Editing Bobby Orr (section)

===Free agency, and the move to Chicago===
In September 1975, the Bruins and Eagleson had reached a deal that would pay Orr US$4 million (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|4000000|1975}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) for ten years, but when Orr's knee required surgery, the Bruins reduced its offer to US$295,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|295000|1976}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) per season and a payment of US$925,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|925000|1980}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) or 18.6% of the Bruins in June 1980. Eagleson turned down the offer and on June 7, 1976, was quoted in the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' as saying "Boston offered a five-year deal at US$925,000 or 18.6 per cent ownership of the club in 1980. I didn't think it would be wise for him to be a player-owner."{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=268}} On June 9, 1976, after Orr had signed with Chicago, Eagleson told ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' that the Bruin offer was "a five-year offer for US$295,000 a year. In addition, Orr was to receive US$925,000 in cash payable in June 1980. That was to be a cash payment or involve Orr's receiving 18.6 per cent of the Bruins stock."{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=268}} According to a famous 1990 story in the ''Toronto Star'' by Ellie Tesher, Orr stated that Eagleson never told him of the offer, during negotiations or after.{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=267}} While Eagleson had spoken publicly to reporters of the offer, he had not discussed it with Orr.{{sfn|Conway|1995|p=146}}

In 1976, the Bruins offered Orr US$600,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|1976}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) per season, but he would have to pass a physical examination at the start of each season's training camp. Only the first year's money was guaranteed. Eagleson was quoted at the time as saying, "There is only one way that Bobby Orr will ever be back with the Bruins, and that's if [[Jeremy Jacobs]] asks him for another meeting and straightens out the whole situation. Otherwise he's gone."{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |pp=265–266}} Instead, Orr became a free agent, with Boston to receive compensation. Orr and Eagleson whittled down a list of potential teams to St. Louis and Chicago. Chicago offered a five-year guaranteed contract with the Black Hawks, and on June 8, 1976, he officially signed with the Black Hawks.{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=267}} The Bruins' general manager, [[Harry Sinden]] complained of tampering by the Black Hawks, and demanded that Chicago owner [[Bill Wirtz]] submit to a lie detector test.{{sfn|Conway|1995|p=142}} According to documents held by Orr, they had a valid case. Orr signed with the Black Hawks at a secret meeting in May 1976, prior to becoming a free agent.{{sfn|Conway|1995|pp=144–145}}

Then-Bruins head coach [[Don Cherry (ice hockey)|Don Cherry]] suggested that the reason Orr never re-signed with the Bruins was Orr's complete trust in Eagleson at the time (Orr said that he described Eagleson as a brother). Cherry recalled Orr had refused to speak with the Bruins team president directly, allowing Eagleson to mislead or withhold enough details from Boston's offer.{{sfn|Price|2009|p=4}} Orr's departure from the Bruins was acrimonious and he has not held an official role with the Bruins since.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/02/15/sayitaintso_bruins/|title=Say It Ain't So|date=May 9, 2001|access-date=September 15, 2009|publisher=CNNSI.com|archive-date=July 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707143151/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/02/15/sayitaintso_bruins/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Years later, it emerged that Eagleson had very good relations with Black Hawks owner [[Bill Wirtz]] and NHL president [[John Ziegler (ice hockey)|John Ziegler]] that colluded to hold back salaries of certain players. Orr disassociated himself from Eagleson in 1980.{{sfn|Conway|1995|p=148}}

Orr's contract with Chicago, five years in length, was for US$3 million (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3000000|1976}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), to be paid over 30 years.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Evening Independent |location=St. Petersburg, Florida |date=June 14, 1976 |page=6C |title=Orr Beats Tax Burden}}</ref> Spreading out the payments in this way was done to minimize taxes. While a player, he never cashed a Chicago paycheque, stating that he was paid to play hockey and would not accept a salary if he was not playing.<ref>{{cite news |work=Montreal Gazette |date=November 3, 1978 |title=Bobby Orr Ready to Renegotiate Contract|page=20}}</ref>