University of Windsor professor and former Lancer men's hockey head coach Dr. Vern Stenlund has helped hockey legend Bobby Orr author his first ever official memoir.
The book titled "Bobby Orr: My Story" is being released by the Penguin Publishing Group across North America and internationally on October 15th. It is widely expected to be one of the best-selling books of the year.
A tenured Associate Professor in the University of Windsor's Faculty of Education, Stenlund has been working with Orr on the memoir for the better part of three years. This is the first official memoir ever released by the Boston Bruin great.
"It has been a thrill for me to work alongside Bobby on this special project and to help share his incredible story with hockey fans around the world," commented Stenlund. "I especially want to thank my colleagues and the administration at the University of Windsor for their support throughout this 3-year journey. I'm very proud to be a faculty member here at the U of W."
Stenlund and Orr met while working together on the Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey program. The pair has been leading the values based hockey program across Canada for kids aged 5-8 for the past 15 years alongside Director Harold Konrad, a Kingsville native.
Orr, a Parry Sound, Ontario native, is widely considered to be one of the greatest hockey players to ever play the game. He played for the Boston Bruins from 1966 to 1976, and then two more years for the Chicago Blackhawks. Among his many records and honours, he remains the only defenseman to win the Art Ross Trophy league scoring title – twice – and still holds the record for most points and assists at that position.
He also won a record eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHL's best defenseman, and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league's MVP, as well as two Conn Smythe Trophies as the Stanley Cup MVP. He was the youngest living player ever to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, at 31.
Today, Orr is the president of the Orr Hockey Group agency and lives in both Cape Cod and Florida.
No stranger to the game of hockey himself, Stenlund, a Thunder Bay native, is a former junior star with the London Knights, leading London in scoring with 119 points in the 1975-76 season.
A former second round NHL Draft Pick of the California Golden Seals in 1976, Stenlund played professionally in the National Hockey League for two seasons with the Cleveland Barons.
Also a coach for the better part of the past 20 years, Stenlund previously guided the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires, the University of Windsor Lancers men's hockey team, and the Western Ontario Junior B's Leamington Flyers, Windsor Bulldogs, and Chatham Maroons.
He has published six books on the game of hockey and was also named a Master Mentor Coach by the Ontario Hockey Association as part of the CHA's National Coaches Mentorship Program.
