Bobby Orr: Boosting the Bruins’ Profile
There’s something jarring and slightly intimidating about seeing photos of a professional hockey player going about his business without a helmet. Today, piles of medical research and an infusion of common sense have taught us that the risk of a concussion is very real for hockey players, and the long-term effects of closed head injuries are serious indeed. In the 1960s and ’70s, Bobby Orr knew very little about such risks, and he might not have cared anyway.
Orr helped bring two Stanley cups to Boston in the early ’70s, and he took the Bruins back to the Cup finals again in ’74. He was awarded the Norris Trophy – reserved for the best defenceman in the league – a record eight straight years. He also stands as the sixth most prolific goal scorers among defenceman – no small feat during an era when forwards and centers took most of the shots. Autographed hockey sticks from Bobby Orr and other legends of his day have become valuable collectors items.