ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced forward Jesse Jacques has agreed to terms on an ECHL Standard Player Contract for the 2024-25 season.
Jacques, 26, returns to the Solar Bears after scoring 30 points (11g-19a) in 52 games with Orlando last season and added five points (3g-2a) in 11 playoff games. The Hermantown, MN native was acquired from the Iowa Heartlanders in a trade for defenseman Louka Henault on December 12, 2023.
In 81 ECHL games over two seasons, Jacques has 51 points (21g-30a) and 55 penalty minutes.
Prior to his professional career, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward played his college hockey with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. In 157 NCAA games over five seasons, Jacques tallied 34 points (10g-24a) and was part of the National Championship team during the 2018-19 season. He helped the Bulldogs capture two National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Conference Championships (2018-19, 2021-22).
Jacques played one season of junior hockey with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) scoring 25 points (9g-16a) during the 2017-18 season.
Solar Bears 2024 Preseason Roster:
Forwards: Tyler Bird, Alex Frye, Brayden Low, Spencer Kersten, Tanner Schachle, Aaron Luchuk, Ryan Mahshie, Kohei Sato, Jesse Jacques
Defensemen: Chandler Romeo, Robbie Stucker, Avery Winslow, Matt Stief, Ben Carroll, Wyatt Wilson, Jimmy Mazza
Goaltenders: Alexis Gravel