The Orlando Solar Bears are an ECHL (East-Coast Hockey League) professional ice hockey team playing out of the Amway Center Arena in Orlando, Florida. The Solar Bears are affiliated with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, who are coming off back-to-back championship wins.
The Solar Bears have some of the best up-and-coming talent in all of hockey, and the current roster features a number of players who could one day add to the lineup of the Tampa Bay Lighting. In other words, the team is loaded with potential NHL players. ECHL Professional hockey is every bit as competitive as the National Hockey League, with the players trying their best to make the NHL.
The Solar Bears are an elite caliber team, having made deep playoff runs in five of their last seven seasons. Although the team hasn’t managed to win the ECHL championship during that time, they have finished in the top four consistently, and this year looks like it may very well be their year. The Solar bears have added a number of key players on defense which strengthens what is already a very strong squad.
The Orlando Solar Bears lineup features an exclusively North American roster, with all of their players being either elite American or Canadian talent. Lead by captain Jerry D’Amigo; the solar bears are well rounded with a squad of elite young players, including Zack Andrusiak at left-wing, Tyler Bird on the right-wing, and promising young goalie Kris Oldham. Several veteran players such as Tad Kozun and Nolan Valleau round out the roster.
The new campaign will get underway on October 23rd, 2021, when the Solar Bears will take on the Atlanta Gladiators at the Amway Center in Orlando. Afterward, the team will travel to Atlanta for a rematch before taking on the Jacksonville Icemen on October 29th at home. The full 2021-2022 ECHL schedule has yet to be released, but when it is, more information will be available.
All of the Orlando Solar Bears games are broadcast on iHeartRadio, and many are also broadcast on local radio station WYGM 740 “The Game.” All ECHL hockey games are televised exclusively by the ECHL directly at ECHL.TV. Additionally, select broadcasts are sometimes available on local Orlando station News6 WYMG.
Advance ticket purchases will soon be available for the first games of the ECHL season. Once the full ECHL regular season schedule is released, tickets for the other games will also be available. Make sure to check back often, as purchasing tickets in advance is a great way to save money and guarantees that you can get the best seats available.