MAITLAND, FLA – Usually the summer is a time to slow down and enjoy time away from the grind of work. However, when you are building an expansion hockey team from the ground up, vacation time is not a luxury.
Over the past month, the Orlando Solar Bears have been very busy putting together plans for both its on-ice squad and off-ice promotions. Since signing Ryan Cruthers as its first player coming out of hibernation, the Solar Bears have added six more names to an ever expanding roster. They also announced the date for a special event that will forever link the Solar Bears of the old International Hockey League to the ECHL incarnation of today and hired the “voice of the Solar Bears”.
Back in 2001, the original Solar Bears team vanquished the Chicago Wolves in a five-game series that earned Orlando its first IHL Turner Cup championship. The team had the opportunity to celebrate with its fans but before a championship banner could be raised, the IHL closed its doors and the Solar Bears faded into the sunset.
The 2001 Turner Cup champion Orlando Solar Bears will be honored in a ceremony on February 2nd. (Photo courtesy of Orlando Solar Bears)
“From day one of our existence we have had every intention of honoring the past as we celebrate our future. This is unfinished business,” Solar Bears Managing Partner and President Jason Siegel said in announcing the special event. “For the players and coaches, front office staff, Amway Arena staff, and fans of the 2001 Championship team this ceremony is long overdue and we are honored to play a small role in assuring it happens.”
The current team is reaching out to the members of the 2000-2001 roster to invite as many of them back for the banner raising as can make it. The new ownership group has also made arrangements with the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto to borrow the Turner Cup for the ceremony.
“Both Jason and I have connections up there (at the HHOF) and they thought it was a great idea,” Managing Partner and C.O.O. Bob Ohrablo said about the concept of bringing the Turner Cup back to Central Florida.
When the new Solar Bears hit the ice to take on the Trenton Titans that night, they will be wearing commemorative throwback jerseys to honor their predecessors. The fans will not go away empty-handed as the team will give out mini versions of the banner that will be raised to the rafters.
The Turner Cup celebration announcement came sandwiched in between head coach Drake Berehowsky bringing six players onto his first roster. The group represents varying amounts of experience, talent, size and speed.
Size was certainly the theme with the first three signings. The first two names on the board were left winger Jordan Lane and defenseman Ben Woodley. At 6’ 8” and 250 pounds, Lane brings almost 100 pro games worth of experience with him. Last season he played 34 games for the Elmira Jackals. Prior to joining the Jackals, Lane, who hails from Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, played in the CHL for the Evansville Icemen where he posted 132 penalty minutes in 61 games. Woodley, a 6’ 6”, 230-pound native of London, Ontario, was nearly a point-per-game blue liner in junior hockey with Prince George of the BCHL. He was with the Evansville Icemen in the CHL for three playoff games a year ago.
A week later, Berehowsky announced that he had brought in yet another tall drink of ice water in 6’ 7”, 221-pound defenseman Simon Danis-Pepin. The Montreal native was drafted in the second round (61st overall pick) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by Chicago but chose to finish his career at the University of Maine. In his three years as a pro, he has split time every season between the ECHL Toledo Walleye and the AHL Rockford IceHogs, racking up 146 games and 43 points as a professional.
The latest roster announcement provided a trio of new names to the Solar Bears team. Forward Ron Cramer brings with him a wealth of scoring ability and toughness. In four years at Robert Morris University, the New Wilmington, PA born Cramer had 60 points and 263 penalty minutes in 135 games. Following graduation, Cramer was signed by and played in two games for the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones.
Montreal native Samson Mahbod knows quite a bit about the double-A level of pro hockey. His career stops include Elmira, South Carolina,
The ECHL Solar Bears will wear this special patch on opening night on October 20th. (Courtesy of Orlando Solar Bears)
Forward Gary Klapkowski has quite a bit in common with Coach Berehowsky, having persevered through injury to make the pro ranks. Following five years in junior hockey, Klapkowski, who hails from Pittsburgh, saw action in the CHL, MAHL and the ECHL. His best statistical year came when he put up 19 goals and 26 assists for the Mon Valley Thunder in the MAHL. His play earned him a 22-game audition with the ECHL’s Dayton Bombers where he had four points and four penalty minutes.
Most recently, the Solar Bears brought Bob Mills onboard as the team’s director of public relations and broadcaster. Mills joins the Orlando franchise from the Chicago Express where he was named the ECHL’s Broadcaster of the Year for 2011-2012. He will also be the point man for keeping the Orlando fans and media informed on all Solar Bears news.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Mills began his pro career in 2009 with the Gwinnett Gladiators. The following year he joined the Bakersfield Condors broadcast team and earned a spot as one of the broadcasters for the 2011 ECHL All-Star Game that was held in Bakersfield.
“We are excited to have Bob join our organization,” Ohrablo said. “Bob was recognized as the 2011-12 ECHL Broadcaster of the Year. Our fans and the Central Florida media will enjoy Bob’s talents and passion for the game of hockey.”
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com Follow us on twitter @prohockeynews
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