ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced the team has traded defenseman Davis Bunz to the Reading Royals in exchange for future considerations.
Bunz, 27, appeared in 15 games with the Solar Bears this season, recording two penalty minutes and a minus-15 rating. He spent the 2024-25 season with the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the United Kingdom, where he appeared in 53 regular season games and tallied 15 points (1g-14a) with a plus-5 rating. He also added two points (1g-1a) in three playoff games.
Prior to his time overseas, the Middleton, Wisconsin native spent two seasons with the Wheeling Nailers. Bunz enjoyed a breakout year in 2023-24, recording 31 points (10g-21a) in 58 games while serving as an alternate captain and helping lead Wheeling to the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-1, right-shot rearguard played five seasons of NCAA Division I hockey at Providence College (2017-2022), suiting in 144 games for the Friars. Known for his leadership and community involvement, Bunz was nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2020 and earned Providence’s Jane Thompson Humanitarian Award in 2021.