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Originally Posted by Fred Shero
Also, how did Bobby Orr and Bobby Clarke pan out?
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Bobby Clarke spent his entire career as a Philadelphia Flyer. His career was quite similar to his real life one although he did spend a couple of seasons on the reserve roster before breaking into the NHL at age 23 but on the other end he played one more season than he did in real life. The Flyers got him with the second pick of the 1970 draft after the Pittsburgh Penguins elected to take Butch Goring number one.
The Flyers had some good teams during Clarke's tenure as he teamed with Guy Lafleur and later a young Jari Kurri but they never won a Cup.
Bobby Orr was taken first overall by the Rangers in 1967 with Ken Dryden going second. Orr won 5 Hart Trophy's as MVP and 5 Norris Awards as the top blueliner. He never broke the 100 point plateau in a season but was in the 90s twice. He led the Rangers to a pair of Stanley Cup titles in 1970 and 1972 and won the Conn Smythe on both occassions as he had 25 points in 21 games in 1970 and 31 playoff points in 19 games in 1972.
Part of the reason for the lower point total could have been the absence of Phil Esposito. Instead of Espo, Orr was dishing the puck to the likes of Danny Grant, Pete Mahovlich, Jean Pronovost and Bruce MacGregor in New York. Decent players but not like Espo-Hodge-Cashman of the real-life Bruins.
The Rangers traded him to Winnipeg for Craig Ludwig and Paul Stewart in 1981 and he would suffer some injuries late in his career including an eye injury that cost much of a season - and he spent the following year on the reserve roster.