BOBBY ORR Quotes

(to a 12 year-old Bobby Orr) Bucko MacDonald, Orr's youth coach

If there were two dozen Bobby Orr's in this league, we'd have to erect buildings that would hold 60,000.

Milt Schmidt, Hall of Fame Center

He makes the game look so easy that it's almost discouraging.

Ken Hodge Sr., Former Orr teammate

I would say I've never seen a guy who did as much offensively and defensively as much as that young man did.

Gordie Howe - "Mr. Hockey"

I've seen all the greats since the 1920's, and I've never seen a player with the skills of Orr.

Clarence Campbell, Former NHL President

I know what he does to a team because I experienced it when we played together in the Canada Cup.  We were like a bunch of kids on a pond waiting for someone to come along and organize us.  When he walked in the room, we knew we would be all right.

Denis Potvin, Hall of Fame Defenseman

If Bobby Orr has a problem, it's that he has no fear.  If nothing else will do, I swear he'll use his head to block a shot.

Gerry Cheevers, HOF goaltender

I'd give him my knees if it would help him play again.

Don Awrey - Orr's longtime teammate

We hated to check him.  We respect him so much that we don't want to do anything to damage those knees.

Richard Mulhern, Former Atlanta Flames defenseman

Bobby Orr was a star when they played the National Anthem in his first game. 

Harry Sinden, Boston GM

I remember one time he said to me when I was giving the team heck - this is a true story - He came to me and said,  'Don, do you think when you're giving the team heck you can give me heck a little too?

Don "Grapes" Cherry

Too bad they don't have another league for him to go to.  He's too good for the NHL. 

Bobby Clarke, HOF Flyer

There's stars, superstars, and then there's Bobby Orr.

Serge Savard, HOF defenseman

 I've never heard anything like it.

(referring to the wild ovation at the Boston Garden after an Orr goal)
Toe Blake, Montreal Coach

In the game today, Bobby would still be number one.

Johnny Bucyk, Bruin HOFer

He ought to get his name on the Vezina Trophy.  He blocks more shots  than the goalies.

Phil Esposito, Bruin HOFer

He's the first one up the ice and the first one back.

Emile Francis, Rangers Coach

You can say about each of the great players: He's a good skater, or a  good stickhandler, or he has a great shot, but something is always missing. Bobby Orr has it all. He is the best I've seen -- ever!

Jacques Plante, HOF Goalie

It's different from any other sport. You'd always get a real strong clearly the best in hockey.
I don't know that there has ever been anybody that so completely dominated a team sport.

Ken Dryden, HOF Goalie

His most effective thing is his skating. He can skate circles around me.

Brad Park, Hockey HOFer

He doesn't beat you because he's Bobby Orr; he beats you because he is the best.

Glen Sather, GM/Coach/Player

Once we'd get up 4-1 or 5-1 he would not want to embarrass the other teams... After a great goal, he'd put his head down. He felt embarrassed for the other team.

Don "Grapes" Cherry

Orr is the greatest young hockey player that's come along since I've been here. 

Bobby Hull, Chicago HOFer

I never knew a single player who could lift a team as Orr could.

Stan Mikita, Chicago Great

He's the best player for his age I've ever seen in my thirty years in the NHL, and he's still getting better.

Lynn Patrick, St. Louis GM

 I've never seen him when he isn't trying to live up to his reputation.

Harry Sinden, Boston GM

Bobby impressed me more than anybody.

Gordie Howe, "Mr. Hockey"

Well the first thing, when I saw Orr coming down on me, was to say a little prayer, if I had time.

Johnny Bower, HOF Goalie

I think the greatest change in hockey, would be the arrival of Bobby.

Jean Beliveau, Montreal Great

He's got a lot of moves. He's got speed. He can make you look like a  fool, so you had to be careful.

Jacques Lemaire, NHL Coach

Everytime he was on that ice, the opposition would be playing a man  short.

Milt Schmidt, Bruin HOFer

The first game I ever officiated against the Bruins was the worst game I ever officiated in my life, I spent the whole game watching Orr.

Bill Beagan, NHL linesman

I don't think you ever stopped Bobby Orr, you contained Bobby Orr, but you NEVER stopped him!

Larry Robinson, All-Star NHLer

I might as well enjoy it (Norris Trophy) now, because I expect it's going to belong to Bobby Orr from now on.

Harry Howell, NY Ranger - 1967

He is a tremendous role model. He is someone that I'd like my sons to look up to.

Derek Sanderson, Orr Teammate

Don "Grapes" Cherry

If I can be half the hockey player that Bobby Orr was, I'll be happy.

Ray Bourque, (about 1981)

Kid, I don't know what you're getting, but it isn't enough.

(to Bobby Orr after one of his first practices in 1966) Ted Green, Bruin Great

I don't think I have a true feeling for how great he is. I have so much respect for him. I watch him on tapes and it's just ridiculous how good he was compared to the guys he was playing against. He's a great guy and you don't even know it's Bobby Orr, the way he talks to you.

(when asked on the experience of having Orr as an agent)
Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators Player

Why did Larry Bird, during the National Anthems, look up at the Boston Garden Ceiling?  No one knew until a night in 1988 when Larry Bird explained to an audience that included Booby Orr that what he was doing was looking at Bobby Orr's retired number 4.

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe

You meet people now who say, I haven't gone to a game since Orr left.

Fred Cusick, Longtime Radio and TV "Voice of the Bruins"

I like to call them the hockey Trinity - Gretzky being the son, Howe being the Father, and Bobby Orr being the Holy Ghost, because he was truly amazing. 

Bob Mackenzie, Hockey News

As the #1 attraction in the game today, young Mr. Orr figures to cause a wave of insomnia among rival coaches.  How do they prevent him from making their antelope look like water-buffalo with a touch of hepatitis?

Milt Dunnell,  Toronto Star reporter

He was such a package of grace and elegance that you would get caught watching him, then the horror would set in about what he was about to do to you.

Bill Clement, Hockey Analyst

He could thread a needle with the puck, shoot it like a bullet or float it soft. Orr was the only player who could dictate the tempo of the game, speed it up or slow it down. He could see the whole ice the way a spectator sees it from above. He's the best player I've seen.

Eddie Johnston, Orr Teammate

Developing better people should be the number one goal for any coach when dealing with kids. In trying to develop better people, we are going to develop more and better pros.

Bobby Orr, #4

Everyone should have the same opportunity, and in many areas that's not the case because programs are built around the elite.

Bobby Orr, #4

Forget about style; worry about results.

Bobby Orr, #4

Growing up, if I hadn't had sports, I don't know where I'd be. God only knows what street corners I'd have been standing on and God only knows what I'd have been doing, but instead I played hockey and went to school and stayed out of trouble.

Bobby Orr, #4

I've been a very lucky guy. I played on championship teams. I played for Canada. I've won some awards and I'm very proud of those accomplishments. But I don't think there's anything greater than to come home and to be recognized at home. This is the pinnacle.

Bobby Orr, #4

My Dad was my biggest supporter. He never put pressure on me.

Bobby Orr, #4

So many of today's programs are about trophies and jackets, and we think that's a big mistake.

Bobby Orr, #4

The biggest thing we get out of it is seeing the kids smile. And hopefully we will also see that the lessons we're teaching - not only the fundamentals of hockey, but also the life values - are sinking in.

Bobby Orr, #4

The kids wait for it to be organized. They want to go play all of these tournaments, for a little practice time. I learned my skills by dropping the puck just with the kids. I think that's missing today.

Bobby Orr, #4

You hear all the time about European players playing the game. These players that come over at 17, 18 and 19, they just don't all of a sudden become skilled. From the time they were little fellas, they learned the fundamentals of the game. Let them create.

Bobby Orr, #4

Developing better people should be the number one goal for any coach when dealing with kids. In trying to develop better people, we are going to develop more and better pros.

Bobby Orr, #4

There are no environments where you're only going to win, because life just isn't like that.

Bobby Orr, #4