Memorable moments: Bobby Orr is the only defenseman in NHL history to win the NHL scoring title

If you’re looking for the greatest legend among hockey defensemen, Bobby Orr will be your man. The record holder of eight Norris Trophies for the NHL’s best defenceman is also the only defenceman in history to win the Canadian scoring award.

Memorable Moments is a special project by Ruiku that commemorates the most iconic moments that have happened in hockey. Today, we look back at Bobby Orr’s historic achievement.

Cale Makar, Erik Karlsson and Adam Fox are currently among the NHL’s best defensemen. Karlsson won the Norris Trophy, accumulating 101 points on 25 goals and 76 assists. But none of them could repeat what Bobby Orr did.

In fact, one of the best players in history and arguably the best defenseman in history accomplished something in the 1969/70 season that no one has ever duplicated.

With 33 goals scored and 120 total points, Orr won the Art Ross Trophy. No other defenseman in NHL history had ever dominated the Canadian scoring before him.

Logically, he also won the Norris Trophy for the best defenseman, the Hart Trophy for the league’s MVP and the Conn Smythe Trophy for the most valuable player of the playoffs.

The Ontario native led the Boston Bruins to their first Stanley Cup since 1941. Two years later, he added his second Stanley Cup to his collection with the Bruins.

After his career ended, Orr had to make plenty of room for personal trophies. He won the Calder Trophy for the best rookie, the Norris Trophy for the best defenseman eight times in a row, a record that is still unbeaten. He also won the Arta Rose twice for the regular season scoring champion.

Three times in a row Orr won the Hart Trophy for regular season MVP, twice he won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP. He added the aforementioned Stanley Cup twice.

He has also set a lot of records that still haven’t been broken and it’s questionable if they ever will be. Like the record for points scored by a defenseman in a single season (139) or the record for assists by a defenseman in a single season (102).

Source: NHL