Solar Bears sign forwards Carson MacKinnon and Matthew Bazarin

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today (Dec. 21) the Hockey Club has agreed to terms with rookie forwards Carson MacKinnon and Matthew Bazarin on Standard Player Contracts.

MacKinnon, 24, has appeared in 19 ECHL games over two seasons for the Jacksonville Icemen, scoring two goals.

Prior to his professional career, MacKinnon played in 47 collegiate games over two seasons at the University of Prince Edward Island, scoring 29 points (7g-22a). The 6-foot-1, 172-pound forward played in 332 regular season and playoff games, scoring 163 points (61g-102a) in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with Rimouski Oceanic and Gatineau Olympiques from 2015-2020.

Bazarin, 23, has appeared in seven games this season with the Baton Rouge Zydeco in the Federal Prospects Hockey League, tallying three assists and 58 penalty minutes. In 45 FPHL games over two seasons, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound forward scored 13 points (5g-8a) and racked up 242 penalty minutes.

Prior to his professional career, Bazarin played in four seasons of junior hockey in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and Northern Ontario Hockey League (NOJHL). In 97 career junior games, the Roseneath, Ontario native scored 65 points (35g-30a), and piled up 300 penalty minutes.

Additionally, the Solar Bears have placed forward Patrick Newell on team suspension for the purpose of protecting his ECHL playing rights and removed him from the active roster.