Defender Brett Orr Joins Stingrays On Blue Line

The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and AHL’s Hershey Bears, have agreed to terms with defenseman Brett Orr for the 2020-21 season.

Orr, 24, joins South Carolina after serving as a co-captain of the Bentley University Falcons last season where he scored 14 points in 35 games on four goals and 10 assists. The defender will begin his first professional season with the Rays after a four-year collegiate career that included 139 appearances and 54 total points.

“We’re really excited to have Brett on board with us”, said Stingrays Head Coach Ryan Blair. “He’s been a captain in junior and in college and we’re really looking forward to having his leadership and character on our team. He is well-rounded defensively and we look forward to helping him develop and transition to the pro game when he arrives here in the Lowcountry.”

Orr, who measures 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, racked up eight goals, 46 assists and a +17 rating over the past four campaigns while helping lead the Falcons on defense.

“When I talked to Coach Blair, I could tell right away that he was a genuine, honest guy who wasn’t going to beat around the bush,” Orr said. “He told it to me straight and said he was interested. I did a little more research after that call and the first thing I could tell is that this is a top-notch organization, one that’s been very successful.

“Those successful organizations usually help move players along in their careers because they know what it takes to win and for me, that was a big thing. Then with the location of the team being in South Carolina, you can’t really beat that. After hearing from coach, it seemed like a no-brainer to me so I’m pretty excited to sign with the Stingrays.”

Prior to enrolling at Bentley, Orr played three seasons of junior hockey with the Portage Terriers in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) from 2013-16. He was named the MJHL’s Top Defenseman in 2015-16 and helped Portage win back-to-back MJHL Championships in 2015 & 2016. In 2015, Orr and the Terriers also won the Royal Bank Cup as the Canadian Junior A National Champions.

Orr described himself as a steady defenseman who can be reliable for his team in all three zones.

“I’m a pretty steady defenseman who has a two-way game,” Orr said. “I can get up the ice with my skating and contribute offensively that way, but I like to be responsible in my own end. Obviously, as a defenseman, first thing’s first, and I want to keep pucks out of my own net.”

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