« Reply #46 on: January 22, 2018, 10:52:33 AM »
If you didn't watch and live through the Bobby Orr era of hockey, then you just will not ever understand how he transformed the game of hockey and why he was the GOAT of hockey. When Orr was on the ice the best offensive player, the best defensive player and the best fighter were on the ice at the same time. He transformed the way defensemen were used and looked at as a weapon. He was putting up points that were unheard of for his position and his time. Players were afraid to mix it up with him because he would beat their asses. And....he was easily the best defensive player in the league. How many times were the best offensive and defensive players in the league were the same person? Once. Bobby Orr. Had Orr been playing during the time of orthroscopic knee surgery, there is zero doubt he would be the GOAT in hockey.
I didnt watch Orr, but Ive just got a really really hard time believing he's better than, or even in the conversation with Gretzky.
You may be right on Gretzky. However, you need to read up and watch Orr. A very strong case can be made for him as GOAT. And even if Gretzky is better, it is not the margin you seem to imply.
Like I said, won't claim to know hockey very well at all. Shouldnt have made the claim on Gretzky being GOAT without really knowing the sport, but some of those stats are just mind-boggling.
Gretzky is the GOAT of all GOATS. He dominated his sport more than any player has ever dominated any sport. Defense is played the way it is today because of him. Goalies wear the size padding they do today because the only way to stop him from scoring was to wear larger pads.
Orr is an icon of Boston sports, and one of the top 5 hockey players of all time, but you won't find anyone outside of Boston sports fans that would ever claim he was better than Gretzky.
That's just not true about how people feel about Orr outside of Boston. Real hockey enthusiasts see Gretzky and Orr on the same level with Orr being more transformstive to how hockey is played and Gretzky being how much hockey is dominated in the manner that Orr transformed it. What comes first, the chicken or the egg? For me its Orr.
I've spent my entire life around hockey enthusiasts. I grew up playing the sport from the time I could walk. I've traveled to play hockey in multiple countries.
Yes, Orr is revered for being pretty much the first defensive player to also be a good offensive player. But the number of people outside of Boston who think he is on Gretzky's level is more or less nonexistent.
because he isn't. Gretzky is the GOAT and it isn't close.
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