ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today the signing of rookie defenseman Luke Bast to a contract for the 2025-26 season.
Bast, 24, enters his first professional season after four collegiate years with University of North Dakota (2021-2023) and University of Minnesota-Duluth (2023-2025). The Red Deer, Alberta native appeared in 15 games during the 2024-25 season for the Bulldogs, scoring one assist and two penalty minutes.
The 5-foot-10, 178-pound rearguard also played four seasons of junior hockey for the Waterloo Black Hawks (2019-2021) in the USHL and the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL (2017-2019). Bast helped the Bandits win the 2018-19 AJHL Championship by scoring 35 points from the back end and adding nine points in 15 games in the playoffs. Following the 2017-18 campaign, Bast was voted AJHL South Division All-Rookie Team.
Solar Bears 2025 Preseason Roster:
FORWARDS: Anthony Bardaro, Tyler Bird, Andrew Bruder, Tyler Drevitch, Carson Focht, Cole Kodsi, Peter Laviolette III, Aaron Luchuk, Jarid Lukosevicius, Keanan Stewart, Alex Tonge
DEFENSEMEN: Nick Anderson, Luke Bast, J.C. Brassard, Logan Britt, Davis Bunz, Tony Follmer, Cody Schiavon
GOALTENDERS: Jon Gillies, Ethan Langenegger
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