When Bobby Orr was misled into signing for the Chicago Blackhawks

Bobby Orr is widely regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time. His exceptional skills on the ice, which included speed, scoring, and playmaking abilities, revolutionized the defenseman's position in the sport. However, Orr's legacy was tainted by a controversial incident that occurred in 1976 when he became a free agent.

At the time, Orr's agent, Alan Eagleson, was the most powerful agent in the league and the executive director of the NHL Players' Association. Eagleson misled Orr into signing with the Chicago Blackhawks, despite the fact that the Boston Bruins had made a generous offer to keep him.

The Bruins' offer included a five-year contract and an 18.5% ownership stake in the team. However, Orr was unaware of the details of the offer, as he left the negotiations to Eagleson. Eagleson convinced Orr that the Blackhawks were offering him a multi-million dollar contract, which he claimed was the largest in NHL history.

Orr trusted Eagleson and signed with the Blackhawks, believing that the Bruins had not made a competitive offer. Conway later discovered that the Bruins had offered a much better contract than Eagleson had indicated.

It was later revealed that Eagleson persuaded Orr to sign with the Blackhawks without informing him of the lucrative offer from the Bruins. Conway wrote in "Game Misconduct" that Bobby Orr felt betrayed after hearing all of the facts.

Bobby Orr said:

"I trusted him. I kept telling him I wanted to stay with the Bruins and he kept saying, 'Bobby, Chicago is the one that's guaranteeing you $3 million. Boston hasn't made anywhere near that kind of offer."

Bobby Orr's tenure in Chicago was a disaster. Knee injuries slowed his progress, and he only appeared in 10 games in the 1975-76 season. Moreover, Orr and his wife soon regretted moving to Chicago, where he never really felt at home.

The incident is a classic example of why ethics is needed in sports. Eagleson's actions were a clear violation of the trust that Orr had placed in him as his agent. Bobby Orr was misled into signing with the Blackhawks, and he lost out on a much better offer from the Bruins.

A look at Bobby Orr's incredible NHL career

Orr started his NHL career with the Boston Bruins, where he played for ten seasons. He quickly established himself as a dominant force on the ice, using his exceptional skating speed, scoring ability, and play-making skills to change the way the game was played by defencemen.

During his time with the Bruins, Orr won two Art Ross Trophies as the league's leading scorer, becoming the only defenceman to achieve this feat. He also holds the record for most points and assists in a single season by a defenceman.

Orr's incredible performance on the ice earned him a total of eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHL's best defenceman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player.

In 1972, Orr was part of the Canadian team that won the Summit Series against the Soviet Union. He played a pivotal role in Canada's victory, scoring the game-winning goal in the series-clinching game.