No ****. I don't know where this Orpik comparison thing is coming from...
... they're not even remotely comparable players style-wise and skill-wise. If he maintains his physicality and continues to develop his game he will end up a more valuable player than Orpik ever was. He just won't be running around pancaking people into the boards all night like Orpik did earlier in his career. Orpik was a purely defensive, physical D man in his prime. He didn't skate that great, pass that great, and had virtually no offensive upside. He was an intimidator.
Despres is going to be an all-around, highly mobile, two-way D with some physicality and punch but who has plenty over Orpik in the skating, vision / passing and shooting departments. It may take a couple years for him to fully get there now that he's not being ****ed up by this organization but he will get there IMO.
And in case anyone is going to bring it up, Orpik's skating only improved markedly towards the end of his time here. Unfortunately not too long before the wheels came off all together from injuries and all that physical play taking its toll. But, no idea why anyone would try to compare the two. Different types of player, different skill levels too. Pretty pointless exercise whether it's June and we're bored or not.