Bobby Orr style?

[Hug Ben Laf]

Hello everyone, I have several thread about Bobby Orr the past year so I can figure out how great Bobby Orr was. I was wondering this, which d-men from the 90s till now have the same playing style like Bobby Orr? not great as Bobby Orr as I dont think there have been any d-men in the 90s to now that have been as great as Bobby Orr. But there must have been someone who have play a same style as Bobby Orr right? if right then whom is it?

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[acr*]

There is nobody like Bobby Orr. That guy could kill off a 2-minute powerplay by himself. He also scored on a lot of end to end rushes, which is discouraged by the defense-only coaches of today's game.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

There is nobody like Bobby Orr. That guy could kill off a 2-minute powerplay by himself. He also scored on a lot of end to end rushes, which is discouraged by the defense-only coaches of today's game.

Yes I know there is nobody like Orr, but there must be someone who play like him? but maybe not as successful.

 

[Lowetide]

The problem is that there isn't any one. I know that sounds like some old guy missing the past, but Orr was unique. Unique when he arrived, unique when he played, and unique in retirement.

Orr in his own zone could look after business. He was strong and could get from A to B. He didn't fight, but the few times he dropped them enough to hold his own and he didn't back down that I ever saw or heard.

With the puck, he was pure genius. One of the things those old videos of him don't really show is that he was changing gears on those rushes. It looks like the defender was slow, but that wasn't it. Orr came over the blue line, the defender measured him against where he was on the ice, and THEN Orr hit another gear. He passed defensemen like they were a house on the side of the road and in real time it was breathtaking.

He could make a pass and he could take a pass, and Orr could shoot the puck low on the ice to be tipped or go top shelf on a two-on-one.

 

[Macman]

Jay Bouwmeester skates a lot like Orr did. He has unbelievable wheels and has the ability to be at top speed in a couple of strides like Orr did, but that's where the similarities end.

Paul Coffey was about as close as you're going to get to Orr in terms of skating and offensive ability, but Orr was much better defensively.

 

[Accord]

Jay Bouwmeester skates a lot like Orr did.

In a recent issue of The Hockey News where Bobby Orr was interviewed, he was asked which player in today's NHL most reminds him of himself and Orr named Jay Bouwmeester .

 

[Macman]

In a recent issue of The Hockey News where Bobby Orr was interviewed, he was asked which player in today's NHL most reminds him of himself and Orr named Jay Bouwmeester .

It's uncanny, really, how similar their skating styles are. The difference, of course, is that Jay-Bo is six-four or whatever while Orr was six foot. J-Bo is already probably the best skating big man in the history of the game.

 

[mcphee]

Orr had the ability to stay in a lower gear and leave you standing still when he needed to acclerate. I can't think of anyone who played his style, esp. in terms of innovation. You can mention Coffey and J Bo but what you're really saying is that they are great skaters, which they are.

 

[Beakermania*]

Noone combined offense and defence the way orr did. He holds the NHL record for +/- in a season at some absurd number like +120 or +140 or something, not sure the exact number but its ridiculous. Consider +40 is usually enough to win the title the last ten years.

 

[JSmith81x]

Noone combined offense and defence the way orr did. He holds the NHL record for +/- in a season at some absurd number like +120 or +140 or something, not sure the exact number but its ridiculous. Consider +40 is usually enough to win the title the last ten years.

+124 in 1970-71. Next season he was "only" +86.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080...7902&type=Player&page=statsawards&list=#photo

 

[Buffaloed]

He didn't fight, but the few times he dropped them enough to hold his own and he didn't back down that I ever saw or heard.

He dropped 'em more than a few times (4-5 times a season) and took on some pretty tough customers (Pat Quinn, Dave Schultz,Ted Harris etc). Officially he was only in 39 fights, but in those days it really had to be a fight to get a major. I remember when he went at it with Jim Schoenfeld. They exchanged blows for quite awhile with Orr landing the better shots until Schoenfeld tackled him to the ice. It was Schoenfeld's 3rd or 4th fight of the game and he was a bit out of gas.

Orr had the best of every attribute (except knees) you want in a player. There was no area of the game where he didn't excel. There's been a lot of great defensemen over the years; Harvey, Horton, Park, Potvin, Langway, Salming, Chelios, Bourque, etc, but Orr was in a class by himself. He's the kind of player that comes around once in a generation.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Does anyone who have watched Orr play know how physical he was? was he physical like Jovo? Blake? or more like Foote as I have often heard.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Does anyone who have watched Orr play know how physical he was? was he physical like Jovo? Blake? or more like Foote as I have often heard.

No one know?

 

[Macman]

No one know?

I wouldn't say he was as physical as any of them. He had the puck so much he didn't have to be. Orr didn't shy away from rough stuff, but he was so dominating offensively the puck was in the other team's end a lot more than his.

 

[mcphee]

Does anyone who have watched Orr play know how physical he was? was he physical like Jovo? Blake? or more like Foote as I have often heard.

I would say he was physical like a lot of d men in a puck retrieval mode. He could bounce people in the corners and win battles, sort of like Bourque, but didn't look for big hits. As posted, he usually had the puck, and the opposition's rush was often directed to his partner's side [usually Dallas Smith]. He wasn't wired mean like Potvin for example, or Jovo, but he had a temper, and could lose it when angered.
Montreal played him like they played Ray Bourque, they put the puck in his corner and forced him to beat 2 men or pass off. They had limited success with this tactic, as after all, they were trying to limit Bobby Orr, and they had a more mobile defense than most if he did beat 2 fore checkers. Highlight films don't really show all he could do as he would make plays that others wouldn't imagine, he would see possibilities on the ice that wouldn't occur to 99% of players. He was like Gretzky in this way. As much of a Hab fan as I am, and as much as I can bug B's fans about playoff results, if Orr had been healthy, the 70's might tell a different story.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Montreal played him like they played Ray Bourque, they put the puck in his corner and forced him to beat 2 men or pass off. They had limited success with this tactic, as after all, they were trying to limit Bobby Orr, and they had a more mobile defense than most if he did beat 2 fore checkers. Highlight films don't really show all he could do as he would make plays that others wouldn't

That was Fred Shero's strategy in the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals. Every dump in was to go into Orr's corner. The plan was to hit him as much as possible to try and wear him out.

He logged so much icetime and him carrying the puck was such a huge part of the Bruins game plan. The plan worked and by game 6, Orr was exhausted, and while still the best skater on the ice, he lacked that extra gear he usually had.

 

[Gee Wally]

I would say he was physical like a lot of d men in a puck retrieval mode. He could bounce people in the corners and win battles, sort of like Bourque, but didn't look for big hits. As posted, he usually had the puck, and the opposition's rush was often directed to his partner's side [usually Dallas Smith]. He wasn't wired mean like Potvin for example, or Jovo, but he had a temper, and could lose it when angered.
Montreal played him like they played Ray Bourque, they put the puck in his corner and forced him to beat 2 men or pass off. They had limited success with this tactic, as after all, they were trying to limit Bobby Orr, and they had a more mobile defense than most if he did beat 2 fore checkers. Highlight films don't really show all he could do as he would make plays that others wouldn't imagine, he would see possibilities on the ice that wouldn't occur to 99% of players. He was like Gretzky in this way. As much of a Hab fan as I am, and as much as I can bug B's fans about playoff results, if Orr had been healthy, the 70's might tell a different story.

mcphee about sums it up best.

Orr was tough enough. He addressed it early in his career that he wouldn't back down from anybody.

And while most talk about his prolific scoring what shouldn't be overlooked is that along with averaging 1.4 points per game..he also averaged 1.4 pims per game.

He was pretty well rounded in that respect.

http://www.bruins-legends.com/O/orr.htm

 

[mcphee]

mcphee about sums it up best.

Orr was tough enough. He addressed it early in his career that he wouldn't back down from anybody.

And while most talk about his prolific scoring what shouldn't be overlooked is that along with averaging 1.4 points per game..he also averaged 1.4 pims per game.

He was pretty well rounded in that respect.

http://www.bruins-legends.com/O/orr.htm

Actually I didn't sum it up too well at all. I just noticed that I actually said,'he has a temper and could lose it when angered'. Now if someone said that to me, I'd be teasing them for quite a while. Yup, I sure do lose my temper when soemone makes me mad.

 

[Mothra]

There really isnt a good comparison......many have mentioned the other great skating dmen....but the thing that seperated Orr from the rest of those guys (in terms of playing style offensively) was he went for it all the time....for lack of a better term he went balls out. If there was just the slightest chance he could split the D or beat someone wide along the boards....he would do it.....even if it was clear he would get hammered....and he seemed to do this all the time

someone said he didnt fight often...thats nonsense....I read somewhere recently that one of his Art Ross years he had 8 fighting majors...

 

[jiggs 10]

Yep, nobody today plays like Orr did. It wasn't just his skating, it was EVERYTHING. He didn't have a weakness in hockey (except for his left knee). I don't really see it in Jay Bo, but I've not seen him play all that much so...

Combine Coffey, Bourque, Stevens, and Foote and you will come close to Orr. And had he not injuried the knees, he probably would have set records that would still be around today for defensemen (points, career +/-, goals, assists, Cup rings, etc.)