Orlando Solar Bears
Orlando Solar Bears | |
---|---|
City | Orlando, Florida |
League | ECHL |
Conference | Eastern |
Division | South |
Founded | 2012 |
Home arena | Kia Center |
Colors | Solar purple, seafoam green, sunset orange, sunrise gold, white |
Owner(s) | RDV Sports, Inc.[1] |
Head coach | Matt Carkner |
Media | Orlando Sentinel , WJRR, ECHL.TV, |
Affiliates | Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) Syracuse Crunch (AHL) |
Website | orlandosolarbearshockey |
Current season |
The Orlando Solar Bears are a professional
History
Orlando Pro Hockey Operations, L.P. and primary owners Joe Haleski, Bob Ohrablo, and Jason Siegel, obtained an expansion franchise in the
The Solar Bears utilize
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
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]
Media
The radio broadcasts for Orlando Solar Bears games are streamed online through
As with all ECHL teams, video of Orlando Solar Bears games are available on FloSports and ECHL.TV, usually with a choice between home or away radio feeds for audio. The 2022-2023 season home opener was simulcast on WKMG-TV (Orlando's CBS affiliate) and Cozi TV.[citation needed]
Season-by-season results
Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Standing | Avg. attendance | Year | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Kelly Cup |
2012–13 | 72 | 28 | 37 | 3 | 4 | 63 | 197 | 253 | 5th, South | 6,668 | 2013 | did not qualify | |||
2013–14 | 72 | 43 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 91 | 225 | 219 | 2nd, South | 6,355 | 2014 | L, 2–4, CIN | — | — | — |
2014–15 | 72 | 37 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 84 | 236 | 215 | 4th, East | 6,209 | 2015 | L, 2–4, FLA | — | — | — |
2015–16 | 72 | 33 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 75 | 224 | 232 | 3rd, South | 6,226 | 2016 | did not qualify | |||
2016–17 | 72 | 36 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 82 | 260 | 258 | 4th, South | 5,498 | 2017 | L, 3–4, FLA | — | — | — |
2017–18 | 72 | 33 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 75 | 212 | 228 | 3rd, South | 5,461 | 2018 | W, 4–0, SC | L, 1–4, FLA | — | — |
2018–19 | 72 | 41 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 88 | 251 | 238 | 2nd, South | 5,612 | 2019 | W, 4–1, SC | L, 1–4, FLA | — | — |
2019–20 | 62 | 27 | 29 | 5 | 1 | 60 | 170 | 180 | 5th, South | 5,632 | 2020 | Season cancelled | |||
2020–21 | 72 | 36 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 79 | 218 | 232 | 5th, Eastern | 2,464 | 2021 | did not qualify | |||
2021–22 | 71 | 33 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 73 | 197 | 226 | 5th, South | 5,120 | 2022 | did not qualify | |||
2022–23 | 72 | 30 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 69 | 221 | 264 | 6th, South | 6,033 | 2023 | did not qualify |
Players
Current roster
References
- ^ a b "Magic, DeVos family will buy Orlando Solar Bears". Orlando Sentinel. May 3, 2017.
- ^ "NBA.com: Orlando's Premier Downtown Sports and Entertainment Destination to be Renamed Kia Center". NBA.com. NBA. December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ^ "Expansion Membership Approved for Orlando". Orlando Solar Bears. November 1, 2011.
- ^ Press release (November 16, 2011). "Orlando welcomes back the Solar Bears". ECHL. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
- ^ "Out of Hibernation and into the Wild". Press Release. Orlando Solar Bears. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ^ "SOLAR BEARS NAME NHL/AHL VETERAN DRAKE BEREHOWSKY AS HEAD COACH". Orlando Solar Bears. June 19, 2012. Archived from the original on March 24, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ Sudbury Star. November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
- ^ "Maple Leafs renew ECHL affiliation with Orlando". NHL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
- ^ "ANTHONY NOREEN NAMED SOLAR BEARS' HEAD COACH". ECHL. June 30, 2015.
- ^ "Solar Bears Extend Affiliate Agreement with Toronto Maple Leafs". www.orlandosolarbearshockey.com. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
- ^ "Solar Bears to Seek NHL Affiliation for 2018-19 Season". OurSportsCentral.com. June 14, 2018.
- ^ "SOLAR BEARS BECOME ECHL AFFILIATE OF TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING". ECHL.com. August 13, 2018.
- ^ "Solar Bears, Lightning Extend Affiliation Agreement". OurSports Central. July 19, 2021.
- ^ "Solar Bears and Head Coach Drake Berehowsky Agree to Part Ways". Solar Bears Official Website. April 25, 2022.
- ^ "Orlando Solar Bears Roster". Orlando Solar Bears. July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.