Bobby Orr Continues To Hold Record For Highest Plus/Minus in Single Season

Published on January 17th, 2026 4:12 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


Nathan McKinnon is definitely garnering a great deal of attention in his 2025/26 NHL campaign due to his prolific goal scoring and eye-popping plus/minus.

As of this moment, McKinnon is currently on track for a plus 84, which is unbelievably good.

Is this on pace to break the record? Not even close.

That record belongs to Bobby Orr, who posted a ridiculous +124 during his 1970-71 season with the Boston Bruins.

A few years later, Larry Robinson of the Montreal Canadiens made a run at the record, though he would end up falling just short at +120.

Bobby Orr was a true difference maker on the ice - not a surprise, as he is almost universally regarded as being the greatest defenseman in the history of the game.

Orr's numbers during the 1970-71 regular season were otherworldly, as he scored 37 goals and added 102 assists in 78 games, to go along with his +124 plus/minus rating.

139 points - from a defenseman? Absolutely ridiculous.

Bobby Orr was very capable on the defensive side of the ice as well - he certainly wasn't a liability, as shown by his plus/minus.

Orr would post a plus/minus of at least 80 four times in his career. During the 1974-75 season, Orr would notch 135 points and put up a plus/minus of +80.

Orr was still just 26 years of age at this point and seems destined to re-write the record books.

Unfortunately for Orr and fans of the game, injuries would end Orr's career, as he would play just 36 more games after his 1974-75 season before deciding to hang up the skates.

If Orr hadn't been injured, there is a good chance he would have ended his career with more than 2,000 points, which is a ridiculous feat for a defenseman.