How Good Was PRIME Bobby Orr Actually?

#bobbyOrr #nhl #hockey
This is Bobby Orr. He’s a three time MVP and an eight time all-star. He had six straight seasons scoring over 100 points and is the only player to win four major NHL awards in one season. He revolutionized the game of hockey and did it all before hanging up his blades at the tender age of 30 years old.
So just how good was prime Bobby Orr actually?
Bobby grew up in Parry Sound, Ontario. He was severely undersized as a youngster, but began playing hockey at the age of 5. He was small, but a gifted skater. By the time he was 14, a scout for the Boston Bruins made arrangements for him to play puck for the Oshawa Generals, a team in the Metro Junior A League. The Generals were funded by the Bruins at the time. The move allowed the teen to continue to live with his parents, but also develop his skills as a member of the Bruin’s organization.

[@lawrencedavid9728]

Everyone needs to understand this. Bobby Orr was the best that ever was or ever will be. Truly.

[@chrismair8161]

Hear hear! (Slaps the table!)

[@donaldleider7382]

Grew up watching Bobby Orr, he was 50 years ahead of his time. With today’s equipment, training and medical advances he’d be unstoppable!

[@dtmrea247]

5th all-time in points per game is absolutely insane for a defenseman. The next D-man on that list is Paul Coffey at 35th. And he really did revolutionize his position. He's in the conversation for greatest of all time.

[@seveglider8406]

WRONG! Bobby Orr is the greatest Hockey player ever!

[@rmelin13231]

@@seveglider8406Nobody will ever convince me otherwise.

[@seveglider8406]

@@rmelin13231 Someday, it's possible someone will exceed Orr's greatness. If that day ever arrives, I hope to see him play!

[@stupidas9466]

PPG as a stat has its uses, but context is everything. His career ended in his prime, meaning the declining years of every athlete's career isn't included in Orr's numbers.

[@danielosterman9676]

For my money, and for what it is worth: He was the best.

[@francoisbouvier7861]

I'm 68 and a lifelong Habs fan. Who is the best I ever witnessed? Bobby Orr.

[@johnshields6852]

Boston born and bred, I was 10 in 1970 and hockey and the bruins were everything, if I wasn't on the ice at peewee hockey we were playing street hockey everyday, (car), terry orielly said when Bobby started to wind up he'd hear his strides, Orr was a great skater and puck handler, you gotta remember, vs k in those days you wouldn't shoot high on the goalies like today, he really changed the game, turning defensemen into offensive opportunities, Paul Coffey was a great Orr type guy. I played in different Canadian cities every year with all-star player exchange with Canada out of my hometown Boston, best memories of my life. 🇺🇸🏒🇨🇦

[@edward9]

Incredible. If Orr played now and Makar scored 95-105 Orr would be at 150-160 no disrespect to anyone. But Orr using high tech great would be insane. The best quote, in my opinion EVER about Orr was Clarke saying “that bugger needed a higher league” to play in 😂 I was 13 in 1980 and had been playing for a few years. Only 25 miles from Nassau Coliseum and played hockey at Mitchell Filed (we could walk across the parking lot to the Coliseum) and we did and snuck in the Zamboni entrance!

[@KIIDKYAAS]

That's great man! I'm 38 miles from Parry sound where Bobby Orr will always be the Greatest of all time

[@edward9]

@@KIIDKYAAS wow! Great hockey up there!!!!

[@KIIDKYAAS]

Not like it once was, your expense was skates and a wooden stick. Now the cost of equipment is astronomical and many parents just can't afford that. @@edward9

[@samuelluria4744]

@@edward9 - My beloved and respected fellow American Brother...I just have to remind you of one thing.... POTVIN SUCKS!!!

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

Bobby was everything to us in Mass. A shame his career was cut short. But I did get to see him play and it was magic.

[@jimpurcha7630]

Bobby Orr, simply the GREATEST OF ALL TIME. Class and humble are 2 words that come to mind. Blocked shots, did everything and did it on ONE knee !

[@cameronpickard7456]

maybe at defence only

[@appletile2887]

@@cameronpickard7456 He won the scoring championship twice, once scoring 46 goals in a season in the only season he played a full season of 80 games. You are speaking from never having seen him play.

[@PeterBrown-mz4nv]

Bobby was on the Mike Francesa show when he released his auto-bio. After the interview, a bunch of older New York Rangers fans, a team which Gretzky played on at one time, said they remember watching Bobby beat the're team and that Bobby was the greatest they ever saw.

[@petermccannell7565]

Honestly I always put him at second behind 99, the fact that Bobby Orr having his career cut short from injury didn't change the league is telling, while gretzky did change how the game was played, ushering in the era we see now.

[@appletile2887]

@@petermccannell7565 ??????? How old are you?????? Did you ever see Orr play???? Did you ever see a NHL hockey game before Bobby Orr played????? Gretzky changed NOTHING except the fact that he had a bodyguard with him through his whole career and the NHL didn't allow anyone to touch him while he was on the ice because he couldn't fight. He wasn't even the best center ice man in the NHL, Lemieux was. He wasn't even the best leader of a team, Messier, Lemieux & Beliveau were. Gretzky was fortunate to be on a team (Edmonton) loaded with so much talent that the team scored 400+ goals 5 seasons in a row ( no team has ever scored 400 goals before or since in a season) and won 5 Stanley Cups in the first 10 ten years they transitioned to the NHL from the WHA. Gretzky never won another Stanley Cup after leaving Edmonton but Messier won a Stanley Cup with Edmonton after Gretzky left and he won one with the Rangers. Bobby Orr entirely changed the way NHL hockey is played. From the 'stay at home defenseman' (Dough Harvey who won the Norris trophy 7 times & is in the HOF, was named 1 of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time and was a 1st team All Star 10 times) Bobby Orr obliterated the record for goals, assists and points for a defenseman and won the league's scoring championship not NOT ONE but TWO times. No other defenseman has ever accomplished that. Bobby Orr's +/- was +582 while Gretzky was +520 or +62 more than Gretzky To show you how dominant Orr was when he took to the ice Orr's total points during his 657 game career was 915. When you divide Orr's +/- of +582 by his total points 915 you arrive at 63.6% which shows you how dangerous he was any time he stepped on the ice. His team scored 63.6% of the time and was scored against only 36.4% of the time. Gretzky played 1487 games amassing 2,857 points but only managed a +/- rating of +520. Performing the same calculation 520/2857 = 18.2% or his team scored only 18.2% of the time Gretzky took the ice and was scored on 81.8% of the time. Bobby Orr.............+582...............63.6% Wayne Gretzky.....+520...............18.2% Bobby Orr fought all of his own fights and played on teams with many less talented hockey players than Gretzky. Bobby Orr would have dominated the NHL in the same era Gretzky played but Gretzky could never play in Orr's era, he would not have lasted one season after being hit once. When I perform the same calculations for the following offensively minded players I get results that show how much more dangerous these players were than Gretzky when they got on the ice Larry Robinson.............+722.............75.3% Guy Lapointe.................+329............52.9% Dennis Potvin................+456.............43.3% Bobby Clarke................ +507.............41.9% Lindstrom......................+450.............39.4% Steve Shutt....................+394..............38.4% Mike Bossy....................+380..............33.8% Ray Bourque..................+527..............33.4% Guy LaFleur....................+446..............33.0% Byran Troitter..................+449..............31.5%

[@robertstanford1778]

Sixty-six years old, die hard Leafs fan born and raised so I hate the Bruins. I never saw Howe in his prime but have seen them all since Orr and he is by far the greatest to ever don skates. The most dominant player I have ever seen. Revolutionized the game making the dman position an offensive weapon. All that and played on one leg for the last several seasons of his career.

[@danmeehan1390]

Bobby Orr is one of the greatest men to ever play the game. He changed the game

[@F4llenGrizz]

I wish I grew up and was able to watch Orr play live. Glad there are videos like this to showcase some of the older players who aren't brought up amongst new generations.

[@roberteaston6413]

Today every NHL game is on tape. That was not the case in the 1960's. That was especially true for USA cities that did not have a hockey tradition such as Oakland or Los Angeles. Sadly some of Orr's greatest plays are forever lost to us.

[@karlschneider9479]

I was fortunate to grow up in Cambridge, Ma during the Orr years and man he was special to watch.

[@christopherhopkins949]

He was and remains the best.

[@paulcallaghan6544]

I’m an old fogie and remember vividly watching Mr Orr. I really thought the James Norris trophy was going to renamed!

[@RealMaxoou262]

Last year at the cafe next to my house 2 elder men were talking about Bobby when he was playin at Oshawa! Like it was yesterday

[@BrianK49]

Orr? Simply THE GREATEST - E V E R !

[@cameronpickard7456]

2 things 9 9

[@Spitnchicklets]

There are great players, there are stars and superstars, and then, well then, there’s Bobby Orr. That’s it!!!

[@TAYLORFAN50]

And then there's The Great One saying "Bobby, hold my beer". 😂

[@appletile2887]

@@TAYLORFAN50 Gretzky......you must be kidding....I did an statistical analysis showing Mario Lemieux would have scored 227 more goals than Gretzky and 46 less assists than him during the regular season. Gretzky never won the Calder trophy but Lemieux did. If these two players were exchanged by their teams from the beginning of their careers Gretzky's numbers would be halved and Lemieux's doubled. That is how powerful that Edmonton Oiler team was winning 5 Stanley Cups in their first 10 years in the NHL and scoring 400+ goals a year for 5 straight seasons.

[@Spitnchicklets]

@@TAYLORFAN50 It’s not all about points and stats, it’s about how he played the game, Bobby had strong stats for sure even with a short career. He had style and a grace about him that doesn’t show up on paper. His ability to read the game and make plays for himself and his teammates was unmatched.

[@davidbaron8330]

He was the best I've ever seen, and I watched him play DURING his career (same with 99, 66, and everyone since). If Orr had been healthy enough to play the same number of games as Gretzky, there wouldn't even be a debate.

[@8799crosby]

yes but being durable is also part of the game

[@seveglider8406]

@@8799crosby Orr suffered terrible knee injuries before modern surgical techniques which many of today's athletes benefit from! Bobby Orr suffered terrible knee injuries before he ever played a game in the NHL. The truth be told; Bobby Orr is the greatest player in the history of team sports! The second greatest is Pele!

[@theliftexpert]

If my aunt had balls, she would have been my uncle too …..

[@prun8893]

Easy now. I watched him too. Bobby Orr is stupid great and a really nice man. He and his brother once refereed an atom game of mine in Parry Sound and spent an hour with us afterward. Nobody really comes close to what Gretzky did, however. Stay real. Bobby Orr is the second greatest (tied with Mario) hockey player of all time. Wayne Gretzky is the greatest participant in his particular pastime of all time (nobody comes close except Secretariat, Donald Bradman, The Beatles, and Warren Buffett).

[@fentsch]

Bobby was a defensive man , he played on power plays and penalty killing lines I saw games were he killed a penalty by himself having player chasing him all over the ice NON BETTER BAR NON

[@user-rv5uf7bx7z]

although i am a hardcore montreal fan in my 70s and have seen many great players Bobby Orr in my opinion was the best

[@DannyK-pj8sr]

That means a lot coming from a Hardcore Habs fan in his 70s seen so many greats but concedes Bobby was the best

[@davidmacdonald8882]

Back in the day, having three on three overtime with Orr on the ice would have been a sin.

[@jake-qn3tl]

Because hockey was played by like 300 people in the world lol

[@travzimmerman1340]

​@@jake-qn3tl Because it takes talent. Now, go outside and throw a ball 😂😂😂😂

[@jake-qn3tl]

@@travzimmerman1340 All praise goes to Apollo

[@seveglider8406]

@@jake-qn3tl I suggest You do some research! Hockey has been played in Europe for over 100 years. if it wasn't for European players, the NHL would never have expanded to more than a 12 team league.

[@jake-qn3tl]

@@seveglider8406 It doesn't change the fact that hockey is played by millions more people today. The training and nutrition and strategy is light years ahead of Bobbie's time. Let's not be silly.

[@ronaldhealy4466]

I grew up near Vancouver BC, but when I was 4 years old, Bobby Orr entered the league and I've been a Bruins fan ever since. If I'm not mistaken, Orr was the only defenseman to ever win the league scoring title, and he did it twice. Wayne Gretzky is the greatest goal scorer of all time, but would I rather have a team of Gretzkys or Orrs? I'll take the Orrs every time. :)

[@migmadmarine]

I watched him in his prime. His acceleration was outstanding. The only one in his class was bobby hull

[@MrKansaitim]

Some Montreal fans might disagree with you there if Hull is the only other choice.

[@boskey10]

The only reason the 72' Summit series was close because Orr and Hull weren't even playing for team Canada. The Two best players in the game at the time.

[@BrianK49]

IMHO, the 2 best players I have ever seen (to this day) and I have had the privilege of seeing many

[@donhuber9131]

They should have stuck with a set lineup for the entire series instead of showcasing too many players. Most players were not used to playing together, and it showed.

[@Ace96x10]

I think Bobby Clarke smashing Kharlamov's Foot played a huge part in that win as well. People never seem to mention that.

[@russelljdj]

For those who didn't see Orr play, you're too oblivious to understand. For those of us who did and know and many wonder... if Orr(and many others from that era) had the equipment today's players have plus the no 2 line off side... Imagine the 76- 79 Canadiens with that speed and no 2 line off side. Plus today's players could not handle the rough play. Orr is, was, and always will be the Greatest all around player ever.

[@Jeff-gq8sx]

As a Bruins fan back in the 1970s I'll never forget Bobby Orr killing penalties. He would take possession of the puck and skate rings around the team on the power play, killing off the clock. He also had a wicked slap shot. He was amazing!

[@RB-oc7ti]

Ya because most players back in that era couldn’t skate! He would not stand out much now…

[@eddiebostonful]

@@RB-oc7tiDream on….how old are you ? Did you ever watch him play ? Obviously NOT !!

[@Cultofpersonality09129]

He’s the Goat! His style totally changed Hockey.

[@TAYLORFAN50]

Gretzky is THE GOAT. Now finish your juice and go outside and play. 😏

[@Ontariosound]

Bobby Clarke made this comment : “Put 5 Gretzkys against 5 Orrs, no contest. I played against them both.” Bobby’s skating and physical play superiority were obvious.

[@josephwest6413]

Believe it.

[@danielosterman9676]

Clarke was a terrific talent himself. Loved #16.

[@joeblo5804]

@@danielosterman9676 I still remember the 1st time the NHL experimented with microphones near the player benches and the first thing I heard was Bobby Clarke yell the words : "You f*****g qu**r !!!" complete with all his missing teeth. That was soooo funny... then no more microphones. And yes he was a heck a talent himself.

[@appletile2887]

@@danielosterman9676 Most of these young people don't know that Bobby Clarke was a diabetic who had to inject insulin. Back then the hockey players were made of steel.

[@danielosterman9676]

@@appletile2887 I remember that. Clarke was/is both a special player as well as an example of HOW to overcome an obstacle that the world 🌎 throws your way.

[@kevin-um9ys]

The skates the players use today.. "could you imagine Bobby having them back in his day when he played.

[@danroux4010]

Had Orr not suffered so many knee injuries, there would be no argument about the greatest of all time. Its not only his point tally that puts him amongst the best. Its that watching him play was mesmerizing. I grew up a Habs fan in the 70s and Lafleur also had that mesmerizing quality. When Orr and Lafleur jumped on the ice, all eyes shifted to them. But of the two, Orr was still the better overall skater.

[@e.a.p3174]

Everyone has an opinion, I only saw Bobby Orr at the Canada cup in 1976, and you had the likes of Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur, Phil Esposito and all the greatest stars of the Soviet and Czech teams, there was no one on ice who who controlled the game like Bobby Orr. He was far above everyone else. Let’s just say players who are in a different league. Bobby, Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Connor McDavid . I live in Edmonton and was fortunate to see many great players

[@bruce8321]

You forgot Matthews Bud.

[@chizorama]

Bobby Clarke made a comment along the lines of Orr playing in a league above the NHL, dont remember it verbatim, but that's quite a comment coming from one hell of a player.

[@MrKansaitim]

Bobby Clarke was ruthless and dirty as hell.

[@larryfalk192]

​@@MrKansaitim..Yes..and in the H.H.O.F.

[@stooch66]

I have Lemieux, Gretz and Orr. And every other day I pick one of them as the greatest. If Orr played five more seasons, I may just go ahead and lock him in as #1, but if Lemieux had 5 more healthy seasons, I may do the same for him. Gotta give the final edge to Gretz for total accomplishments. But, I hate that Orr doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

[@rickbrenner7743]

Put 5 Gretzky's on the ice with 5 Orr's and 99 would never get to touch the puck.

[@kennywest831]

Gretzky had the best career, maybe. At their best, Orr was the better player.

[@MrMferg240]

you are omitting one big fact. nobody was allowed to even breath on GRETZY or they would be called for a penalty. that plus his enforcer teammates protecting him. ORR fought, took hard hits, and was tough as nails. ORR revolutionized the position as a defensemen who was a serious offensive threat. GRETZY was great, no doubt, but when you didn't have to worry about anyone giving you hard hits, then you end up playing as long as he did.

[@stooch66]

@@MrMferg240 am I required to write everything in a short KZbin comment? Next time, I will publish a 300 page book so I can cover all the arguments for you.

[@MrMferg240]

there is nothing to argue about.ORR was the best. period.@@stooch66

[@ml.2770]

Check your pronunciation of Bernie Parent's last name. My father watched Orr and Gretzky in their prime and still considers Orr the greater player as do many of his generation.

[@PhunkadelicBrain]

Ya that made me almost vomit to hear that pronunciation

[@lincolnmaceachern2410]

Elliotte Friedman, one of the ultimate hockey insiders, still mispronounces the name of former coach Gerard Gallant, rhyming it with Parent's name, rather than plant, which is the way everyone on Prince Edward Island has said it since time immemorial.

[@tomwilliams3783]

As long as we're on pronunciation, I have a note for all hockey broadcasters....there is no N in Parayko. @@lincolnmaceachern2410

[@appletile2887]

@@lincolnmaceachern2410 You should have heard the broadcaster Foster Hewitt of Toronto when he tried to say Yvan Cournoyer's name (he was called the Road Runner)

[@dougdaniels]

On top of his offense and defense, Orr had 47 fighting majors, against guys like Mahovlich and Irvine. Gretzky had 2.

[@northstar9797]

From what I saw back then, he was absolutely incredible. He could control the pace of the game and was the most skilled rushing defenseman I have ever seen. No defenseman since has come close. It's too bad his career was cut short.

[@RealMaxoou262]

Wayne was great, Mario was magnificent but Bobby was Bobby the best player to ever play in NHL! The only downside to Bobby is that he was a Bruins

[@stephanfoster5043]

Sorry if you never saw him play. There has never been a better player to lace up the skates then Bobby. It isn't even close.

[@brianharrington5593]

I'll be 78 this summer, and saw Bobby Orr when he was 13 years old play in a Midget tournament in Milton ON. He absolutely kicked butt in that tournament and was giving away 3-5 years difference in age. Skating was his real forte, quick acceleration and his stick handling skills for that age absolutely unbelievable. Saw Baldy Cotton and other top Bruins Brass at that tournament. Best player ever in my estimation!

[@christrudell7966]

In the '76 Canada Cup Bobby Clarke said he was the best player on both teams even with one bad leg. Nuff Said.

[@chizorama]

Could barely walk, but gutted it out on skates. Was hoping it would get mentioned in the video.

[@christrudell7966]

@@chizorama ever seen his leg? Looks like a road map.

[@seveglider8406]

Actually, Orr had 2 bad legs.

[@christrudell7966]

@@seveglider8406 you're right 👍

[@seveglider8406]

@@christrudell7966 Thank You!

[@1safety4all]

I was a kid and watched him play, he was amazing defense player, who could explode to offense instantly when he was a young healthy man

[@tomault3063]

A friend of mine from Canada was in a hockey camp as a teen. He told me the best kid in the camp was Bobby Orr, who was 12 at the time.

[@bln3576]

Growing up my best friends mom worked for O Pee Chee in London Ontario Canada. They made all the hockey cards. She would bring home 10 boxes of cards a day. Plus gum. We used to put his rookie card on our bikes to make noise in our spokes. Man I wish I had those days back. He was an icon.

[@jockejocke1]

They let employees take home 10 boxes a day? No wonder the company went defunct.

[@JBM425]

It doesn’t matter how Orr compares to players today. He was a pioneer who totally changed how defensemen played.

[@jazbuilding]

Great video and thanks for making it. I watched him as a wee lad and remember he could rag the puck and kill a penalty for 20 to 70 seconds all by himself. He was too agile and the the five skaters on the opposing team just couldn't get the puck away from him. I don't ever remember anyone doing it like he could. He also scored 2 empty net goals with slap shots from deep in his own end, I believe a first in the league. The 2nd was from behind the Bruins' goal line. There's little footage of him because WSBK, a UHF channel that televised the Bruins' games re-used the tape and recorded over it on subsequent games. Johnny Pierson, the color commentator, used to say to Fred Cusick (play by play) that you "can't stop what you can't see," being a tribute to how fast Bobby's slap shot could be, blistering by the goalie.

[@glenohs8521]

Can you imagine Bobby Orr and Dave Keon had played on the same team?

[@thewolfdoctor761]

Keon was my favorite player.

[@PeterBrown-mz4nv]

I forgot about Dave Keon!

[@grazynazambeanie5963]

Unlike today's " superstars " with Bobby Orr you gat your money's worth and a humble gentleman

[@randyhuke3773]

On one knee, he was still better than everyone else !

[@quebecforce111]

Nice, Super job, continue to make that kind of videos for the NHL legends. Next Maurice the Rocket Richard, Guy Lafleur,Mike Bossy, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne , Gilbert Perreault ?

[@TheHockeyVault]

Seems like the audience is liking these more, so will defintely continue to do so. The only problem is trying to source footage and content I can put behind the audio.

[@christopherhopkins949]

The video was awful when it came to facts, there were 32 major factual mistakes in this video.

[@lawrenceconstantine7735]

Bobby ORR Is the best hockey player I have ever seen He changed the game of Hockey. Just imagine if he played forward.

[@appletile2887]

Actually Harry Sinden tried but figured as a forward he'd only get 20 minutes of ice time while as a defenseman he would get 40.

[@Mark-fx4uj]

Turning down the Blackhawks offer set an example of the kind of man Orr was. Always humble and a class act in interviews only to be betrayed by Eagleson. Can you imagine the Canada Russia Super series with a healthy Bobby Orr? The debate about who was the best all time will never be settled because of the different eras of hockey, but for myself his humility is enough to settle it for me. Saw him play in Oshawa as a 15 year old and the fans rose to their feet every time he carried the puck. Pure brilliance and tough as nails, "to Sanderson to Orr, Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup" still gives me the shivers!!

[@jh-il5sb]

I grew up in philly and was amazed how unstoppable that guy was. He was to hockey what Lawrence Taylor was to football

[@TheBennie102103]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's in Rhode Island, and when it came to sports for me it was Yaz & Orr :)

[@kevinwalsh4652]

I'm 65, back then on tv, it was 12, 10, & 6...then 56 and 38, I loved the opening Bruins theme song, still remember it. Dallas Smith, John MacKenzie, Derek Sanderson, Ted Green, Don Marcotte, Wayne Cashman, Phil Esposito, Gerry Cheevers, John Bucyk. (getting old sucks 😢)

[@TheBennie102103]

@@kevinwalsh4652 check out Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Nut Rocker", it always makes me think of the Bruins on Ch 38 :)

[@fdroepman8351]

So smooth and fast 2 to 3 strides between the lines, amazing skater. Mike Gartner was the same way.

[@samuelluria4744]

Loved them both! I still despise Messier, for getting Mike Gartner removed from the roster. He should have been on the Cup team. Regardless of all the naysayers.

[@fdroepman8351]

@@samuelluria4744 Agreed!

[@danielosterman9676]

Gartner was amazingly fast.

[@samuelluria4744]

@@danielosterman9676 - I can still picture him crossing the neutral zone in 3 strides...

[@danielosterman9676]

@@samuelluria4744 Amazing talent.

[@paulgillespie542]

Nice video. Played some hockey as kid, but never played well on ice. More street hockey. My favorite player was Bobby at age 7 and I never knew why until now. I watched a bunch of hockey with my Dad at ages 4-7.

[@gilbertdubay6297]

Bobby Orr did more for hockey than any other player!! If you lived in New England you saw arenas go up in just about every town!!

[@kevinkhoy7171]

Excellent Reacher! Those were the Great Daze 🤕 of the NHL. No Helmets, "Balls To The Wall" Every Match! #4 Bobby Orr with Phil Esposito. It was the Stanley Cup intensity Every Game!

[@sibbyeskie]

Dude was in those old leather skates flying around the ice. I once pulled out my old skates form the mid 90s and couldn’t skate in them anymore I had gotten so used to these stiff boots today. Amazing how much equipment changes the game. Orr has to be up there along Gretzky and Lemieux.

[@KIIDKYAAS]

I've read Simmons saying that Orr was forgotten but in my mind he was the most complete Hockey player without comparison

[@lincolnmaceachern2410]

I read Simmons too. He talked about Orr being forgotten in the context of the buildup to the All Star Game. I wonder if there's bitterness in the media about Orr's response to CBC's firing of Don Cherry; I'm sure if Ron MacLean offered Orr a handshake, Orr would tell him to piss off.

[@KIIDKYAAS]

Bobby Orr is from the old school never forget how he changed the game!@@lincolnmaceachern2410

[@Andyanddiana467]

I love these videos. I find that among younger hockey fans, there's too much recency bias - e.g., lots of "GOAT hype" regarding guys like Makar, without acknowledging that Orr (and Paul Coffey, another great rushing d-man) walked so they can run.

[@TheHockeyVault]

Looking to put the spotlight on some of the guys who made the league what it is today! Seems thats what others are liking as well :D

[@user-gw9sk1zy4s]

I've never seen another hockey player skate like bobby orr, his combination of power, fluidty, and raw speed was truly unprecedented. And that only describes the beginnings of his skill set. Bobby was the celestial shooting star of hockey. His career was cut short by injuries, Maybe his stay in hockey was not sufficiently long enough to be acknowledged as the greatest player of all time, yet there is no doubt in my mind, after watching his entire career, that he is the most physically gifted and talented athlete to ever play the game.

[@appletile2887]

I often wondered if Babe Ruth reincarnated into Bobby Orr. Ruth started out as an outstanding pitcher for the Boston Red Sox but was converted into an outfielder for the New York Yankees. He tore up the league records with home runs and was known as the King of Swat. He hit a record 714 Home runs and 2,214 RBI's without steroids during his 14 years with the Yankees. Both men played defence and were feared for their offense they both brought to their teams

[@LarryJung-ng5yj]

Bobby Orr was a amazing hockey player and a nice man too !. Bobby Orr also played great hockey for Team Canada in 1976 in the Canada Cup series.

[@Ontariosound]

His knees were disintegrating, yet he played like a warrior. Today’s “Load Management” babies take note. And Bobby could fight.

[@marcleblanc6293]

In his prime......he was amazing , loved watching him rush up ice and score.

[@GaryPelow]

There has only been one defenseman to win the scoring title (Art Ross Trophy). AND he did it twice. Bobby Orr- Simply the best ever.

[@oatis053]

Bobby was probably at least ten times better than anyone his was up against. Bobby Clark said of him, He should be in a league above this, or something to that effect.

[@ehoffman2260]

Orr is the Goat. Orr’s plus/minus per game average is light years higher than anyone else’s.

[@richardn8866]

Not only hockey, he is one of the greatest athletes of all time.

[@Gman-NY]

Awesome video

[@GassersGhost]

Greatest all around hockey player e v e r.

[@ront769]

We all know who the Great One is. Orr was the best D-man ever. We all know that too.

[@GassersGhost]

Give me 5 Orrs vs ANY 5 whoever. Orr in 6 games. Dude is the only one in top 5 that could play D.

[@knightrider693]

​@@GassersGhostu could argue other players since were better defenceman tho he has no records. Noone was a better forward/center than Gretzky who still owns all the records lol😂

[@dannycarlow8204]

Can't wait for Tyler Myers' prime video to come out. Should be enough content for a three part epic.

[@Geronmarf]

the chaos giraffe?😂

[@metalmarty3948]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bjdon99]

I was a kid in MA when Orr played for the Bs. Everyone played hockey back then

[@theallseeingmaster]

Bobby Orr was the only reason I watched the NHL on TV.

[@alessandrapirelli7040]

I saw Bobby play at Maple Leaf Gardens ... he was spellbinding! I sat with him at an airport decades later. What a gentleman!! (Even after I brought up the Jim Dorey fight. Not sure he appreciated it since he got pummeled!)

[@knightwatchman]

You had to see him in person to really appreciate his skills. Luckily, I was able to. And boy, could he fight.

[@DannyK-pj8sr]

That is true he was too fast for the TV cameras, no joke. He would be up ice when the Bruins turned over the puck, the opposing team would cross the Bruins' Blue line, and Bobby was there to defend. Watching on TV we had no idea how he could get back so quick. In-person we saw he turned on a dime, and hit full speed in one stride, he was like a steak of lightning getting back to his defensive position amazing

[@PeterBrown-mz4nv]

I didn't know he was a good fighter. I maybe remember one time I saw him throw his gloves. In his book he does say that unfortunately fighting is sometimes necessary because the potential later retaliations would likely be way worse.

[@lincolnmaceachern2410]

I was back and forth wit someone online who called Lemieux the greatest player ever. I consider him 4th behind Gretzky and Orr ( virtual dead heat ) and Gordie Howe ( Gretzky and Orr agree Howe was the greatest ever ). I was shocked when a friend said he wouldn't pick Orr as the greatest Dman ever. I gave him a look like "we can't talk hockey anymore." I disgustedly asked him, and he said "Nik Lidstrom." My point to him: if the '70's goalies were so bad, why didn't Brad Park, Denis Potvin or Borje Salming not post stats that come within miles of Orr's.?

[@beatlejim64]

Bobby Orr stands alone at the top...he changed everything....

[@Soxruleyanksdrool]

From Wikipedia: "Orr is the only defenseman to win the scoring title, doing so in 1970 and 1975 with Boston, and in 1970 he became the first player to capture four individual awards in a single season as he won the Hart, Norris, and Conn Smythe Trophies that year as well." That should tell you all you need to know. Bobby Orr was as good as anyone who ever played in the NHL.

[@mummra7]

i remember having dinner with bobby circa 1980 and he told us flat out that he would not let his kids play hockey, so i was only about 10 or so but in retrospect i think the politics of the game really left him rather disgruntled. looking at the way eagleson did him and the ridiculously soft prison sentence he, eagleson received for all his dirty dealings solidifies my belief.

[@derekcole2638]

How good was Bobby Orr? He was the best that ever was and the best that ever will be.

[@bobcandon3977]

I will never forget Orr bringing the puck up the ice almost alone shooting the puck through a defenseman's legs and scoring. Orr was so fast he burned his knees up.

[@andrewphillips8790]

Before Bobby, defensemen were rarely any kind of offensive weapon, the thing was the shot from the point, Bobby would skate in the offensive zone, but also did his job on defensive side! Just imagine if he would have had access to modern knee rehabilitation/surgeries, etcetera!

[@guynotes777]

Best I ever saw...and I was able to see him in Oshawa as we lived in Whitby, just next town over..

[@davidd5407]

GOAT. Those that don't think that never saw him play. He could do everything 99 could do. But 99 could not do everything Orr could do And Orr did a lot of that on one good leg.

[@thecaptainonline]

Orr was tripped after that Stanley Cup winning goal by Noel Picard of the Blues.

[@hitchensghost]

The best praise I ever heard was that Orr would step on the ice , get the puck, and the other team wouldn't see it again until he stepped off.

[@appletile2887]

Bobby Hull (the Golden Jet) in a biography of Orr related that when he first saw Orr play, during a time-out (tv commercial) skated up to the referee and said something like this.....I guess the only thing we can do about the kid (Orr) is you give him a puck and another for the rest of the 2 teams so we get a chance to play with it when he's on the ice.....

[@michaelwhalen4337]

A lot of people don’t know this but Bobby took figure skating lessons for balance! That’s a big reason he skated so effortlessly. He was the GOAT IMHO #4 Bobby Orr 🙏🙏

[@stevegaudreau67]

How good? HOW GOOD?! You mean HOW GREAT! THAT'S BOBBY ORR

[@my56chevy]

Orr was the Elite of the elite and then some. There will never be anyone like him. He won awards that traditionally only forwards won. If you've never seen Bobby Orr play you can't appreciate how great he was. Gretzky, Howe and Lemieux have all said that Orr was the best to ever play the game!!

[@itsnotme-jl9jt]

At age 37, game 7, While 23 year old Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito were on the ice, Jean Beliveau scored 3 points. Then collected his 10th Stanley Cup.

[@Insignia6]

Arguably the best to ever do it.

[@lessthanthreemetal]

It's hard to say if he's truly the best of all time because we were robbed of his ultimate potential. Same as Lemieux.

[@casario2808]

His 1976 Canada Cup performance was heroic. Only one leg basically and still won tourny MVP.

[@Daniel-oo1ud]

Can you imagine? If Bruins had not taken Gibb 1st pick in 68 or 69 draft they could have had B. Park? What a duo . Orr wouldn't have to put in so much ice time probably lasted another 10 years.

[@jamesanthony5681]

Brad Park very easily could have been Leaf property if not for a tiff between Punch Imlach and the Park family.

[@Daniel-oo1ud]

@jamesanthony5681 I know he love the Maple Leaf Gardens

[@eddiebostonful]

I haven’t read all the comments, but it must be said; it seems not possible, but he was, and still is, a better person than a hockey player. A complete gentleman !!

[@derekwiley40]

Simply the best natural talent ever. No one has impacted the game as he did. When he got the puck, the game was his to control! Once saw him kill 1:20 of a penalty by himself by skating from one end of the ice to the other. He stopped behind the other net and had both defencemen wondering what to do. Unbelievable!

[@v0n1b0]

Who wore number 4 in Bobby Orr's first All-Star game (1968)? Jean Beliveau

[@lesilluminations1]

This recital of statistics doesn't come close to showing the impact Orr had on the game. When he was on the ice the whole game revolved around him. And he seemed to be on the ice all the time. As a Canadiens fan watching him play at the old forum, I was terrified when he had the puck. And he always seemed to have the puck. When he went into overdrive and launched his thrilling end-to-end rushes, the whole crowd was on its feet. He was a unique player who stands right next to Gretzky as the greatest players the game has ever seen.

[@knightrider693]

Who's a better skater Orr or McDavid?

[@lesilluminations1]

@@knightrider693 I would give McDavid the edge in speed but Orr the edge in 360 degree mobility.

[@dotarsojat7725]

I’ll tune in for your vid on Gordie Howe, who, according to Bobby Orr, was THE BEST.

[@philrobertson5459]

You'd think that today, they could take the Boston Gardens rink measurements and Orr's speed on film and ascertain what his general skating speed was in that era. Perhaps using blue and red lines as yardsticks. Wouldn't that be interesting? Somebody do it for fun!

[@kennywest831]

He was the best defensive, offensive, and clutch player in his sport. By far. No one else can say that in any major sport.

[@stever2583]

#1 in my book... He is the GOAT, best skater, brilliant mind and vision, tough as nails (targeted every game he played) Good Man! Humble!

[@dads1962]

As a defencemen, he was THE GOAT

[@knightwatchman]

That's true. But if you watch him on defense, and although he was the best skater of his time, he could barely skate backwards. I don't think it was something he ever needed to develop since he was so offensive minded.

[@leodrosia4369]

I think if orr had a healthy 15 years in nhl then he wouldve been the no doubt nhl goat, bruins fan. Gordie Howe said it was a tragedy that he had to retire before age 30

[@edzanjero353]

Would sure love to see you do a review of the 74-75 L.A. Kings, a very average team, losing to the Canadiens in point totals of the entire NHL on the last day of the season, but which had a Cinderella season with Bob Pulford employing a strict defensive strategy. The team had no big names, with the exception of a young Butch Goring. It was a season which should not have happened for the Kings, but it happened.

[@Ejb905]

Ive been around for 56 years. Ive seen the best players from the early 70's till now. I barely saw Orr in his prime but he was the best player ever. Lemieux i saw growing up in Montreal dominating games in local junior. I saw Gretsky who if anyone could challenge Orr it would be the Great One Orr had 2 demons, his knees and not good enough goalies. The Bruins should have won 4 consecutive cups, 2 was ok

[@ORagnar]

That was a great overview of his career, but it would have been nice to see some highlights. 4/7/24, 5:44 p.m.