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Tagged: Orlando Solar Bears

16Mar

Denver Manderson(23) Orlando Solar Bears

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Undrafted 5th year left wing Denver Manderson(23) signed a one-year two-way deal with Toronto Marlies but has spent a majority of the season reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he leads the team in goals (18) and scoring (49).

His goal total ties his career high mark and 31 assists and point totals are new bests.

The not exactly huge 5’10” 180 lbs. forward has only appeared in 6 AHL games this season and may see one more recall but it’s definitely way down from the 36 games he skated in 2013/2014, while under contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

He managed a pair of goals and 9 assists in what would qualify as his rookie campaign in the league.

He also played 27 games with Wheeling Nailers that season scoring 11 goals and 18 assists with a +10 rating and added another 2 tallies and 4 helpers in 6 playoff contests.

Missing the entire 2012/2013 except for one game due to injury, he also played the entire 2011/2012 with the team notching 40 points (18-22) through 51 games.

In maybe a bit of a strange move, he actually started his pro career in Finland’s second tier Mestis with HeKi putting up some respectable marks before the Ontario native turned his attention closer to home.

He also came up through juniors a bit unlikely as he spent most of his time in the lower BCHL putting up outstanding marks (over 2 points per game in his final run as team captain) with Penticton Vees.

It seems likely that he’ll earn himself another contract with an NHL farm club but will have to continue to work hard to find a more permanent spot on the roster.

28Dec

Yann Sauve(3) Orlando Solar Bears

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Orlando Solar Bears‘ 5th year defenseman Yann Sauve(3) was late to come to the table signing a one-year minor league deal for 2014/2015 two months into the new season.

He was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#41 overall) and in their system for four campaigns, first signing a three-year entry level contract and then an extension for 2013/2014.

The fairly big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner was assistant captain for affiliate Utica Comets, had a career high 13 assists and tied the 14 points he recorded as a rookie, but was also a disappointing -20 plus/minus.

He was recalled to the NHL for the first time since his initial year, when he appeared in 5 games.

In 3 more games as the parent club’s blue line was injury depleted, he again didn’t connect with the score sheet.

He was productive in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dog s averaging 20 assists each season and had an unreal +42 rating before he turned pro.

The 24-year old had already played portions of two seasons on reassignment in ECHL teams, so is familiar with the league.

His best run was in 2012/2013, when he had 19 points in 32 games and is off to a good start with a goal and an assist in 5 contests.

On 12/29-14 he has moved back up the hockey ladder for the moment, signing to a pto with Saint John’s IceCaps.

13Oct

Eric Knodel (40)

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#128 overall), the absolutely huge 6’6″ 225 lbs. defenseman Eric Knodel(40) will start the first full season of his pro career on double reassignment to Orlando Solar Bears.

He signed an ato after completing his fourth year at University Of New Hampshire, where as a senior he was named team captain.

Skating in 10 AHL games with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies he recorded his first two points, assists and was a +1 plus/minus.

He’s definitely shown flares for putting up points, especially helpers but might need a little more coaching and practice on the next level to give him the confidence to produce.

He attended a pair of Leafs’ prospect camps and this year’s training camp but was cut early.

At 24-years old he’s a bit of a late starter but easily has the size to blossom into a powerhouse on the blue line.

He’ll need to do it quickly though, as he’s only signed to a one-year entry level deal.

13Mar

Tyler Beskorowany(1) St. John’s IceCaps

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4th year goaltender Tyler Beskorowany(1) signed an ECHL contract with San Francisco Bulls to start his first campaign as an unrestricted free agent.

In 32 games he kept an uneven team competitive with a 14-13 mark but was shelled with pucks each night and didn’t have the best GAA or SV% stats to show for it.

He was originally a Dallas Stars‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#59 overall) and signed a 3-year entry level deal through 2012/2013 but was not qualified.

The big 6’5″ 295 lbs. net minder excelled pretty well as a rookie with AHL affiliate Texas Stars in a split season with Idaho Steelheads, where he put up similar, slightly better numbers with a winning record.

He wasn’t as lucky in his sophomore year and maybe even shouldered some of the blame for the team’s 2nd to last worst placing.

For the final run of his terms, he slipped on the depth chart and was relegated to the Pacific Northwest. He seemed to take the move in stride, playing pretty well and backstopping the Steelheads into a second Kelly Cup Playoff round.

He was probably relieved when the Bulls‘ management decided to close up shop on a financially busted second season, leaving him once again free to find another cage to call home.

In stepped Orlando Solar Bears and in 2 games he’s got two victories with a 1.50 GAA and .940 SV%.

A needy St. John’s IceCaps noticed that and a month ago signed him to a pto. He’s only been between the pipes once, and although he won the game was victimized for 5 goals on 36 shots.

He started the 2013/2014 season in training camp with Worcester Sharks before being released.

Depending upon how deep his current club can go in the postseason, it seems doubtful the 23-year old Sudbury, Ontario native will stick with North America after this year.

06Aug

Jacob Lagace (83)

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4th year unrestricted free agent left wing Jacob Lagace(83) signs on for the 2013/2014 season with Orlando Solar Bears.

He just wrapped up his 3-year entry level deal with Buffalo Sabres that saw him skate 120 AHL games (20-23-43) with Portland Pirates and Rochester Americans and 70 in the ECHL (16-26-42) with Greenville Road Warriors and Bakersfield Condors.

He was originally a 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#134 overall).

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward posted his best numbers in 2012/2013 with 16 goals and 20 assists last season with Bakersfield only reassignment but only had four AHL appearances.

He was a scoring machine in 3 junior hockey campaigns in the QMJHL with 90 markers and 114 helpers in 191 games.

The 23-year old should be able to surpass his high marks with a full season in the ECHL but he could also be on the short list for a recall.

09Jul

Ian Slater(12) Orlando Solar Bears

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Undrafted 2nd year center/right wing Ian Slater(12) was signed to a contract with Adirondack Phantoms for his rookie season.

He started his pro career in the ECHL with affiliate Trenton Titans, where in 31 games he scored 7 goals and 3 assists with a +9 rating.

The 6′ 198 lbs. forward was recalled to the AHL right after the beginning of the year and would play out the regular season schedule with the team. He notched an assist and was a -9 in mostly limited fourth line use.

The 25-year old was never exactly a point scoring machine in college play at Western Michigan University but was team captain for his last couple of years and won a championship. He also provide lots of energy on the ice whenever he’s out there.

For his sophomore campaign he has decided to ink a deal with Orlando Solar Bears, the team just an hour up the road from his hometown.

He will likely be kept an eye on for a call-up and maybe even attend an AHL training camp to start.

15Jan

Bryce Lampman(27) Portland Pirates

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Originally a New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2001 draft (#113 overall) defenseman Bryce Lampman(27) is probably best known for his days with their then farm club, Hartford Wolf Pack. He played 287 AHL regular and postseason games with the team and had two 25 point seasons.

He spent the last couple of years skating with a pair of teams in the German Elite League (DEL) before returning to North America to play in 2012/2013 with the first year ECHL Orlando Solar Bears.

In 21 games, the 30-year old blue liner could be on a bit of a scoring tear with three goals and 9 assists. He could realize career highs on the scoresheet if he’s not careful.

He was recently signed to a pto by Portland Pirates as some of their regulars abandoned them for NHL training camps.

The last time the fairly steady 6’1″ 200 pounder played in the AHL was a cup of coffee a couple of years ago with Houston Aeros but the year prior he was on the ice for 54 games with Peoria Rivermen, where he had a 20 point season.

He has dressed for 10 NHL games (all with the Blueshirts, of course) with no points.

12Jan

Michael Wilson(36) Worcester Sharks

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5th year, undrafted defenseman Michael Wilson(36) has come full circle in his short pro hockey career.

Originally signed to an AHL contract with Worcester Sharks for his first two years, he split time in his rookie season with their then ECHL affiliate Phoenix Roadrunners before spending the next campaign fully in central MA.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. puck-moving d-man signed the following season with Victoria Salmon Kings for what would be the team’s final swim upstream, as they were disbanded in favor of a junior hockey franchise.

Once again in what has become familiar terrority: unrestricted free agent status, he inked a deal that would land him overseas skating for Starbulls Rosenheim in the German tier 2 league. That move lasted less than 20 games as he returned to North America to play the second half of the season in the Central Hockey League with another team that was en route to exit from existence, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. They also decided to rebrand under a junior hockey flag.

The 25-year old signed his most current contract with the newly introduced ECHL Orlando Solar Bears near the start of 2012/2013. In 36 games, he has a pair of goals and 21 assists, which puts him on pace to have personal bests in assists and scoring for a single season.

Signed to a pto with Worcester, in his first game back he had the helper on the overtime game-winning goal.

29Dec

Dan Gendur(9) Orlando Solar Bears

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5th year unrestricted right wing Dan Gendur(9) started the 2012/2013 season with an invite to participate in Springfield Falcons‘ AHL training camp.

Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 7th round pick in the 2007 draft (#206 overall) he has some experience in the league with 20 games played but only a goal and an assist to show for it.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward spent most of the last two seasons in the Central Hockey League with the now extinct Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, where in 2011/2012 he posted 28 goals and 45 assists for 73 points in 62 regular season appearances, all career highs and good enough for top ten scoring in the league.

He was originally signed to a three-year entry level deal that expired as an unrestricted free agent with Nashville Predators in 2011 after being involved in a minor league deal.

The 25-year inked a deal with Evansville IceMen in the offseason to join the team for their inaugural season in the ECHL, moving up from the CHL to the better AA league, where he had played during his first two pro campaigns. In 14 games he tallied 4 goals and 3 assists.

But found himself to be involved in another trade that dished him and a teammate to another first season team, Orlando Solar Bears, where he currently resides and has posted 6 goals and 3 assists in 10 contests.

The winger put up 5 of those points (4 goals and an assist) in one game (12/28).

29Oct

Nick Petersen (8)

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Originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#121 overall), right wing Nick Petersen(8) was bought out the final year of his 3-year entry level contract by the team.

He appeared in a career high 52 AHL games with their farm team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins scoring a best 11 goals and 16 assists, 27 points with a +15 plus/minus.

The kind of lanky 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward started his pro career in the ECHL with Wheeling Nailers, where he lit the lamp with ease clocking in at just shy of a 1.5 points per game player and was reassigned and recalled from on a couple of occasions during his rookie season.

There were some minor rumors floating that he was a difficult player in the system.

He signed a training camp tryout agreement with Houston Aeros to start the third campaign of his pro career and although he failed to make the opening night roster, he was kept on and sent to their affiliate Orlando Solar Bears.

In 6 ECHL games he has 6 goals and 8 assists with a +4 rating and has been quickly called-up to Houston.

Turns out he was a healthy scratch for one game and sent back.

When he gets his chance, you can pretty much bet he’ll produced on the scoresheet.

Nice black eye in the pic, right?