Solar Bears Acquire Rights to Steven Jandric From Worcester; Trade Burke to Utah

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears have announced the following transactions ahead of opening night on Thursday, October 19 when the Florida Everblades come to town. The puck drops on the 12th season of Solar Bears hockey at 7:00 p.m.  

• First, the Solar Bears have completed a trade with the Utah Grizzles, sending forward Nathan Burke to Utah in exchange for future considerations. 
• Additionally, the Solar Bears have acquired the playing rights to forward Steven Jandric from the Worcester Railers in exchange for future considerations.
• The Solar Bears have signed goaltender Brandon Halverson to a Standard Player Contract for the 2023-24 season. 

Jandric, 26, enters his third professional season in 2023-24. The Prince George, British Columbia native has appeared in 35 ECHL games, scoring 27 points (12g-15a) with the Worcester Railers and 33 AHL games with the Springfield Thunderbirds and Providence Bruins, scoring nine points (3g-6a).

Prior to his professional career, the 6-foot, 201-pound forward skated in five seasons of NCAA hockey with Merrimack College (2021-22), University of Denver (2020-21), and University of Alaska-Fairbanks (2017-20). In his college career that spanned 161 games, Jandric scored 114 points (35g-79a) and was named WCHA First All-Star Team for the 2019-20 season, WCHA Third All-Star Team for the 2018-19 season, and WCHA All-Rookie Team for the 2017-18 season. 

Halverson, 27, spent the 2022-23 season with the Bayreuth Tigers (DEL2). In 17 games, the Traverse City, Mich. native posted a record of 6-10-0 with a 3.54 goals against average (GAA) and a .909 save percentage (SV%). The 6-foot-4, 231-pound goalkeeper was drafted by the New York Rangers in the second round, 59th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft and appeared in one NHL game for the Rangers during the 2017-18 season.

In total, Halverson has appeared in 154 professional games over six seasons in the NHL, AHL, ECHL, and DEL2. Prior to his professional career, Halverson backstopped the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL for three seasons. In 112 regular season games, Halverson posted a career mark of 72-28-7 with a 2.83 GAA and a .909 SV%. During the 2014-15 season, Halverson posted the most shutouts in the entire OHL with six. One year later, Halverson was on the USA U-20 World Junior Team that took the bronze medal. 

Photo: Lucas Armstrong/Springfield Thunderbirds Media

OPENING NIGHT: The Solar Bears open the 2023-24 regular season on October 19 when they face the back-to-back Kelly Cup Champion Florida Everblades at AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center.