Colton Orr: Yes Orr No?

(I apologize for the title, I like the lame ones, what can I say?)

July 1st and onward should be marked with an abundance of quality signings, but I’m hoping the Toronto Maple Leafs invest in a minor signing that could pay major dividends. Colton Orr is the perfect enforcer for the Leafs, let’s bring him to Toronto, Brian Burke!

While Andre Deveaux has proved to be a tough customer during his call-ups with the Leafs, he is still a rookie in the NHL. He’s not, at this point, a legitimate enforcer the Leafs can count on to alter the momentum of a game.

Colton Orr? Yeah, I guess you could say he’s a little dirty, but he’s also one badass motha. He’ll drop the gloves with best of them, and that is precisely what the Leafs need. Many may argue that fighting is a dying aspect of the game, and that Orr is not worth the roster spot. To those people, I say drop the flowers and clench the fists, because fighting is still a necessity, especially if the team’s roster consists largely of young players. Sure, a bone-crushing hit is always nice, but what happened to the days when the problems out on the rink were settled with a good ol’ fashioned tussle?

I, for one, am sick and tired of watching Jamal Mayers fight the oppositions enforcers and pests. The Leafs need a George Laraque, someone who instills fear into the opponents, and will make them think twice before laying out a Mikhail Grabovski.

Orr is 27 and his salary would be south of one million dollars. He possesses a menacing 6’3, 220 pound frame, and he ranked third in PIM’s with 193. He also landed 133 hits, which is fairly impressive considering he averaged 6:29 of ice-time per game. Cheap, effective and Leafs fans get to be entertained by some fisticuffs. What’s not to love?

Considering the Leafs are a youth-orientated team, I think it is crucial to implement an enforcer to line-up night-in and night-out. He can protect the youth and instill confidence in players like Grabovski and others. That, and since this is Burke’s team now, some toughness is definitely in order.

Still not convinced? I’ll let Orr’s right hand do the talking. He is the equivalent of the Incredible Hulk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iCbCt3wwhM

Enough said.

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