Bobby Orr was a magician with the puck, that was a given. Orr was the 1970s hockey answer to Mario Lemieux in terms of a playing career cut short due to injury. On one knee, Orr had more talent than most players of his era. The man was simply one of the five greatest players in league history.
The question is...what if Orr played twenty years instead of ten? How different would the Boston Bruins (would he have even been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks) and the NHL in general if Orr had two good knees to work with? Heck, try imagining Orr playing with Gretzky during a Canada Cup or All-Star game...that alone gets people irriatated at the fates!
2007-10-15 15:06:02 · 14 answers · asked by Snoop 5 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Trombass- To me, it is one of the many reasons why I admire Yzerman as a man and as a hockey player. To change his game for the good of the team is one thing, but to play hurt constantly, that is guts in a nutshell.
2007-10-15 15:24:53 · update #1
Zam- I agree with you about Neely. The guy had something about him that transcended hockey in Boston. Hell, I couldn't stand Ulf after that cheap shot!
LITY- I was unaware that the NHL had free agency back in the 1970s. I had always thought Orr was traded to Chicago, that and the free agent era in the NHL began in the 1990s.
2007-10-15 15:41:09 · update #2
LITY- I was commenting on the NHL's free agency system. I had an idea about the WHA's system. I just didn't think that the free agency predated baseball's system (an area that I have much more knowledge in than the hockey free agency). Baseball's system is what I'm more familiar with, especially with the Messersmith/McNally/J. Hunter situations.
2007-10-16 07:11:22 · update #3
First of all, Orr wasn't traded. He became a free agent after the 1975-76 season
On May 16, 1976. Harry Sinden offered Orr a contract. Orr turned it down.
On June 24, 1976, William Wirtz offered Orr a 2 yr contract valued at $2.2MM. Orr accepted the contract. Prior to this, Tony Esposito was the league's highest paid player at $350,000.
Had Orr been healthy, I think the Rangers or Montreal sign him. If Montreal signs him, I don't think we have an Islanders dynasty. If the Rangers sign him, that reunites Esposito and Orr, and even though they were in their early 30s in 1978, I think the Rangers are contender (JD was a weak goalie regardless of the D in front of him)
Snoop...........how do you think all those players signed with the WHA?
2007-10-15 15:25:05 · answer #1 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If Boston traded a perfectly healthly Orr, then they just proved themselves as idiots. But seriously, if Orr played for a couple more years, Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque wouldn't even be mentioned for most points as defensemen. I think if Orr played for longer, the NHL wouldn't have been all clutch and grab. It would have be much more open and defensemen would be encouraged to carry the puck more, like Orr.
2007-10-15 16:26:03 · answer #2 · answered by hockey craze99 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
His achievements would be even greater. The only D to ever lead the league in scoring, not once but twice! 8 Norris trophy's. The best defenseman I ever saw. Don't know if the Canadiens would have won four straight either.
2007-10-15 16:40:40 · answer #3 · answered by Laying Low- Not an Ivy Leaguer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We saw what a one legged Bobby Orr could do when he was surrounded by stars in the inaugral Canada Cup. He was simply dominant. He won tourney MVP and even the Russian players asked for his autograph.
2007-10-15 15:33:02 · answer #4 · answered by PuckDat 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
His career stats would probably equal those of Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey.
I also always wondered the same about Mario Lemieux if he didn't have to take time off to battle Hodgkin's disease and even briefly retire.
2007-10-15 19:21:54 · answer #5 · answered by DLG 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hate to simplify a really good question, but, he'd be the Bobby Orr everyone remembers, only for a longer period of time. If there's any records for defensemen he didn't put his name on, fill him in for those, too.
2007-10-15 19:36:57 · answer #6 · answered by cme 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
He'd still be behind Gretzky among the all-time greats but he'd challenge Gordie Howe for #2.
2007-10-15 15:10:16 · answer #7 · answered by Zeeshan V 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like Yzerman, minus playing only ten years part. He played a good portion on one good knee.
2007-10-15 15:10:45 · answer #8 · answered by trombass08 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
He would have been signed by Toronto, gotten so fed up he would have chewed both arms off and held his breath till his toes dropped off. Still would be better than Mc Cabe or Kabina.
2007-10-15 16:39:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I ask myself the same question often about Cam Neely, he was a hero of mine growing up and I wish he could have played longer.
2007-10-15 15:09:40 · answer #10 · answered by Zam 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋