Jimmy Orlando Explained

Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:185
Played For:Detroit Red Wings
Birth Date:27 February 1916
Birth Place:Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Career Start:1935
Career End:1951

James Vincent Orlando (February 27, 1916 – October 24, 1992) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 199 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings between 1937 and 1943.

Playing career

Jimmy Orlando was an enforcer throughout his NHL career. He averaged over 80 PIM's per season, twice posting 99 penalty minutes in a single season in 1941 and again in 1943. He posted 111 Penalty minutes in 1942. He helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 1937 and in 1943. After missing 2 years of hockey while fighting in World War II he returned to Canada and played in the Quebec Senior Hockey League from 1945–1951. He retired from hockey after the 1951 season.

When Jimmy, then known as "the bad man on ice," was arrested by the FBI in 1944, for claiming to be in an essential war effort job and after being bailed out by the Wings president, he promptly jumped bail, returning to Canada. He then joined the Canadian Army but was thereafter a wanted man in the US, effectively ending his NHL career. Several legal appeals failed to change anything for Jimmy, so he became the manager of the El Morocco nightclub in Montreal, working for owner Eddie Quinn, the wrestling czar.

An iconic photo exists of a blood-soaked Orlando playing through a head wound.

Orlando was also described by legendary Montreal sports writer Mike Farber story as being the spectator who rushed to the aid of NHL hockey commissioner Clarence Campbell when attacked at the Montreal Forum at the start of the Rocket Richard Riot. Orlando was described as having knocked the assailant's teeth out "like Chicklets."

It was at the El Morocco that Jimmy met Lili St. Cyr, then on her way to becoming the most famous burlesque dancer of all time. Quinn was Lili's sugar-daddy but had Jimmy act as a beard when Mrs. Quinn was around. One of the great romances of the century soon followed lasting for many years, in amongst Lili's six marriages and Jimmy's dalliances. Jimmy played with several of the Quebec Senior Hockey League teams up until 1951.https://web.archive.org/web/20070815101804/http://www.montrealmirror.com/2004/110404/kristian.html

Orlando went on to own several of his own night spots which were favorite hangouts for Montreal's many jazz musicians & gangsters. Jimmy also refereed big-time wrestling matches at the Montreal Forum and remained a much beloved celebrity until his death.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1932–33Montreal VictoriasMMJHL11 2 0 2 33
1933–34Montreal VictoriasMMJHL8 0 4 4 442 0 0 0 8
1933–34Montreal VictoriasMCHL1 0 0 0 0
1934–35Montreal VictoriasMMJHL2 3 2 5 8
1934–35Montreal VictoriasMCHL7 0 0 0 18
1935–36Rochester CardinalsIHL12 0 0 0 18
1935–36Montreal Senior CanadiensMCHL19 1 6 7 49
1936–37Detroit Red WingsNHL9 0 1 1 8
1936–37Pittsburgh HornetsIAHL38 0 5 5 615 0 0 0 5
1937–38Detroit Red WingsNHL6 0 0 0 4
1937–38Pittsburgh HornetsIAHL45 0 7 7 822 0 0 0 0
1938–39Springfield IndiansIAHL54 7 9 16 1063 0 0 0 8
1939–40Detroit Red WingsNHL48 1 3 4 545 0 0 0 15
1940–41Detroit Red WingsNHL48 1 10 11 999 0 2 2 31
1941–42Detroit Red WingsNHL48 1 7 8 14112 0 4 4 45
1942–43Detroit Red WingsNHL40 3 4 7 10910 0 3 3 14
1945–46Valleyfield BravesQSHL40 3 19 22 52
1945–46Ottawa SenatorsQSHL9 1 3 4 22
1946–47Valleyfield BravesQSHL35 5 8 13 69
1947–48Montreal RoyalsQSHL39 3 14 17 1243 0 0 0 4
1948–49Montreal RoyalsQSHL45 3 20 23 1648 2 1 3 18
1949–50Montreal RoyalsQSHL1 0 0 0 0
1949–50Valleyfield BravesQSHL30 2 11 13 525 0 1 1 24
1950–51Valleyfield BravesQSHL53 1 11 12 10716 0 6 6 24
QSHL totals243 17 83 100 56841 3 11 14 92
NHL totals199 6 25 31 41536 0 9 9 105

Awards and achievements