Editing Bobby Orr (section)

===Orr and Eagleson===
By the time Orr turned 16 in 1964, he was still two years away from playing in the NHL and his father Doug was dissatisfied with the Bruins' treatment of the prospect. Doug had asked the Bruins' Blair for more money for Bobby and was turned down. Doug Orr met Toronto lawyer [[Alan Eagleson]] at a juvenile [[Fastpitch softball|fastball]] tournament dinner in Parry Sound and asked Eagleson to help out with the situation. Eagleson agreed to work with the family for free and continued to do so for the next two years. Bobby and Eagleson developed a relationship Orr would later describe as being like brothers. The two soon became a team, discussing Bobby's future plans without his father Doug.{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |pp=89–99}}

Eagleson was determined to get Orr a top salary. When [[Hap Emms]], the general manager of the Bruins offered a [[US$]]5,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|5000|1966}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) signing bonus and US$7,000 and US$8,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|7000|1966}}}} and US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|8000|1967}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) for his first two years in the league, Eagleson countered with US$100,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|100000|1966}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) for the two years.<ref>All salary and dollar figures from his signing with Boston are in [[US$|US dollars]],</ref> Orr would refuse to play with the Bruins and played for Canada's [[Canada men's national ice hockey team|national team]] instead, like [[Carl Brewer (ice hockey)|Carl Brewer]]. Orr wanted desperately to play in the NHL, but he went along with Eagleson's strategy and was willing to play for the nationals. The Bruins and Orr agreed on a US$25,000 signing bonus (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|25000|1966}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), and a salary "less than $100,000" for the two years, a figure kept secret. Speculation has ranged on an annual salary of US$25,000{{sfn|Dryden|2000|pp=26–32}} to US$40,000 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|25000|1966}}}} to US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|45000|1966}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) at a time when the typical maximum rookie salary was US$9,000.{{sfn|Dryden|2000|pp=26–32}} (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|8000|1966}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) The official signing ceremony was done on Emms' boat, the ''Barbara Lynn'', where Eagleson and Emms had conferred during negotiations.{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=112}}<ref name="SI1966" />

At the time, it made Orr the highest-paid player in league history. Beyond that, the signing became one of the most important in the history of professional hockey.{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=113}} Until that time, players had been forced to accept whatever NHL management paid in salaries. It was the start of the [[sports agent|player's agent]] era in professional hockey.{{sfn|Brunt|2006|p=113}} For Eagleson, it was the start of his sports business empire. Based on the Orr signing, Eagleson would become the executive director of the new [[National Hockey League Players' Association]] (NHLPA) and started on his rise to become one of the most powerful men in the sport and business of ice hockey.{{sfn|Brunt|2006|pp=114–115}}