Who's Better: Bobby Orr or Cale Makar (UFA 2027)?
A Heavyweight Clash...
Consider how much talk there was going into last season about Connor McDavid having only two years left on his contract. There’s a player right now in the NHL who’s considered the best at his position — and absolutely a top-five player in the world — who is in the exact same situation McDavid was in last summer. Yet almost nobody is talking about it.
Colorado is now less than a year away from being eligible to negotiate a contract extension with Cale Makar, and that deal will undoubtedly make him the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history. Makar is beyond special, and he’ll be able to name both his price and his city without hesitation.
Makar On Mt Rushmore of Defensemen?
I would put Cale Makar on the Mount Rushmore of NHL defensemen alongside Bobby Orr, Doug Harvey, and Larry Robinson. For me, Makar has pushed out Paul Coffey. If you don’t agree… argue with me in the comments.
I’ve always said Bobby Orr is the greatest and most impactful defenseman ever because he literally changed what the position is. If you watch an old game from his era with Orr on the ice, he almost looks out of place — like a time traveler. He’s the only player who skates with the fluidity and edgework we still marvel at in 2025. It’s like he stepped out of the future.
There are people who have told me they believe Cale Makar will ultimately go down as the greatest defenseman to ever play the game. Maybe it's time to look at where Cale Makar currently is in comparison to the great Bobby Orr...Orr’s career was cut short by injuries, so let’s compare the first seven seasons of each player and look at how Cale measures up..
And how about the playoffs?
Advantage: Orr.
Statistically, Orr takes 11 of the 14 categories. That’s not surprising — but what is surprising is how close many of those categories are.
Orr played 60 more regular-season games in his first seven seasons than Makar did, yet Makar had the higher points-per-game rate in that span.
Orr’s plus/minus is in another galaxy: +376 vs. +158 for Makar.
The playoffs are even tighter. Makar actually played five more playoff games over his first seven seasons, but Orr’s 1.24 points per playoff game is outrageous, especially for his era.
Awards Comparison
Cale Makar
Norris Trophy: 2 (2022, 2025)
Hart Trophy: Best finish — 6th (2022)
Conn Smythe Trophy: 1 (2022)
Calder Trophy: 1 (2020)
Stanley Cups: 1 (2022)
Bobby Orr
Norris Trophy: 8 consecutive (1968–75)
Hart Trophy: 3 (1970, 1971, 1972)
Art Ross Trophy: 2 (1970, 1975) — only defenseman ever to win the scoring title
Conn Smythe Trophy: 2 (1970, 1972)
Stanley Cups: 2 (1970, 1972)
Lester B. Pearson Award: 1 (1975)
In fairness to Cale Makar…
Both players are generational skaters and game-breakers, but the gap between Orr and the rest of the league in his era was much larger than the gap between Makar and the rest of today’s defensemen. Orr was operating on a completely different plane.
I doubt many of you expected Makar to win this comparison — and he doesn’t — but it is fascinating how comparable they are statistically in several categories despite playing in completely different eras. This debate almost mirrors the Gordie Howe vs. Wayne Gretzky argument… or maybe more accurately Howe vs. Alex Ovechkin.
Conclusion
Orr wins.But for the sake of HockeyBuzz — and frankly for the sake of the league — it’s amazing how little attention is being paid to the fact that Cale Makar is two years away from unrestricted free agency.
Imagine Bobby Orr being two years from UFA status.
Colorado will absolutely push to get an extension done. They’ll have the advantage of being able to negotiate a full year before anyone else — just like Edmonton did with McDavid. And remember… that still resulted in a short contract.
So what happens with Makar?Does he sign long-term?Does he go the McDavid route and keep leverage?Or does he shock the hockey world?
Let’s hear your thoughts.