Playing Career
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Orr played junior hockey for the Swift Current Broncos, Kamloops Blazers and Regina Pats in Western Hockey League. Orr went undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins. He played his first NHL game against the Washington Capitals, the only game he played in the 2003-04 NHL season. He played most of the season as well as the 2004-05 lockout season with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, playing 125 games, scoring twelve points, and recording 536 penalty minutes.
Orr played as regular early in the 2005-06 NHL season with the Boston Bruins but was shortly waived. On November 29, 2005, the New York Rangers claimed him off waivers from the Bruins. Orr scored his first NHL point in 15 games with the Rangers, as well as dressing for one playoff game against the New Jersey Devils.
Orr saw his playing time increase over three consecutive seasons in New York, dressing in 53 in 2006-07, 74 in 2007-08, and a full 82 in 2008-09. On December 31, 2006, Orr was suspended for five games by the NHL for a cross check to the face of Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin in the third period of a December 30 game at Madison Square Garden. Ovechkin was uninjured, but NHL Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell termed Orr's infraction "reckless". Later in the season, Orr scored his first NHL goal in a February 9, 2007, game against the Tampa Bay Lightning's Johan Holmqvist and added four more goals with the Rangers along with 478 penalty minutes.
On July 1, 2009, Orr signed a four-year, $4 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Orr would finish the season with career highs in 239 penalty minutes and also 4 goals and 6 points.
His next year with the Maple Leafs was cut short after suffering a concussion in a fight with Anaheim Ducks enforcer, George Parros. Orr was out for the year and finished the season with 46 games, 2 goals and 128 penalty minutes.
Orr was declared ready to play at the start of the 2011-12 NHL season but saw a dramatically reduced role with Toronto, playing only five games, scoring one goal, and getting into one fight. On January 4, 2012, Orr was placed on waivers by the Maple Leafs, with only 1 and half years left on his contract. He was assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL the next day. Orr played 26 games with the Marlies, scoring one goal and adding 46 penalty minutes.
Read more about this topic: Colton Orr
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