Orr’s ‘Greatest Moment’ Happened More Than Once

It epitomizes the grace, strength and drama of hockey. Bobby Orr’s overtime goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals against St. Louis May 10, 1970, that gave the Bruins their first championship in 29 years is one of the most beloved moments in Boston sports history.

Now it has been selected by more than 400 writers and broadcasters as the MasterCard Greatest Moment in NHL history.

Orr, here Saturday at the league’s hotel headquarters, said it doesn’t feel as if it happened more than 26 years ago.

“It seems like it was yesterday,” he said. “Time just goes so quickly.”

He won eight Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in Boston’s two Cup victories in 1970 and ‘72. The way he played revolutionized the position.

“I played a style that wasn’t common,” said Orr. “The guys understood how I played and when the puck came around the boards, the guys would cover my butt left and right. Often what would happen was they’d see me start going, there was a pretty good chance I was going to keep going.”

Orr estimates he has signed thousands of copies of the photo that captured his famous goal, but he said he would never call it the greatest goal.

“There have been more spectacular goals scored in this league,” he said. “I’m not sure they’ve been caught like this (on film). The way this was caught, it was overtime, it was Mother’s Day. I was thrilled to have been able to score the goal, but growing up in Canada, the dream was to play hockey in the NHL and be on a Stanley Cup-winning team.

“When I see (the picture) I think about Chief (John Bucyk) carrying the Cup around. I think about the celebration and having my father there. I look back at 10 years of wonderful times. I remember Teddy Green, and that was the year he was hurt, he was standing on the bench with tears coming down. You start thinking about the characters you had on the team and we had some characters. That’s what I think about. We had a close, fun group.”

Orr, whose latest venture is establishing a minor league team in Lowell, still follows the Bruins’ fortunes.

As for the club’s future, Orr said he thinks changes are necessary.

“Raymond (Bourque) is still a great player,” he said. “I don’t know how many years he’ll play but he can’t continue to carry it like he did when he was a youngster; not that he’s real old but it’s a tough game. When you’re the key guy they key on you and they grind you. They’ve got to get some bodies on that team.”

Orr said he feels for Cam Neely, whose career is in jeopardy because of a hip ailment. Orr was forced to retire early because of knee problems but he said he has no regrets.

“I had 10 years I wish everybody could have,” he said. “I played a style that didn’t help my problem. I could’ve changed my style or tried to, but hockey is a contact game, it’s a tough game. If you handle the puck a lot you’re going to be hit a lot, and I was hit a lot but I didn’t want to change anything.”