How tough was Bobby Orr

[Fenian24]

Ask Stan Mikita if Bobby had a temper

 

[GordonHowe]

Way back in 1966 Gordie Howe decided to 'welcome' the new kid to the NHL

Afterward, Gordie told Orr - you are going to be fine in this league. The word quickly spread.

Remember Bobby was a runt in junior hockey and he had to adjust

 

[missingchicklet]

Healthy helping of ignorance to say that Orr wasn't tough. Had more than twice as many fights as Howe. Had more seasons with 100+ PIM than Howe. And of course Orr didn't play 10000000 seasons like Howe did. Orr and Howe are both in my top 5 NHL players of all time, and both are the toughest of those top 5 players. Total package.

 

[Bradely]

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Lineman must have hated those white socks wear by both team....... but on the other hand, this is a beauty, what a great photo.

 

[DKH]

Orr was a savage

Only fight I saw him lose was Paimont of Vancouver I believe

Not sure his number but he fought seemed quite a bit

Basically Orr and McDavid same guy but Orr playing against guys who never had power skating or edge classes - played defense and was 1000 times meaner than McDavid if you F’d with him

If you were born late 60’s or later I’m skeptical if you start telling me how anyone is better then Orr

Gotta see it to believe it

Same as Neely

If you were born late 70’s or after don’t tell me how Cam Neely was overrated or not good

Vintage Neely would be most coveted winger in hockey today

 

[aguineapig]

How tough was Bobby Orr? As the best player in the league at that time (and all time in my opinion) he could have hid behind the rest of the Big Bad Bruins as certain players have with their respective clubs. A No. 99, 66, or a reputed tough guy No. 16 in Philly come to mind. Ask Pat Quinn if Orr hid in the shadows.

 

[NeelyDan]

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Kids in junior back then looked like men. Men in the NHL today look like kids.

 

[The don godfather]

Not tougher then cam. He was a grizzly bear on skates.

 

[mjhfb]

Watching these old clips and reminiscing when I was much younger, I often wonder how a Bruins defenseman like Lindholm would do in that much tougher, clutch and grab/fighting era, and conversely how Orr would do with today's rules.

 

[Number8]

I am having an argument with someone on tiktat.
I said Orr was also one tough son of a bitch.
Not for just going through the amount of injury.
I think he had a 1000 pim
I said he was tough and he said like a rubber boot
Thanks

Tough on so many levels it wasn't true. Would gladly drop the gloves and scrap -- and do it very well. Nasty temper at times. And you show me someone who went through those barbaric (by today's standards) zipper surgeries on his knees and keep playing the style he played. Someone not as tough would have skated much more conservatively and not exposes himself to the kinds of leg checks (usually only thing that worked on him) thrown by defenders embarrassed by getting blown by once again.

Bobby Orr was indeed one tough son of a bitch. Watched him live many times. Still one of the biggest treats in life.

 

[Number8]

Oh he was game, he was just a terrible fighter.

Seemed old Keith was always a bloody mess.

As you say, he was always game. But he was like Greg Campbell only a worse fighter -- it possible.

 

[jgatie]

Seemed old Keith was always a bloody mess.

As you say, he was always game. But he was like Greg Campbell only a worse fighter -- it possible.

He famously took boxing lesson in the off-season to improve his pugilistic skills on the ice. Didn't help him one bit.

 

[Bradely]

Tough on so many levels it wasn't true. Would gladly drop the gloves and scrap -- and do it very well. Nasty temper at times. And you show me someone who went through those barbaric (by today's standards) zipper surgeries on his knees and keep playing the style he played. Someone not as tough would have skated much more conservatively and not exposes himself to the kinds of leg checks (usually only thing that worked on him) thrown by defenders embarrassed by getting blown by once again.

Bobby Orr was indeed one tough son of a bitch. Watched him live many times. Still one of the biggest treats in life.

I know it is repeats often here.... but why son of a b.... where does in come from!!! Just curious.

 

[Number8]

I know it is repeats often here.... but why son of a b.... where does in come from!!! Just curious.

That is an excellent question. One for which I have absolutely no clue what the answer is....

 

[Gee Wally]

I know it is repeats often here.... but why son of a b.... where does in come from!!! Just curious.

That is an excellent question. One for which I have absolutely no clue what the answer is....

time is where it comes from. The passage of time.

Most never saw him play. So all thats left is minimal video and stats.
Like anything else they dont tell the whole story.

Hell, they argued this season on main page that Makar &Karlsson are both better than Orr.
I damn near pissed my pants laughing.

But its time. I still remember my grandfather telling me that Orr was obviously best. But he had Shore ( who he saw in person a lot) second to only #4.

Again I had no time perspective but gramps rarely lied.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

That is an excellent question. One for which I have absolutely no clue what the answer is....

 

[Baddkarma]

Might as well stop talking to anyone who doesn't know that Bobby Orr, the greatest hockey player of all time, was tough as a night in jail and showed it.

Can't fathom someone attempting to argue the opposite.

 

[GordonHowe]

When Derek Sanderson's Niagara Junior team was facing the Oshawa Generals in a special exhibition game at the Boston Garden, Derek's father stopped the bus as it was leaving for Boston and told Derek that he needs go out on the Garden ice and fight Bobby Orr. Derek asked why, and his father said "Because the only players anyone is going to remember from this game are Bobby Orr, and the guy who fights Bobby Orr."

Not sure how I feel about this book. The Orr presented by author Stepen Brunt is a complex, not entirely lovable individual whose talent and drive made him perhaps the NHL's greatest player ever,

Amazon.com

Bobby's perspective,

Amazon.com

OT: For those who haven't read it, Derek's "memoir," Crossing the Line, is a worthy read,

Amazon.com

Might as well stop talking to anyone who doesn't know that Bobby Orr, the greatest hockey player of all time, was tough as a night in jail and showed it.

Can't fathom someone attempting to argue the opposite.

I can.

Ignorance, envy, or both.

 

[GordonHowe]

Bobby Orr was indeed one tough son of a bitch. Watched him live many times. Still one of the biggest treats in life.

Absent regular season visits to Detroit, my exposure to Orr was through television.

I'm jealous of those who had the privlige, and luxury, of watching Bobby up close at the Garden,

 

[Fenian24]

Other than the B's visiting Detroit within season, my exposure to Orr was through televised games.

I'm jealous of those here who had the privilege and luxury of watching him play at the Garden,


Absent regular season visits to Detroit, my exposure to Orr was through television.

I'm jealous of those who had the privlige, and luxury, of watching Bobby up close at the Garden,

Boyle and Mitchum were great in this, nice time capsule of Boston circa 1973

 

[DKH]

time is where it comes from. The passage of time.

Most never saw him play. So all thats left is minimal video and stats.
Like anything else they dont tell the whole story.

Hell, they argued this season on main page that Makar &Karlsson are both better than Orr.
I damn near pissed my pants laughing.

But its time. I still remember my grandfather telling me that Orr was obviously best. But he had Shore ( who he saw in person a lot) second to only #4.

Again I had no time perspective but gramps rarely lied.

Yeh I have no idea how good Milt Schmidt was I never saw him so to say he was better than or not then Bergeron is just guessing

Anyone who’s prime or career started in 1966-67 I can give a great opinion

If you weren’t atleast 7 or 8 when Orr broke in I can’t and won’t take your opinion serious

Same as me talking about Howe or Schmidt or Shore or The Rocket

 

[DKH]

Might as well stop talking to anyone who doesn't know that Bobby Orr, the greatest hockey player of all time, was tough as a night in jail and showed it.

Can't fathom someone attempting to argue the opposite.

I agree and don’t

In 30 years some 25 yr old will tell us Tom Brady was not good

Jason Tatum wins MVP and NBA title we will get 20% (or more) he’s better then Bird

 

[NeelyDan]

Orr was a savage

Only fight I saw him lose was Paimont of Vancouver I believe

Not sure his number but he fought seemed quite a bit

Basically Orr and McDavid same guy but Orr playing against guys who never had power skating or edge classes - played defense and was 1000 times meaner than McDavid if you F’d with him

If you were born late 60’s or later I’m skeptical if you start telling me how anyone is better then Orr

Gotta see it to believe it

Same as Neely

If you were born late 70’s or after don’t tell me how Cam Neely was overrated or not good

Vintage Neely would be most coveted winger in hockey today

Cam Neely, in some ways, was on a level that belonged solely to himself

 

[pgm16]

Tough as they come, never wore shoulder pads

 

[DKH]

Cam Neely, in some ways, was on a level that belonged solely to himself

I asked Murray Oliver who played with Howe and his his youngest son Murray Howe’s godfather how good Neely is. Oliver said in late 80’s that Neely was closest thing to Gordie Howe.