ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced Friday (Oct. 11) the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL) have loaned defensemen Chris Harpur and Scott Walford, and goaltender Ryan Fanti to the Orlando Solar Bears.
Harpur, 28, returns to the Solar Bears for his fourth campaign in purple and orange. The Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario native was originally signed by Orlando following the conclusion of his collegiate career at Niagara University during the 2021-22 season. In 110 ECHL games, Harpur scored 22 points (5g-17a) and earned 74 penalty minutes. He was signed by Syracuse to a Professional Tryout (PTO) during the 2023-24 season. In 17 games with the Crunch, Hapur tallied four assists and 16 penalty minutes. Harpur was signed to a One-Year, AHL contract with Syracuse this past summer.
Walford, 25, joins the Bears for his first full professional season. The Coquitlam, British Columbia native joined the Crunch last season following the conclusion of his collegiate career at McGill University (USports). Walford appeared in five games with the Crunch last season. He signed a One-Year, AHL contract this summer with the Crunch. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound defenseman was selected in the third round, 68th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Fanti, 25, joins the Solar Bears for his fourth professional season. The former Minnesota-Duluth Bulldog has spent the past three seasons in the Edmonton Oilers organization with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL. In 51 ECHL games, the Thunder Bay, Ontario native has posted a 24-22-1 record, a 3.25 goals against average (GAA), and a .901 save percentage (SV%). Fanti signed a One-Year, AHL contract with the Crunch in the summer of 2024.
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