seventieslord
Student Of The Game
Bobby Orr is still considered the greatest defenseman of all-time, and for good reason. No need to state the whole bucket of reasons. I was thinking today, what would his career offensive numbers look like if his career had not been derailed by injuries starting in 1975? Go ahead and make your projections.
Now I wouldn't expect him to play 22 years and 1600 games like Bourque. For whatever reason, the generation that began from 1978-1984 seems to be the one that did this with regularity. I would think he'd have a career path more similar to Brad Park, who started just two years after Orr. I'm also making the assumption that if he remained healthy, he would have been a lifelong Bruin. I also don't think he would play forever for no good reason, he'd do like Lemieux and retire even though he could still play, just not at the elite level he was used to.
Here's mine:
1966-67 Boston Bruins NHL 61 13 28 41
1967-68 Boston Bruins NHL 46 11 20 31
1968-69 Boston Bruins NHL 67 21 43 64
1969-70 Boston Bruins NHL 76 33 87 120
1970-71 Boston Bruins NHL 78 37 102 139
1971-72 Boston Bruins NHL 76 37 80 117
1972-73 Boston Bruins NHL 63 29 72 101
1973-74 Boston Bruins NHL 74 32 90 122
1974-75 Boston Bruins NHL 80 46 89 135
1975-76 Boston Bruins NHL 80 45 105 150
1976-77 Boston Bruins NHL 72 39 88 127
1977-78 Boston Bruins NHL 75 37 92 129
1978-79 Boston Bruins NHL 69 30 80 110
1979-80 Boston Bruins NHL 78 34 85 119
1980-81 Boston Bruins NHL 65 25 65 90
1981-82 Boston Bruins NHL 70 18 62 80
1982-83 Boston Bruins NHL 73 16 60 76
1983-84 Boston Bruins NHL 65 14 55 69
1984-85 Boston Bruins NHL 50 8 40 48
Career Totals after 19 seasons, retiring at age 37:
NHL Totals 1273 525 1343 1868
He would pass Gordie Howe for 1st all-time in points in his 30th game in 84-85. Just four years later, Wayne Gretzky would pass him, and 15 more years later, Mark Messier would squeak by. There would be no debate about the best player of all-time, as the only thing that holds Orr back in reality is his longevity - whether you believe this is fair or not... I personally do.
Comments?
Now I wouldn't expect him to play 22 years and 1600 games like Bourque. For whatever reason, the generation that began from 1978-1984 seems to be the one that did this with regularity. I would think he'd have a career path more similar to Brad Park, who started just two years after Orr. I'm also making the assumption that if he remained healthy, he would have been a lifelong Bruin. I also don't think he would play forever for no good reason, he'd do like Lemieux and retire even though he could still play, just not at the elite level he was used to.
Here's mine:
1966-67 Boston Bruins NHL 61 13 28 41
1967-68 Boston Bruins NHL 46 11 20 31
1968-69 Boston Bruins NHL 67 21 43 64
1969-70 Boston Bruins NHL 76 33 87 120
1970-71 Boston Bruins NHL 78 37 102 139
1971-72 Boston Bruins NHL 76 37 80 117
1972-73 Boston Bruins NHL 63 29 72 101
1973-74 Boston Bruins NHL 74 32 90 122
1974-75 Boston Bruins NHL 80 46 89 135
1975-76 Boston Bruins NHL 80 45 105 150
1976-77 Boston Bruins NHL 72 39 88 127
1977-78 Boston Bruins NHL 75 37 92 129
1978-79 Boston Bruins NHL 69 30 80 110
1979-80 Boston Bruins NHL 78 34 85 119
1980-81 Boston Bruins NHL 65 25 65 90
1981-82 Boston Bruins NHL 70 18 62 80
1982-83 Boston Bruins NHL 73 16 60 76
1983-84 Boston Bruins NHL 65 14 55 69
1984-85 Boston Bruins NHL 50 8 40 48
Career Totals after 19 seasons, retiring at age 37:
NHL Totals 1273 525 1343 1868
He would pass Gordie Howe for 1st all-time in points in his 30th game in 84-85. Just four years later, Wayne Gretzky would pass him, and 15 more years later, Mark Messier would squeak by. There would be no debate about the best player of all-time, as the only thing that holds Orr back in reality is his longevity - whether you believe this is fair or not... I personally do.
Comments?