There are many reasons one can think of as to why Bobby Orr does not deserve to be honored in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In this section we’ll go through only a few of the many.
The competition:
The number one reason Orr does not deserve the praise he gets is the competition he faced. Orr played in a time period where NHL hockey players didn’t make the kind of big money they make today, and thus, they had less of a reason to try. Take a look at some of Orr’s goals and you’ll see defensmen lackadaisically chasing after Orr, making it look like they were trying to get him, when it’s pretty obvious they’d rather be somewhere else. The lack of contract money back then simply did not give players the motivation to excel that it does today.
Also, let us not forget that when Bobby Orr played, the average height for players in the NHL was probably somewhere around 5′9 and average weight probably in the 140 – 160 pound range. Compare that with today’s behemoth players and the differences are clear. Players in Orr’s day were not big, nor strong, nor fast, nor skilled. They were small, weak, slow and sloppy. Orr was simply a moderately good athlete playing in a league full of unfit, un-athletic players. No wonder he put up all those points, anyone without a beer gut could probably have done the same.
The fact is simple, if you dropped Bobby Orr in today’s game, he’d be destroyed, likely on his first shift. If he did manage to have a full career, his numbers would probably closer resemble those of a Jamie Macoun than those of a Wayne Gretzky. Likewise, if you were to drop any of today’s goons into Orr’s time they’d likely easily score 50 or more goals.
The goalies were also absolutely ridiculous in days of old. Stick men wearing equipment barely bigger than their own thin bodies who, from watching them, seem to be more interested in jumping out of the puck’s way than stopping it. Look at most of the goals scored by Orr and you’ll notice the ridiculous “save attempts” made by the goalies of the day. I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure collapsing like a ragdoll or falling over aren’t what most goalies today would consider a legitimate save selection.
Orr had it easy and it’s time people start to realize that.
The Fragility:
Bobby Orr played only 9 full seasons in the National Hockey League. Compare that to some modern greats like Steve Yzerman at 22 full seasons in the NHL or Wayne Gretzky at 21 full NHL seasons. There’s simply no comparison. Orr is more comparable to Brent Gretzky then he is to Wayne Gretzky.
Why did Orr only play 9 full seasons? Bobby couldn’t handle the rough stuff. Not only that, but the guys hitting him were small and weak as mentioned earlier. Despite this, Orr just couldn’t physically endure a long career at a rate of punishment far less than what modern players have to go through.
Pass The Puck Bobby:
How many times have we all seen video of Bobby Orr going on an “amazing” end to end rush. Well personally, I don’t care about the fact that he was playing against chimps and could easily make it to the other end. Bobby Orr was a defenseman. Pass the puck Bobby. There is an entire team of forwards in front of you who’d love a touch of that puck. And sure, Orr has far more assists than goals, but only because he would always make sure he hogged the puck just long enough to be the one who got the assist. How many other players could have been a part of those goals if Orr would’ve just made an early pass in his own zone and headed for the bench? Probably hundreds. There is only one word to describe Bobby Orr, and that word is “selfish”. I personally wouldn’t want a player with that kind of “me” mentality on my team.
It’s clear to anyone willing to open their eyes that Bobby Orr, while appearing successful, was essentially just a completely selfish player who was lucky enough to play hockey in an era where the mildest of athletic abilities was enough to make you a dominant player. It’s obvious that if the Orr of then were to lace up the skates now, he’d be a detriment to any team he played for.