Considering how much Orr loved playing in Boston and Boston fans loved him, it may seem surprising that his career ended ingloriously with the Chicago Blackhawks. The departure, in retrospect, probably should never have happened. Clearly, Orr's chronic knee problems were causing him problems. He missed most of the 1975-76 season. The word he got from his agent, Alan Eagleson, was that the Bruins had given up on him and were "ready to discard him." That offended Orr, but it wasn't really true. Eagleson made a deal for Orr to play for the Blackhawks, claiming it was better than one the Bruins offered. But what he didn't tell Orr, for reasons known only to Eagleson, is that the Boston offer would have given Orr an ownership stake in the Bruins so he could remain a Bruin for life.
STEVEN SENNE/AP
