The Orlando Solar Bears will soon have their full complement of players and several new, key players on the roster. Who are they and what should we expect?
The Amway Center is starting to get busy again. The Orlando Magic are back having had their first preseason game and open practice at the Amway Center.
The ice is getting laid down too. Some new wrapping around the Amway Center’s Disney Atrium should remind some fans the Orlando Solar Bears are preparing for their fourth season out of hibernation. Back-to-back playoff appearances have shown the Solar Bears have built a solid program for their guys to develop and succeed in as a team.
Yet, the Solar Bears have not won a playoff series yet. The loss to the rival Florida Everblades last year stung a bit as the season ended with the fourth-seeded Solar Bears falling to the top-seeded Everblades in six games.
Minor league teams will go through turnover on their rosters with parent clubs shifting where they send their players. The better players will move up the chain and get their opportunities. The Solar Bears roster will not even be finalized until after the Toronto Maple Leafs make their final cuts and players trickle down through the farm system. It will all lead up to the Oct. 9-10 preseason games against Florida.
The Maple Leafs and Marlies have their own position battles that could see players trickle down from the AHL level as those camps hit their cut-down date.
As the team comes into camp and prepares for the season, it might be good to look back at who will be making their way back to Orlando and who to watch for as the Solar Bears prepare for this season.
The top scorer returning to the Solar Bears from last year is Johnny McInnis. Orlando acquired him from the EverBlades in January and inked him to an extension after he scored eight goals and 15 assists in 34 games. He very well could be the star of this team depending on who the Marlies send down. McInnis added three goals and three assists in the six-game playoff series against his former team.
For Solar Bears fans looking for continuity, McInnis looks set to start the season in Orlando.
The Solar Bears should expect some consistency though on the defensive end. Eric Baier and Carl Nielsen figure to remain fixtures on defense. Nielsen posted a +19 last year and Baier was +8. Eric Knodel and his team-high +21 from last year was moved up to the Marlies and then traded to the Ducks in late September.
The defense took a small hit Tuesday when Nielsen announced his retirement.
Last year’s starter in net, Garret Sparks (21-7-2 with a 2.34 goals against average) should be getting his shot with the Marlies this year. It means Orlando will need to sort out a new goalie in training camp when they get their roster pool set.
The Solar Bears added rookie goalies Ryan Massa and Keegan Asmundson in just the last week to compete for the lead spot between the pipes. Massa had a 1.96 goals against average last season with University of Nebraska-Omaha. Asmundson had a 1.96 goals against average at Canisius College. He made three appearances with the South Carolina Stingrays at the end of the season too.
The Solar Bears have added a few new players too with some offseason signings. These are players that will definitely be on the Solar Bears next season.
The defense will have some reinforcements. Reggie Traccitto is expected to spend the start of the season at least with the Solar Bears after graduating from the University of Prince Edward Islands last year and then playing a few games with the Marlies. He should get some good playing time with the Solar Bears as he develops for the parent clubs in Toronto.
Spencer McAvoy came to the Solar Bears last season in a mid-season deal with Elmira. He had two assists and a -2 in 24 games with the Solar Bears last year. Defender Myles Harvey returns to the Solar Bears too after spending last year with the Utah Grizzlies and then the end of the season in Norway. He was a -4 with five assists with both teams last year.
On offense, Lindsay Sparks figures to be a key addition to the offense. Sparks had 22 goals and 35 assists for Missouri last year. He could figure to play a big role. The Solar Bears also will bring in Joe Basaraba scored 13 goals and dished out 13 assists in 39 games with the Cincinnati Cyclones. He also spent some time in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage. Tyler Currier should also add some depth at the right wing position. He scored eight goals and eight assists in 52 games with Alaska and Missouri in the ECHL.
The Solar Bears will also bring in forwards Matt Hatch from Toronto’s training camp this week. Hatch scored nine goals and six assists in 39 games with Reading.
There will be major change for sure, as there always is for minor league teams. The biggest one is the retirement of forward Jacob Cepis. The Solar Bears’ leader in points last year (and for the last three seasons) announced his retirement in July. There will definitely be a void that has to be filled in losing so much production.
Denver Manderson and his 18 goals and 32 assists for the Solar Bears last year in 52 games will also spend the year with the Marlies after he bounced between the Marlies and the ECHL last year. Brett Findlay (18 goals, 23 assists in 45 games), who also bounced between the Marlies and the Solar Bears last year will likely join Manderson in Toronto, along with ECHL All Star Brady Vail after his 15 goals and 14 assists last year 64 games last year.
The Solar Bears lost a lot, but that is expected as a minor league team. You hope your best players move on and move up the company ladder. Losing Cepis’ leadership will hurt, but others will have to step up and step into roles.
There certainly appears to be plenty of talent returning to the roster. And a new influx of talent should boost the team and keep them competitive.
The team comes together for its full training camp this week and starts its season Oct. 17 against Greenville.
