Editing Bobby Orr (section)

====1966–67====
Orr joined the Bruins for the [[1966–67 NHL season|1966–67 season]], his first as a professional. The Bruins were not convinced Orr belonged on defence, trying him out at centre first.{{sfn |McKenzie |2000 |p=10}} Through the pre-season, Orr was given jersey number 27. With Orr's junior number (2) retired in honour of Eddie Shore, the Bruins offered him jersey number 5, that of past Bruins star [[Dit Clapper]], prior to the regular season, but Orr instead chose jersey number 4,{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |p=119}} which had been vacated by veteran defenceman [[Albert Langlois]]. Orr made his NHL regular-season debut on October 19, 1966, against the Detroit Red Wings, getting one assist. On October 22, he scored his first NHL [[goal (ice hockey)|goal]] against the Montreal Canadiens. It was a [[slap shot]] past [[Gump Worsley]] and the [[Boston Garden]] crowd gave Orr a standing ovation.{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |p=120}}

In that first season, Orr was challenged by the veterans, and he earned respect by defeating Montreal tough guy [[Ted Harris (ice hockey)|Ted Harris]] in his first NHL fight. On December 4, 1966, Toronto Maple Leafs' defenceman [[Marcel Pronovost]] checked him into the boards, injuring Orr's knees for the first time in the NHL. He would miss nine games and the Bruins would lose six of them. The team finished with a 17–43–10 record, leaving the Bruins in last place. However, attendance at Boston Garden increased by forty-one thousand fans.{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |pp=121–122}}

For the season, Orr scored 13 goals and 28 [[assist (ice hockey)|assists]], one of the best rookie seasons in NHL history to that point by a defenceman.{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |p=124}} Orr won the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] as the league's outstanding rookie and was named to the NHL's [[NHL All-Star team|Second All-Star team]].{{sfn|MacInnis|1999|p=48}} [[New York Rangers]] defenceman [[Harry Howell (ice hockey)|Harry Howell]] won the [[Norris Trophy]] as the league's best defenceman that year. In accepting the award, Howell said he was glad to win when he did, predicting "Orr will own this trophy from now on."{{sfn|Dryden|2000|pp=26–32}} Orr was runner-up in voting.{{sfn |Brunt |2006 |p=125}}