Colton Orr’s first practice with the Marlies.
Jeff Schenn and Douglas Orr — “Bobby Orr’s dad was named Douglas too,” he points out, though there the clan similarities no doubt end — had a bit of Abbot and Costello shtick going on in the stands at practice. When Schenn recalled Luke breaking into the NHL at 18, Orr cracked: “That was about the age that Colt learned to skate.”
He was being a tad facetious. Colton actually started to skate at age 11, unusually late for a Canadian kid from Winnipeg.
“He used the boards to stop,” laughs Orr, clearly relishing this weekend as a celebrity father, if sometimes at his son’s expense. “The truth is, he wasn’t interested in hockey as a boy. But he was a great soccer player. And because he did start hockey so late, I think he had to always work harder just to catch up. I’d still describe him that way — a hard-working hockey player.”
Distressing, however, when his boy isn’t in the lineup, Orr admits. “Colt not playing is driving me crazy. But that’s a coach’s call.”
While delighted to have Dad on this road trip, Colton draws the line at sharing a room with the old man. “He snores. I need my sleep.”
BEN SCRIVENS & COLTON ORR
You wanna go?
Colton Orr speaks with Leafs TV after the Leafs 6-5 win.
Colton Orr scores during the third period to give the Leafs a 5-1 lead.