History
Orlando Pro Hockey Operations, L.P. and primary owners Joe Haleski, Bob Ohrablo, and Jason Siegel, obtained an expansion franchise in the ECHL in November 2011. [3] The team revived the name of the original Orlando Solar Bears, who played in the International Hockey League from 1995 to 2001. [4] The franchise also retained the original colors of their IHL predecessor, while adding the color Sunrise Gold. They are Orlando's third professional hockey team, after the original Solar Bears and Orlando Seals (2002–2004). Together with the Florida Everblades of Estero and the Jacksonville Icemen, they are one of three ECHL franchises in Florida. They are the eighth ECHL franchise to have the name of a previous IHL franchise, joining four current teams (Cincinnati Cyclones, Fort Wayne Komets, Utah Grizzlies and Kalamazoo Wings) and three former teams (the defunct Phoenix Roadrunners and Long Beach Ice Dogs; and the Peoria Rivermen).
The Solar Bears utilize RDV Sportsplex Ice Den as their training facility and offices.
For their first season in 2012–13, the team became affiliated with the Minnesota Wild of the NHL and the Houston Aeros of the AHL. [5] They hired former NHL player Drake Berehowsky as the team's first head coach. [6] During their inaugural season, the Solar Bears posted a 20–11–1–4 record on home ice; however, the team struggled on the road and missed the playoffs with a 28–27–7 overall record. [7]
The Solar Bears then named Vince Williams, a former Solar Bears defenseman, as head coach for the 2013–14 season. They also added an affiliation with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL and the Toronto Marlies of the AHL while also keeping the Wild as an affiliate. The Leafs extended their affiliation with the Solar Bears for an additional two years in 2014 and the Leafs became the Solar Bears' sole NHL affiliate. [8]
The Solar Bears hosted the 2015 ECHL All-Star Game at Amway Center on January 21, 2015.
For the 2015–16 season, Anthony Noreen became the head coach of the Solar Bears after guiding the United States Hockey League's Youngstown Phantoms to the league championship and being named USHL Coach of the Year. [9] The Solar Bears also renewed their affiliation with the Maple Leafs and Marlies. [10] The Solar Bears missed the 2016 playoffs and then started the 2016–17 season with a 5-5-1-0 record. On November 14, 2016, head coach Anthony Noreen was replaced by former Solar Bears' head coach Drake Berehowsky. [7]
In May 2017, the DeVos family, owners of the Orlando Magic, agreed to purchase the Solar Bears when the Orlando Pro Hockey Operations, L.P. ownership group informed them that they could no longer sustain the team. The DeVos family were the owners of the IHL Solar Bears from 1995 through 2001. [1]
In the 2018 Kelly Cup playoffs, the Solar Bears swept the South Carolina Stingrays to win their first playoff series, before losing to the regular season champions, the Florida Everblades, in the division finals. After the season, the Solar Bears and the Toronto Maple Leafs ended their five-season affiliation when Toronto affiliated with the expansion Newfoundland Growlers team. [11] The Solar Bears then affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning on a three-year agreement, [12] which was then extended through at least the 2022–23 season. [13]
On April 25, 2022, the team announced that they and Drake Berehowsky had mutually agreed to part ways. [14]
The International Hockey League (IHL) was a minor professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1945 to 2001. The IHL served as the National Hockey League (NHL)'s alternate farm system to the American Hockey League (AHL). After 56 years of operation, financial instability led to the league's demise. Six of the surviving seven teams merged into the AHL in 2001.
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team, which currently plays in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They have won post-season championship titles never. In all of North American professional hockey, only the Original Six teams of the NHL and the Hershey Bears of the AHL have played continuously in the same city with the same name longer than the Komets.
Drake Berehowsky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He is best known for his time in the National Hockey League (NHL), where he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes.
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL), playing their home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, and are the 2013 and 2017 Calder Cup champions.
The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the North Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Santander Arena located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania.
Corey Schwab is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the 10th round, 200th overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils. Schwab won the 2003 Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils and the 1995 Calder Cup with the Albany River Rats.
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Originally established in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at Heritage Bank Center.
The Orlando Solar Bears were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Orlando, Florida. The Solar Bears played in the International Hockey League's Eastern Conference. They played their home games at the Orlando Arena.
The Utah Grizzlies were an ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (IHL) and American Hockey League (AHL). They originally played at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, before relocating to the E Center in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley City in 1997. After the 2004–05 season, the franchise was suspended. It was sold in 2006 and moved to Cleveland where it returned to play in 2007 as the Lake Erie Monsters. A new Utah Grizzlies franchise in the ECHL began play in 2005.
The Kansas City Blades were a professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (IHL) from 1990 until 2001, when the league folded. The Blades were based in Kansas City, Missouri, at Kemper Arena.
Brad Tapper is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers over parts of three seasons. After retiring from playing, he remained active in hockey as a coach in different professional hockey organisations in the US, Canada, and Germany. He is currently a co-trainer with ERC Ingolstadt in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) and was, before that, head coach of the Iserlohn Roosters, also in the DEL. Previously, he worked with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL), spent a year as the head coach of the Adirondack Thunder in the ECHL, and was an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans (AHL), Chicago Wolves (AHL), Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL), and Florida Everblades (ECHL).
Bruce James Cassidy, nicknamed "Butch", is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 18th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. As a coach, Cassidy won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.
Jack C. Capuano Jr. is an American ice hockey coach and former player. He is a former head coach of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is currently an associate coach for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Capuano played as a defenseman and spent parts of three seasons in the NHL in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is the older brother of former NHL hockey player Dave Capuano.
Michael Liambas is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played with the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract with the Minnesota Wild organization of the National Hockey League (NHL). He made his debut in the NHL during the 2016–17 season, with the Nashville Predators. He is also the younger brother to Will Liambas and older brother to Steven Liambas.
Jared Garry Bednar is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously coached the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League, leading them to a Calder Cup championship in 2015–16. He also led the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL to a Kelly Cup championship in the 2008–09 season. Bednar won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022, becoming the first coach to win the current ECHL, AHL, and NHL trophies.
Scott LaGrand is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who played nine seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), International Hockey League (IHL), and East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).
Reggie Berg is an American former professional ice hockey player who played for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. He was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 7th round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
David Broll is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He last played with the Coventry Blaze in the EIHL. Broll was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Garret Sparks is an American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played under contract for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL). Sparks was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round, 190th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. As of 2021, he is one of only 26 goaltenders in league history, and the third most recent, to record a shutout in his NHL debut; Sparks was also the third Maple Leafs goaltender to do so. In 2018, Sparks was awarded the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award as the AHL goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which helped lead the Toronto Marlies to their first Calder Cup.
The Newfoundland Growlers were a professional minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The team began play in the 2018–19 season with home games held at Mary Brown's Centre. They were affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). The ECHL terminated the team's membership in 2024 for failure to fulfill league bylaws.
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