Orlando Solar Bears

The Orlando Solar Bears are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. The club is based in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando Solar Bears team logo

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About The Team

The Solar Bears began play in the ECHL in 2012. The current team is actually the third pro hockey team that has played in Orlando and the clubs name today originated from the days when Orlando had a team in the IHL (from 1995-2001).

What players say...

"Playing in Orlando was incredible. Our rink was packed nightly, we won over 40 regular season games that season (2018-2019). You'd walk outside mid-January to mid 70 degrees. You can't beat that."

Kia Center

Orlando plays their home hockey games at the Kia Center. Alongside the Solar Bears (ECHL), the arena also plays home to the Orlando Magic (NBA) and the Orlando Predators (National Arena League). The arena has hosted a plethora of concerts and musical acts over the years from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers to Taylor Swift. Kia Center can seat up to 17,353 spectators for ice hockey games. Although it doesn't fill up quite that high for your average home game, the Solar Bears still attract one of the largest fan attendance bases in the league with an average of over 6,500+ per home game.

How many championships do the Orlando Solar Bears have?

0. The Orlando Solar Bears have not won a Kelly Cup ECHL Championship.

Notable/Cult Players

A ton of high quality players have played in Orlando, but a few of the most well-known players (on paper and in fans hearts) in Solar Bears hockey history are:

  • Tristin Langen
  • Aaron Luckuk
  • Michael Brudziński
  • Mike Monfredo
  • Tyler Bird
  • Éric Faille
  • Chris LeBlanc
  • Eric Baier

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Off The Ice in Orlando, Florida

Between Walt Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld, Orlando is the undisputed "theme park capital of the world." There is no shortage of attractions and entertainment for visitors here year-round. The city attracts millions of tourists to the main parks each year, but it's a thriving city for those who live and work in the surrounding area as well. A few former Solar Bear players we spoke with said there's a ton to do during the hockey season here when you're not at the rink from golfing to hitting up quality restaurants with teammates.

Interesting Facts

Did you know that Epcot (in Disney World) stands for Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow? Yes- Epcot was originally conceived by Walt Disney's as a sort of utopian city of the future so this is how the park got its name.

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