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Unbreakble Records: Bobby Orr's +124


ScottM

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OrrTrophies.jpg

 

Many people view the plus-minus rating as nothing more than a junk stat. Others seem to practically live and die by it when trying to judge a players defensive efficiency. Personally, I do not believe either extreme to be true, and believe that it is a useful tool when kept within the context of what the player's team did in a particular season. Even so, we sometimes see plus-minus ratings that are so high (or low) that they seem eye-popping. Today's unbreakable record is Bobby Orr's +124 rating in 1970-71, and it definitely fits that bill.

 

There is an ironic side to the "unbreakable" status of this record, and that is that it was seriously threatened only six years after it was set. In the 1976-77 season, Larry Robinson posted an impressive +120 rating. Since that one season by Robinson, however, no one has ever come close to Orr's mark. Even the great Wayne Gretzky, playing for the powerhouse Oilers teams of the 1980s could "only" manage a +98 rating in the 1984-85 season. Besides the three players already mention, only one other player -- Orr's 1970-71 teammate Dallas Smith -- has ever ecclipsed +90, posting a +94 rating.

 

Why are such ratings so rare? One reason is obvious. For any player to have an extreme rating on either end of the plus-minus scale, his team must have a massive season goal differential. This was certainly true for the 1970-71 Bruins, whose goal differential was +192. Those kinds of differences do not happen in today's NHL. Last season, four teams did not manage to score 192 goals total, and the New York Rangers' +60 was the best differential in the entire league. That explains why we do not see such ratings in today's game, but why have they always been so rare?

 

Such a high plus-minus rating was only possible for very special players -- or guys partnered with very special players -- even in the high-scoring, low-parity 1970s. That Orr, Gretzky, and Robinson are special is no secret. Dallas Smith had the great fortune of being paired with Orr to help him get his +94. I would argue that Orr was the perfect player to get such a rating. He is, of course, the only defenseman to ever win the Art Ross trophy, and his offensive exploits are well-known. He was also an excellent defender, however, thanks to his marvelous skating abilities. Although it is not a perfect stat (as none are), the point shares statistic used at hockey-reference.com shows just how skilled Orr was on the defensive side of the puck, since his defensive point share was the highest in the league on four separate occasions. His elite skill at both ends of the played a major role in Orr's record-setting rating.

 

What will it take to see this record broken? It will take another Bobby Orr and another high-flying offensive era at the same time. The first is by definition rare, and the second seems unlikely without major rule changes. Until we see the perfect storm and a bit of luck, no one will touch Bobby Orr's +124 rating.

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While that record is impressive and unlikely to be broken, there is another +/- "record" that I think is even more impressive. Here are the leaders in plus-minus per game over their careers (probably not up to date):

 

Plus/Minus Per Game Career Leaders:

 
Player               +/- Per Game
Bobby Orr               .91
Larry Robinson          .53
Mike Bossy              .51 (381)
Bobby Clarke            .44
Serge Savard            .44 (460)
Denis Potvin            .43 (460)
Mark Howe               .43 (400)
Dallas Smith            .40 (355)
Guy Lafluer             .40 (453)
 
I doubt that anyone will ever come close to Orr.
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While that record is impressive and unlikely to be broken, there is another +/- "record" that I think is even more impressive. Here are the leaders in plus-minus per game over their careers (probably not up to date):

 

Plus/Minus Per Game Career Leaders:

 
Player               +/- Per Game
Bobby Orr               .91
Larry Robinson          .53
Mike Bossy              .51 (381)
Bobby Clarke            .44
Serge Savard            .44 (460)
Denis Potvin            .43 (460)
Mark Howe               .43 (400)
Dallas Smith            .40 (355)
Guy Lafluer             .40 (453)
 
I doubt that anyone will ever come close to Orr.

 

 

Great stat. That certainly demonstrates how dominant Orr was. The plus-minus didn't exist in Orr's rookie season, but after it was invented, his worst single season rating for a full season was +30. The two-way dominance that all of these stats demonstrate is why I think Orr is the greatest player. Sure, he didn't have the longevity that Gretzky had, but ultimately, even on a pair of good knees, all he could have done was build on what he had already done anyway. I don't believe there has ever been a player nearly as well-rounded.

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Great stat. That certainly demonstrates how dominant Orr was. The plus-minus didn't exist in Orr's rookie season, but after it was invented, his worst single season rating for a full season was +30. The two-way dominance that all of these stats demonstrate is why I think Orr is the greatest player. Sure, he didn't have the longevity that Gretzky had, but ultimately, even on a pair of good knees, all he could have done was build on what he had already done anyway. I don't believe there has ever been a player nearly as well-rounded.

If I were to try and decide who was better at their peak, Gretzky or Orr, I would honestly have a coin toss determine my answer. Also, If he is in fact the most well rounded hockey player in history, then Gordie Howe is right behind him in that regard. 

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Great stat. That certainly demonstrates how dominant Orr was. The plus-minus didn't exist in Orr's rookie season, but after it was invented, his worst single season rating for a full season was +30. The two-way dominance that all of these stats demonstrate is why I think Orr is the greatest player. Sure, he didn't have the longevity that Gretzky had, but ultimately, even on a pair of good knees, all he could have done was build on what he had already done anyway. I don't believe there has ever been a player nearly as well-rounded.

And there are a multitude of stats I could use to demonstrate Wayne Gretzky being the better player during his peak. Go look at the margins Wayne Gretzky had points over everybody else.

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@JagerMeister

 

Orr played defence...

Yeah thats true, Up until now, there were barely any stats in which you could judge defensive play. So he couldn't really rewrite the record books since there were no stats that were indicative of defensive play to begin with...

 

And excelled at it while still excelling at offense.

 

Gretzky re-wrote the record books, but Orr changed the way the game is played.

Their accomplishments are unsurpassed by any other player in hockey history, but Wayne Gretzky was able to prolong his greatness, I mean that has to be a factor right? its why a significant amount of people would choose Jagr over Crosby.

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I'm not really interested in seeing this thread turn into another Orr vs. Gretzky debate, so I'm not going to deal with Gretzky here any further than the one comment I made. This thread is intended to be a discussion about Orr's two-way play, and I'd prefer to stick to that here. I did create a thread with a poll asking who the greatest player ever was, though, so that one is right up the alley of Orr vs. Gretzky.

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Random thoughts

-Yes, this record is safe for the foreseeable future, given the offensive environment of the game. Offense is so low now, and Orr was the right guy in the right place at the right time.

-The Orr +124, Gretzky +94 thing... Of course: Orr was a defenseman, and there are a disproportionate number of d-men at the top of the +/- list... They play a lot more minutes. It's a side-point, really, because I don't say it to take away from Orr.

-"Orr changed the way the game was played". Orr was not the first great defenseman who controlled the game with his speed and used end-to-end rushes. Off the top of my head Harry Cameron, Eddie Shore, Red Kelly, Eddie Gerard all played a similar style (though Orr was clearly better). Orr shook the hockey world out of its conservative state, and only the best do that.

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Random thoughts

-Yes, this record is safe for the foreseeable future, given the offensive environment of the game. Offense is so low now, and Orr was the right guy in the right place at the right time.

-The Orr +124, Gretzky +94 thing... Of course: Orr was a defenseman, and there are a disproportionate number of d-men at the top of the +/- list... They play a lot more minutes. It's a side-point, really, because I don't say it to take away from Orr.

-"Orr changed the way the game was played". Orr was not the first great defenseman who controlled the game with his speed and used end-to-end rushes. Off the top of my head Harry Cameron, Eddie Shore, Red Kelly, Eddie Gerard all played a similar style (though Orr was clearly better). Orr shook the hockey world out of its conservative state, and only the best do that.

 

Yeah, you're right about the number of defensemen at the top of +/- leader boards. The thing that makes those seasons by Orr and Robinson so impressive to me is that they were so far ahead of everyone else.

 

You're also right about earlier rushing defensemen, and if I gave the impression that no one had done it before him, I apologize, because that wasn't my intention. Really, you can go as far back as the Patrick brothers with offensive defensemen. I really like your last sentence. That is an excellent way to put it.

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To get a high +/- you need to play on a great team (like you mentioned), during a high scoring era (like you mentioned), but you also need to.........

 

...score all of your goals at even strength or while short-handed!

 

 

A high +/- requires some very careful manipulation of playing time. Playing on the power-play is foolish because you have nothing to gain by scoring and everything to lose (if opposing team scores). Playing while short-handed is excellent, but otherwise the +/- stat padding requires even-strength supremacy. :)

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