ORLANDO, FLA – The Orlando Solar Bears have announced the club has agreed to terms with veteran forward Erik Bradford on an ECHL Standard Player Contract for the 2020-21 season.
Erik Bradford was signed by the Orlando Solar Bears on Thursday (Photo courtesy of HockeyDB.com)
Bradford, 26, enters his sixth season of professional hockey after putting up 53 points (18 goals – 35 assists) and 30 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Brampton Beast in 2019-20. He also added one goal in a one-game stint with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The 6-foot-0, 185-pound forward previously played for the Solar Bears as a rookie during the 2015-16 season while on loan from the Marlies. In 65 games with Orlando that season, Bradford recorded 32 points (10 goals – 22 assists) and 28 penalty minutes, and he established the club record for the longest point streak by a rookie, recording 10 points (3 goals – 7 assists) in 10 games from March 6-26 of that season.
The veteran has played in 286 career ECHL games with Orlando, Brampton, Toledo, Norfolk and Utah, recording 236 points (73 goals – 163 assists) and 154 penalty minutes, while earning a selection to the ECHL All-Star Classic in 2016-17. Over the last five seasons, Bradford’s 163 assists and 236 points rank sixth (tied) and 11th respectively among all ECHL skaters.
Bradford has also appeared in four career AHL games with the Marlies, recording two goals.
Prior to turning pro, the Orangeville, Ontario native played major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League for the Owen Sound Attack, Ottawa 67’s and Barrie Colts, notching 186 points (76 goals – 110 assists) and 166 penalty minutes.
Orlando has also released forwards Isaiah Crawford, Alex Gilmour, J.M. Piotrowski and Ethan Skinner.
Solar Bears Roster (As of December 3rd):
Forwards
Abbandonato, Peter [SYR]
Alvaro, Matt [R]
Bird, Tyler
Bradford, Erik
Cammarata, Taylor
Coughler, Jake
Hope, Kylar [R]
Johnson, Stephen [R]
Kozun, Tad
Langan, Tristin
LeBlanc, Chris
Luchuk, Aaron
May, Johno
Pavlychev, Nikita [R-SYR]
Rockwood, Adam
Defensemen
Boyd, Rich
Kuqali, Alexander
Lohan, Kevin
McInnis, Luke [R]
McNally, Patrick
Meyer, Paul [R]
Panico, Tommy
Stephens, Devante [SYR]
Goaltenders
Lackey, Michael [R]
Sparks, Garret
Windsor, Clint [SYR]
Key:
[R] = Rookie
[TO] = Tryout
[V] = Veteran
[SYR] = Syracuse Crunch contract
The Solar Bears open the 2020-21 season, presented by XYMOPrint, on the road against the Florida Everblades on Saturday, December 12th at 7 p.m. Orlando’s first home game of the 2020-21 season will be played at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center on Tuesday, December 29th at 7 p.m.
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