Best All Time Hockey Defenseman

The choice for best defenseman of all time in the NHL is probably one of the more obvious picks we make on this site. Of course, a hockey defenseman is a player who prevents the opposite team from scoring. A good defenseman is crucial for every team and has the capability of causing the team win or lose. In my opinion, Bobby Orr is the greatest hockey defenseman of all time. He changed the face of the NHL with his great vision. Let’s have a look at his statistics:-

Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, born in Canada on March 20, 1948. He's now retired from the National Hockey League. Orr is considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time. He played with the Boston Bruins for most of his career. However, he did play two brief seasons with the Chicago Black Hawks. Orr won two Stanley Cup championships with the Bruins (beat the St. Louis Blues in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals in four games and the New York Rangers in the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals in six games). Orr scored key goals in both series. Bobby Orr was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP both of those Championship seasons.

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Winning a record eight Norris Trophies as the league's best defenseman, Orr is often credited with revolutionizing his position. He remains the only defenseman 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 defenseman.

Bobby Orr scored the most goals in one NHL season by a defenseman as well as the most assists in one NHL season by a defenseman. He also has the highest "plus/minus" in one NHL season and is tied for most assists in one NHL game by a defenseman. He currently holds the record for the most goals scored by a defenseman in one NHL season from 1971 to 1986 (37) in 1971, broke own record in 1975 with 46; broken in 1986 by Paul Coffey with 48.

Bobby Orr set the standard by which all future defensemen have or will play the game. From Paul Coffey to Ray Bourque to Scott Niedermayer, the position of defenseman is sought after by young hockey players everywhere. Modeling themselves after the greats, youngsters entering the hockey world realize you don’t have to be big to be a great defenseman and that it is not all about defending the goal. It is about playing the game to the fullest and helping your team win. That what made Bobby Orr the greatest defenseman in the history of hockey.

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