Orr signed a new five-year, $1,338,209 contract on August 26th, 1971, with an AAV of $200,000, making it the NHL's first million-dollar contract. The defenseman was coming off a career-best season, recording 37 goals and 102 assists in 78 games.
In the following season (1971-72), Orr was again second in the scoring race to teammate Phil Esposito, this time with 117 points. He again won the Hart and Norris trophies, helping the Bruins to a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
In the playoffs, he again led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup, leading the scoring in the playoffs with 5 goals and 19 assists, along with scoring the Cup-winning goal against the New York Rangers and capturing his second career Conn Smythe (first two-time winner).
