Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr, born in 1948, Canadian ice hockey player, who transformed the role of the hockey defensive line, showing that it could also be an offensive force. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.

Born Robert Gordon Orr in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, Orr was signed to an amateur contract by the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) when he was 14. After an outstanding performance in junior league hockey in Canada, he became a professional for the Bruins in the 1966-67 season, winning the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie. He won the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's best defenseman, and was named a first-team all-star for eight consecutive years (1968-75). During this period he expanded the role of the defensive line by leading offensive charges down the ice and captured the league scoring title in 1970 and 1975. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972, and Orr received the Smythe Trophy both years as the outstanding player in the playoffs.

Although plagued by knee injuries that required frequent operations, Orr was still an attraction when he became a free agent after the 1975-76 season. He signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, but his injured knee prevented him from being effective. He retired in 1979.