Story courtesy Robin Wark of The World-Specator – Moosimin, Sask.
*Orr played three seasons with the Terriers from 2013-16 and was a vital part of the RBC Cup victory in 2015
Elkhorn’s Brett Orr takes plenty of memories with him as he departs Bentley University for his next challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic brought an early end to the 24-year-old’s fourth and final season for the school’s NCAA Division I men’s hockey team. In May, Orr, an Atlantic Hockey All-Academic team selection, graduated with a finance degree. Next winter he will continue his pursuit of both an education and hockey.
Orr will work towards a master’s degree at Scotland’s University of Dundee. He has signed to play professionally for the Dundee Stars of the United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League. “The opportunity to not only get a master’s but also explore the world all while playing professional hockey was too good to pass up,” Orr said.
The Falcons will certainly miss Orr, a defenceman. Head coach Ryan Soderquist described him as a “200-foot defender who has the ability to add offence with his skating and high hockey IQ.” “Brett was a true professional and a team player who strived to make our program better every day,” the Bentley bench boss said. “I will always remember him for his commitment and dedication to his teammates and the ability to make the people around him better.”
At Bentley University, which is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, near Boston, Orr recorded eight goals and 46 assists in 139 games at the NCAA Division I level. This past season the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder scored a career-high four goals and posted 14 points in 35 games. He also co-captained the team. “Brett’s daily approach never changes,” Soderquist said. “You will never see him too high or too low, but he always maintained an elite compete level, making him a great leader in our program.” When asked about his favorite memories of playing for the Falcons, Orr was quick to point to “just going to the rink and getting to hang out with the guys everyday.”
Besides that, he mentioned two important events in Bentley hockey history. In his first season the Falcons took on the United States Military Academy (Army West Point) outdoors at Boston’s baseball mecca—Fenway Park. In the January 2017 contest, billed as Frozen Fenway, Orr scored an empty net goal to seal the 3-1
victory for Bentley University. “When you think of Boston, you immediately think of Fenway Park, and to be able to go there, dress in the Red Sox dressing room, and play a hockey game with the Green Monster in the background was easily one of the coolest experiences in my life,” he said.
The next season Bentley University opened a new rink on campus. In front of a sold-out crowd, Orr scored the first goal in Bentley Arena. Regarding that night, Orr said he enjoyed, “being able to play in a full rink with all my classmates and friends in attendance. They did such a great job with the new rink, and to play in that type of atmosphere with everyone screaming and yelling is something I’ll never forget.” Orr enjoyed the weekend-focused schedule of college hockey. “When you only have two games a week, usually on a Friday and Saturday, you can put a lot more attention into your game during the week with extra time on the ice or in the gym, which over four years can make a substantial difference,” he said. “Plus, with the college hockey season only running six months, you still get another two months when you are not playing hockey to hang out with your teammates and get to know them better as well.”
Orr joined the Falcons after developing his game with the U18 Yellowhead Chiefs and playing three seasons for the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He helped the Terriers win backto-back league championships in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, the Portage team claimed a national Junior A championship on home ice.