2016 Offseason Headquarters

Stay up-to-date as the 2016-17 Solar Bears roster takes shape

Updated: September 27, 2016 - 12:45 p.m.

The summer months can be especially unexciting for hockey fans with no games being played. It’s the opposite for the hockey operations staff of a professional team, with coaches and other personnel pounding the phones with players, agents and other hockey ops staffs trying to construct a roster for the upcoming season. Throughout the offseason, fans are left to wonder whether their favorite players are sticking around.

With that in mind, we’ll attempt to bring you up to speed throughout the summer with this offseason headquarters. Below is a list of players who spent time with the Orlando Solar Bears during the 2015-16 season and their status heading into the 2016-17 campaign.

As is the case with most seasons in the ECHL, roster turnover is commonplace. Only 12 players that suited up with Orlando during the 2014-15 season played in a game for the Solar Bears in 2015-16 and several of those players did not finish the campaign with Orlando. Keep in mind of the following dates as well throughout the offseason.

June 1 — ECHL Protected lists due (View List)This gives teams the option to protect as many of its players under certain criteria to retain negotiating rights. A player on an NHL or AHL contract for next season, such as T.J. Foster, would not be eligible for inclusion on this or any of the subsequent lists.

June 13 — Future Considerations deadlineAny outstanding future considerations from the 2015-16 season must be completed by 3 p.m.

June 15 — Season Ending Rosters due (View List)The Season Ending Roster is a list of up to 20 players who played for Orlando under an ECHL contract in 2015-16 and would be eligible to sign a Qualifying Offer. So for the Solar Bears, players like defensemen Brandon Anselmini or Brayden Jaw - who both signed Amateur Try-Out Agreements with Orlando after leaving the college ranks and were never elevated to a Standard Player Contract - wouldn’t need to be included on this list.

June 16 — First day to sign ECHL contracts for 2016-17 seasonThis is likely the earliest you’ll see any major news regarding new - and returning - Solar Bears for 2016-17.

June 30 — Qualifying Offers dueEach ECHL team is entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players from the initial Season Ending Roster from June 15 up to 11:59 p.m. of this date. Up to four of those players can be Veteran players - players who will have played 260+ professional games in qualifying leagues at the start of the 2016-17 season. These offers expire on August 1.

There are some further nuances to these rules, but by and large this should provide fans with a basic understanding of the offseason timeline.

Here’s the good stuff.

Signed for 2016-17 (ECHL)

D Eric Baier (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 6/30

F Austin Block - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/23

F Adam Brace - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/12

D Chris Bradley (Rookie) - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/25

F Paul Crowder (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/19

D Ben Danford (Rookie) - AGREED TO TERMS, 9/06

D Jason DeSantis (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 9/27

D Taylor Doherty (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/28

F Connor Gaarder (Rookie) - AGREED TO TERMS, 9/13

F Matt Johnson (Rookie) - AGREED TO TERMS, 9/08

D Trevor Ludwig (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/21

F Denver Manderson - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/02

G Ryan Massa - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/07

F Johnny McInnis - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/12

F Brock Montgomery - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/04

F Bryan Moore - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/09

D Max Nicastro - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/18

F Joe Perry - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/30

F Coltyn Sanderson (Rookie) - AGREED TO TERMS, 9/01

F Sebastien Sylvestre - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/16

F Patrick Watling - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/26

G Jay Williams (Rookie) - AGREED TO TERMS, 9/15

Signed for 2016-17 (non-ECHL)

F Eric Faille — (Toronto, AHL, signed July 12, 2016)

F Brett Findlay (Toronto, AHL, signed July 26, 2016)

F T.J. Foster — (Toronto, AHL, two-year deal signed March 27, 2015)

D Brenden Miller — (Toronto, AHL, two-year deal signed July 3, 2015)

Unrestricted Free Agents are able to sign with any NHL or AHL team, or any global teams.

Unrestricted Free Agents

D Brandon Anselmini — (ATO) - Signed AHL contract with Texas Stars, 7/07

F Erik Bradford — (Toronto, AHL) - Agreed to terms on ECHL contract with Toledo Walleye, 9/06

F Brett Findlay — (Toronto, AHL) - Signed AHL contract with Toronto Marlies, 7/26

G Rob Madore — (Toronto, AHL)

F Eric Faille — (Toronto, AHL)* - Signed AHL contract with Toronto Marlies, 7/12

D Brayden Jaw — (ATO)

D James Martin — (Toronto, AHL)*

F Jack Rodewald — (Toronto, AHL) - Agreed to terms on ECHL contract with Wichita Thunder, 9/13

F Matt Rupert — (Toronto, AHL) - Agreed to terms on ECHL contract with Indy Fuel, 8/16

F Brady Vail — (Toronto, AHL) - Agreed to terms on ECHL contract with Fort Wayne Komets, 8/17

F Patrick Watling — (Toronto, AHL) - Agreed to terms on ECHL contract with Orlando, 7/26

* Martin & Faille received qualifying offers with other ECHL clubs in the 2015 offseason but did not sign those offers, and will become Unrestricted Free Agents after June 15.

ECHL contracts eligible for Orlando’s Season Ending Roster/Qualifying Offers

D Eric Baier (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 6/30

F Austin Block - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/23

D Chris Bradley - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/25

F Brian Christie - RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER

D Taylor Doherty (Veteran) - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/28

D Myles Harvey

F Nicklas Lindberg (Veteran)

D Mark Louis - Signed with Cardiff Devils (EIHL), 7/22

F Denver Manderson - AGREED TO TERMS, 8/02

G Ryan Massa - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/07

D Spencer McAvoy - RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER

F Johnny McInnis - AGREED TO TERMS, 7/12

D Carl Nielsen - Signed with Peoria Rivermen (SPHL), 9/20

F Spencer Pommells (Acquired from Rapid City on June 13) - RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER

D Rory Rawlyk (Veteran) - Signed with ASC Corona Brasov (MOL Liga), 7/15

F Adam Reid

F Rylan Schwartz - RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER - Signed with Heilbronner Falken (DEL2), 7/15

F Casey Thrush (Acquired from Evansville on June 2) - Signed with Elmira Jackals, 9/12

Continue to check back periodically as we will be making updates throughout the offseason!