The results below compare Orr to Lidstrom, Pronger, Blake and Niedermayer. (Let me know if you want to see the numbers for any other players). Not surprisingly, their adjusted offensive stats aren't even close to Orr's. Number four outscored every player here except Lidstrom despite having a much shorter career. It took Lidstrom over 1,100 games to surpass Orr's 700-game total.
In terms of peak numbers, it's even more one-sided. The career high for the four modern players is 81 points from Lidstrom. Orr topped that six times in his career (with five 100 point seasons). In other words, the best offensive output, from the best modern defenseman, would have merely been the 7th best season in Orr's incredible career.
None of the four modern players have scored 25 goals in a season; Orr did it six years in a row, including a career high of 41 goals. Only Lidstrom has recorded more than 60 assists in a season (he did it once, with 61 assists). Orr exceeded that total six years in a row (with a career high of 99 assists, more than 50% ahead of any other player listed below).
I don't think these results are surprising at all. Orr stands far above the best players of the modern era.
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Orr
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Year|GP|G|A|Pts
1967 | 71 | 15 | 30 | 44
1968 | 50 | 12 | 20 | 32
1969 | 72 | 21 | 41 | 62
1970 | 82 | 35 | 89 | 124
1971 | 82 | 37 | 99 | 136
1972 | 80 | 37 | 78 | 116
1973 | 66 | 27 | 64 | 91
1974 | 78 | 31 | 84 | 115
1975 | 82 | 41 | 75 | 116
1976 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 15
1977 | 21 | 4 | 17 | 20
1979 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3
TOTAL | 700 | 265 | 610 | 875[/table]
Lidstrom
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Year|GP|G|A|Pts
1992 | 82 | 10 | 43 | 54
1993 | 82 | 6 | 27 | 33
1994 | 82 | 10 | 42 | 51
1995 | 73 | 18 | 27 | 46
1996 | 81 | 17 | 48 | 65
1997 | 79 | 17 | 44 | 60
1998 | 80 | 21 | 48 | 69
1999 | 81 | 17 | 49 | 66
2000 | 81 | 23 | 57 | 81
2001 | 82 | 17 | 60 | 77
2002 | 78 | 11 | 57 | 68
2003 | 82 | 22 | 48 | 70
2004 | 81 | 12 | 32 | 44
2006 | 80 | 17 | 61 | 78
2007 | 80 | 14 | 49 | 63
TOTAL | 1204 | 234 | 692 | 925[/table]
Pronger
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Year|GP|G|A|Pts
1994 | 79 | 5 | 23 | 27
1995 | 73 | 9 | 15 | 25
1996 | 78 | 7 | 17 | 24
1997 | 79 | 12 | 25 | 37
1998 | 81 | 11 | 31 | 42
1999 | 67 | 16 | 37 | 53
2000 | 79 | 16 | 52 | 68
2001 | 51 | 9 | 42 | 51
2002 | 78 | 9 | 45 | 54
2003 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4
2004 | 80 | 17 | 46 | 63
2006 | 80 | 13 | 42 | 55
2007 | 66 | 14 | 46 | 60
TOTAL | 897 | 140 | 424 | 564[/table]
Blake
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Year|GP|G|A|Pts
1990 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0
1991 | 77 | 11 | 30 | 42
1992 | 58 | 7 | 11 | 18
1993 | 74 | 14 | 34 | 48
1994 | 82 | 19 | 43 | 63
1995 | 41 | 7 | 12 | 19
1996 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3
1997 | 62 | 9 | 24 | 33
1998 | 81 | 28 | 31 | 59
1999 | 62 | 15 | 26 | 40
2000 | 77 | 21 | 42 | 63
2001 | 67 | 22 | 43 | 65
2002 | 75 | 20 | 45 | 65
2003 | 79 | 21 | 31 | 51
2004 | 74 | 16 | 38 | 54
2006 | 81 | 15 | 35 | 50
2007 | 72 | 16 | 20 | 35
TOTAL | 1073 | 241 | 467 | 708[/table]
Niedermayer
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Year|GP|G|A|Pts
1992 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1
1993 | 78 | 9 | 23 | 33
1994 | 79 | 10 | 32 | 42
1995 | 82 | 7 | 26 | 33
1996 | 79 | 8 | 24 | 32
1997 | 81 | 5 | 31 | 37
1998 | 81 | 17 | 49 | 66
1999 | 72 | 13 | 39 | 53
2000 | 71 | 8 | 33 | 42
2001 | 57 | 7 | 31 | 38
2002 | 76 | 13 | 25 | 38
2003 | 81 | 13 | 31 | 44
2004 | 81 | 17 | 46 | 63
2006 | 82 | 14 | 48 | 62
2007 | 79 | 17 | 54 | 70
TOTAL | 1083 | 160 | 493 | 654[/table]
HockeyOutsider you are awesome.Thanks for that.
It's not surprising, you're right but it is nice to see how much better he remains after adjustments. Truly impressive.
what criteria did you use to adjust the stats?
The diminished need for offense?One thing not taken into consideration is the diminished need for offense from blueliners today........contemporary defensemen are forced to play a much more defense first game. This really puts today's defensemen at a disadvantage when comparing them to other generations stat wise.
In the past it wasn't uncommon to have a handful of defensemen in the top 20 scoring.....even 1 or 2 in the top 10. Niedermayer was this years highest scoring defensemen, he ranked 49th overall.
If Orr, Coffey, etc. played today, their adjusted totals would be far lower.
The diminished need for offense?![]()
It's funny that the adjusted stats confirm what my eyes have told me. Me thinks you underestimate Orr's abilities.
I'm not underestimating Orr's ability at all.
It's just that in today's game no defenseman (no matter how talented) is given free reign to roam the ice like Orr, Coffey, Housley, etc. used to.......the game is just played differently.
You simply can't have a defenseman always leading the rush or constantly deep in the offensive zone.
Orr would easily still be the highest scoring defenceman today, however, his adjusted ppg would definately be lower.
Thing is, no one in Orr's era was given free reign. Except Orr. Orr broke all the rules and changed the way the position was played. That would stay the same now.
One thing not taken into consideration is the diminished need for offense from blueliners today........contemporary defensemen are forced to play a much more defense first game. This really puts today's defensemen at a disadvantage when comparing them to other generations stat wise.
In the past it wasn't uncommon to have a handful of defensemen in the top 20 scoring.....even 1 or 2 in the top 10. Niedermayer was this years highest scoring defensemen, he ranked 49th overall.
If Orr, Coffey, etc. played today, their adjusted totals would be far lower.
Exactly Nalyd Psycho.
Zine may be forgetting that Orr was the guy who revolutionized the defenseman's position which allowed every d-man after him to be more offensive if they were capable. If there was a player that good in the NHL today surely his coach would recognize his talent and let him play like he could. No?
Of all the Orr clones that came along, when it was accepted that a defenseman could contribute offensively, not a single one won a scoring title. None even came close.Yep, Orr revolutionized the position. He came along and people thought “oh, defenseman can do that?” – of course nobody was as good as Orr at it either, but you get my point. That’s the reason he was the only defenseman in the top 25 in scoring. From that point forward the position changed and you started getting the Coffeys, Housleys, etc.……..but, in time, the game also evolved in terms of ‘neutralizing’ the offensive defenseman.
Today’s game is different and more complex. Defenseman HAVE the option to add more to the offense…unlike Orr’s day where it generally wasn’t thought of. However, it’s just too risky from a defensive standpoint today. A guy like Niedermayer HAS the skills to rack up more points..…certainly in deep offensively, but it’s not worth the risk. Heck, in the mid 90’s, Coffey was reigned in and was forced to play a defensive game.
Orr was great defensively also but it’s not the old north/south game anymore where defenseman can generally just chase a guy down after a turnover in the offensive zone.
Orr’s not gonna score nearly 50 more points than Lidstrom – but it’s not because he doesn’t have the talent too. The game and d-position is just vastly different from when he played.
IMO of course.
Can we see Orr's adjusted numbers versus some better competition? Maybe Coffey, Bourque, Macinnis and Housley or something? The same way you did an in depth for Lidstrom Blake Pronger and Niedermayer. Orr will still dominate but I'd like to see how he rates versus some of the best offensive defenseman.
Yep, Orr revolutionized the position. He came along and people thought “oh, defenseman can do that?†– of course nobody was as good as Orr at it either, but you get my point. That’s the reason he was the only defenseman in the top 25 in scoring. From that point forward the position changed and you started getting the Coffeys, Housleys, etc.……..but, in time, the game also evolved in terms of ‘neutralizing’ the offensive defenseman.
Today’s game is different and more complex. Defenseman HAVE the option to add more to the offense…unlike Orr’s day where it generally wasn’t thought of. However, it’s just too risky from a defensive standpoint today. A guy like Niedermayer HAS the skills to rack up more points..…certainly in deep offensively, but it’s not worth the risk. Heck, in the mid 90’s, Coffey was reigned in and was forced to play a defensive game.
Orr was great defensively also but it’s not the old north/south game anymore where defenseman can generally just chase a guy down after a turnover in the offensive zone.
Orr’s not gonna score nearly 50 more points than Lidstrom – but it’s not because he doesn’t have the talent too. The game and d-position is just vastly different from when he played.
IMO of course.
Is there a simple way to adjust these stats (like, do you guys have a formula for each nhl season)?
If so, I'd love to have a look at it. There's so many players from the 90's that I'd like to compare to the 80's in terms of goal scoring (the Legion of Doom, for example).
thanks
Career Stats
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Player|GP|G|A|Pts|PPG
Peak Goal-Scoring
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Player|Goals
Bobby Orr | 36
Paul Coffey | 31
Al MacInnis | 25
Denis Potvin | 25
King Clancy | 24
Phil Housley | 24
Ray Bourque | 22
Eddie Shore | 22
Brian Leetch | 22
Larry Murphy | 20
Larry Robinson | 14[/table]
Peak Playmaking
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Player|Assists
Bobby Orr | 85
Paul Coffey | 70
Brian Leetch | 65
Ray Bourque | 61
King Clancy | 57
Phil Housley | 56
Al MacInnis | 55
Denis Potvin | 54
Eddie Shore | 51
Larry Murphy | 50
Larry Robinson | 49[/table]
Peak Scoring
[table="css=transp;width=400"]Player|Points
Bobby Orr | 121
Paul Coffey | 101
Brian Leetch | 84
Ray Bourque | 81
Denis Potvin | 79
Al MacInnis | 79
King Clancy | 77
Phil Housley | 74
Eddie Shore | 70
Larry Murphy | 68
Larry Robinson | 63[/table]
1) I'm surprised that MacInnis is as he is on these lists. It could be a case of all the hype about his slapshot overshadowing everything he does.
2) No Original 6 players on the list. Just curious where Harvey and Kelly fit in there.
King Clancy: averaged 24 goals per year in prime (6th all-time). Averaged 57 assists per year in prime (5th all time). Averaged 77 points per year in prime (7th all-time). Scored 774 points in 1,219. Numbers are high but he was arguably the best offensive defenseman until Red Kelly.
- Pro-rate all assists to 1.55 assists per goal. Note that this causes pre-1930 assist numbers to end up unrealistically high... I'm not sure how so solve this, so read the pre-1930s numbers with some skepticism.