Who is the all-time leading scorer among NHL defensemen?

Ray Bourque is the all-time leading scorer among NHL defensemen.

Bourque finished his career with 1,579 regular-season points, including 410 goals and 1,169 assists. Those totals remain the highest ever recorded by an NHL defenseman. His offensive production was paired with exceptional durability: he played 1,612 regular-season games during a 22-season career.

Drafted eighth overall by the Boston Bruins in 1979, Bourque spent most of his career in Boston before joining the Colorado Avalanche in 2000. He reached the scoring milestone that made him the defensemen’s all-time leader in 2000, then finally won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001, his last season.

Paul Coffey is a common mix-up because he ranks among the most prolific offensive defensemen in NHL history, but Bourque’s career point total is higher. Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom were also legendary defensemen, yet neither surpassed Bourque’s regular-season scoring record. Bourque was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.