Solar Bears Announce Future Considerations Trades

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced six player transactions ahead of the ECHL future considerations trade deadline. 

• The Orlando Solar Bears have acquired defenseman Robbie Stucker from the Utah Grizzlies to complete the trade for forward Nathan Burke on October 18, 2023. 
• The Orlando Solar Bears have traded forward Luke Boka to the Savannah Ghost Pirates, who acquired future considerations from the Worcester Railers, completing the Solar Bears trade with the Railers for the ECHL playing rights of forward Steven Jandric also on October 18, 2023. 
• The Orlando Solar Bears have acquired forward Jake Smith from the Reading Royals to complete the trade for the ECHL playing rights of forward Brayden Guy on November 26, 2023. 
• The Orlando Solar Bears have acquired forward Mikael Robidoux from the Allen Americans to complete the trade for the ECHL playing rights of forward Bennett MacArthur on December 13, 2023. 
• The Orlando Solar Bears have traded forward Mikael Robidoux to the Wheeling Nailers to complete the trade for defenseman Avery Winslow on December 14, 2023. 
• The Orlando Solar Bears have traded forward TJ Walsh to the Wichita Thunder to complete the trade for forward Kelly Bent on February 10, 2024. 

Stucker, 25, has appeared in 59 ECHL games over two seasons. The St. Paul, Minnesota native began his professional career with the South Carolina Stingrays, scoring seven points (1g-6a) in 10 games during the 2022-23 season. Last season, Stucker played in 49 games with Iowa and Utah, scoring 20 points (0g-20a). The 6-foot-3, 179-pound defenseman played five seasons of college hockey at University of Vermont (2021-2023) and University of Minnesota (2018-2021). While playing junior hockey, Stucker and the Fargo Force were the 2017-18 Clark Cup Champions of the United States Hockey League (USHL). 

The 25-year-old defenseman was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the seventh round, 210^th overall, in the 2017 NHL Draft. 

Smith, 26, makes the move to Orlando after spending the 2023-24 campaign with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Reading Royals. In 60 games, the Pickering, Ontario native scored 36 points (19g-17a). In total, Smith has played in 176 ECHL games over three seasons with Kansas City, Iowa, Norfolk, Florida, Greenville, and Reading, scoring 127 points (66g-61a). During his time with the Heartlanders during the 2021-22 season, Smith was named ECHL Player of the Month in January.

Prior to his professional career, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward played USports hockey at Carleton University (Ottawa). His 35 points in 27 games during the 2018-19 season, earned him Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Rookie of the Year and OUA East All-Rookie Team honors. Smith played three seasons of major junior hockey in the Canadian Hockey League with Acadie-Bathurst, Chicoutimi, Val-d’Or of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), scoring 113 points (52g-61a) in 176 games. 

Keep up to speed with the latest Solar Bears roster moves by following the Offseason Headquarters