The NWHL's Connecticut Whale have their new head coach in Colton Orr.
A veteran of 477 NHL games with the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, Orr made a name for himself as a noted enforcer during his playing days. Only scoring 12 goals and 12 assists, he amassed 1,186 career penalty minutes and went toe-to-toe with the likes of Donald Brashear, Riley Cote and Brian McGrattan.
“I’m honored to have the privilege of leading the Connecticut Whale,” said Orr in the NWHL's press release announcing the hiring. “This game means a lot to me, and these fantastic athletes on the Whale and across the NWHL are role models to the next generation — including my daughter, who is in the Learn to Play program.
"I’m determined to take all of the hockey knowledge and life lessons learned from great NHL people like (former Rangers coach) Tom Renney and apply them to the Whale."
Orr will be the first-ever NHL player to coach the Whale, joining former Rangers teammate Paul Mara as the only two former NHLers currently coaching in the NWHL.
BREAKING NEWS: NHL veteran Colton Orr (@EnforceOrr) and NWHL veteran Laura Brennan (@laurayobrennan) will coach the @CTWhale_NWHL for the 2019-20 season.
— NWHL (@NWHL) September 17, 2019
📰 :https://t.co/8yKtjY15YW
📸: Bryan Johnson pic.twitter.com/oXbO8m1qKR
Connecticut finished the 2018-19 season in last place in the five-team league with a 2-12-2 record and on a 10-game losing streak. The lone NWHL team to not win the Isobel Cup, the Whale were the last team to fill the head coach void left after last season.
Laura Brennan, a former NWHL player, will be joining Orr as an assistant. Brennan was a goalie coach last season and made four appearances between the pipes when the team was struck with injuries. She will serve as the interim head coach while Orr competes on CBC's "Battle of the Blades."
The Whale open the 2019-20 season on Oct. 5 at home against the Buffalo Beauts at 2:30 p.m. ET.