Solar Bears sign defenseman Chays Ruddy

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, have agreed to terms with defenseman Chays Ruddy on an ECHL Standard Player Contract.

Ruddy, 26, has skated in 25 SPHL games this season, scoring 10 points (4g-6a) and earning 37 penalty minutes between Fayetteville and Evansville. 

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman has played 78 games over two ECHL seasons with Fort Wayne, Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Toledo, scoring 10 points (1g-9a) and earning 117 penalty minutes from 2021-2023.

Prior to his professional career, Ruddy played collegiate hockey at University of Windsor (Ontario). In 47 games over two seasons, Ruddy scored nine points (2g-7a).

Ruddy’s junior hockey career spanned four seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League and Ontario Junior Hockey League from 2014-2018. The Cobourg, Ontario native won the OJHL championship with the Trenton Golden Eagles during the 2015-16 season.