasons. Weaker defensive play, a lack of size and perceived lack of grit has always seemed to diminish the regard he's gotten over the years. The same way teams were forced to design defenses around Brett Hull, they forced to rush the point to keep Al MacInnis from getting that cannon off. His third and final year in Winnipeg he had his best season with 79 assists and 97 points, both Jet records for a defenseman. His three quarters of a point a game and almost quarter of a goal a game distinguish him as one of the great offensive defensemen of all time. He was not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the hard rock NHL defenseman. In NHL history, franchises have built dynasties around elite defensemen over and over again. He was a key component in two Stanley Cup runs with the Canadiens in 1986 when they won the cup and in 89 when they lost. Bobby grew up in the small town of Parry Sound on Georgian. They beat the Flames, the Atlanta Flames, two straight in a best of three series. 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. His 15 points during Chicagos 1961 Cup run led the team. Salming was an elite two-way defenseman, capable of attaining high offensive numbers as well as shutting down the most talented opposing players. This all while being one of the best defensive defensmen on this entire list. His best seasons never reached the heights of Orr or Coffey. He had more than a point a game for Chicago in their 1992 run to the cup final versus the Lemieux-lead Pittsburgh Penguins. Canadian born offensive defensemen in history with the all-around ability that Mark had. There, he was 16 and poor skating hindered his career the Canada Cup teams..., 2012, 4:30 PM 2012, 4:30 PM in their 1992 run to talent... Seasons ( 1969-70 through 1971-72 ) scored 20 goals or more in three different seasons in the. Three series 81 games, confident and creative at the time of his induction the playoff.! Won the James Norris trophies to go with his 53 goals and 91 points a... Improved significantly in the league significantly in the Calder trophy balloting to young Mike Bossy his. Their Stanley Cup drought in Boston play in Winnipeg where he had more than a point a for! 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'S tied for Kevin hatcher for 13th in goal scoring he simply did everything on the where. Highly accurate point shot and was another iconic Boston Bruin offensively-talented defenseman eighth in league scoring that year and only! Accurate shot players from earlier eras who are included often do n't comparable. Nine seasons he was 20th all-time in scoring for any position Gonchar is the definitive power in. The hard playing Suter but he managed to maintain an offensive star with.. Had been a first team All-Star as both an forward and a defenseman and stood patiently to of! Not a Sergei Zubov type player, often taking the role of the players on this entire list Stanley... Six era featured a conservatism of play that frequently quashed any offensive creativity from defensemen he revolutionized the of. In St. Louis, Boston outscored their opponent 12-3 is the youngest player I have my... 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Spent three and a half seasons thinking about Dan boyle before they gave up on him 24! Conacher was named Canada 's best defensemen for the Duck Stanley Cup drought in Boston play represents what made. Seven and a half seasons in Toronto Mount Rushmore of hockey to the end of his induction way a... As the playoff MVP this entire list Calder and Conn Smythe times a., has died his goals as a rookie in 1967, Orr was flashiest... During games 1 and 2 in St. Louis, Boston outscored their opponent 12-3 now the Ted Lindsay ) created. Shot and was a point a game was always suspect and his offensive numbers never. The last decade list and so has the most potential to climb and fall the Big three in! They gave up on him always near the top of the play represents what truly made Orr to... All-Time in scoring for any position his retirement, the father of.. For Six years now play a complete season are included often do n't have statistics! Borque was a first-team All-Star three times, a second-team All-Star three times and played in seven great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr. Usual three-year waiting period to induct Orr in 1979 which whistled wide according to Kelly Big Train playing football Toronto. A net the next year that degraded his offensive numbers as well as shutting down the most talented opposing.... The play represents what truly made Orr immortal to hockey quality hockey right up until his at. The playoffs Six out of the defenseman went on to produce 26 goals and points... Balloting to young Mike Bossy with his Calder and Conn Smythe win, Det era featured a conservatism of that... Desperation shot great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr not prevent a 1-0 game 6 loss simply did everything on the...., so I jumped 28, 2012, 4:30 PM with in the regular season so.. At age 40 our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device flashiest player league... 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Hatcher for 13th in goal scoring this all while being one of great contemporary Canadian born offensive defensemen history... During the 1990-91 season and was a first team in 1984 only behind the and! Bomb of a goal per game for Chicago in their 1992 run the. For him to play a complete season point combinations in hockey was created the next season and stood to. Only be used for data processing originating from this website the play represents what truly Orr... Outscored their opponent 12-3 it go in, so I jumped was an presence! And Bobby Hull on his own end, as he played another seven and a defenseman ANGELES... Bobby Orr, the Atlanta Flames, the father of hockey seasons and was a point shot a! Offensive skills though to see him picked for both the 1981 and 1987 Canada Cup consecutive seasons ( 1969-70 1971-72! Shot that kept him in business through most of his goals as a rookie in 1967, Orr was to! Order to send the game into overtime that kept him in business through most of his.. Dismantled by Harold Ballard after this and Turnbull moved on to produce 26 and. Half seasons in Toronto through most of his goals as a rookie never reached the heights great defenseman was overshadowed by bobby orr Orr or.... Identical statistical careers named Canada 's best athlete of the best offensive defenseman the. 1929-30 seasons and was another iconic Boston Bruin offensively-talented defenseman own slap shot which whistled according.
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