Cooper Flinton, Spencer Kersten Return to AHL Syracuse

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today the Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned forward Cooper Flinton to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL). Additionally, the Crunch have recalled forward Spencer Kersten from loan to the Orlando Solar Bears.

Flinton, 22, appeared in eight games for the Solar Bears and 23 games for the Crunch this season. The Auburn, New Hampshire native tallied one goal and seven penalty minutes with a plus-2 rating for Syracuse. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward has appeared in 14 AHL games over two seasons, scoring two goals and picking up nine penalty minutes.

Prior to his professional career, Flinton played three seasons of college hockey at Dartmouth College. During the 2024-25 season, Flinton put up 24 points (11g-13a) earning All-Ivy League Second Team honors.

Flinton was drafted by the Lightning in the seventh round, 211^th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Kersten, 25, is 11th in ECHL scoring and leads the Solar Bears in goals (17). In 105 ECHL games, the Waterloo, Ontario native has 100 points (45g-55a). Kersten has also appeared in 13 AHL games over two seasons with Belleville and Syracuse posting one goal.

Kersten signed a one-year AHL contract with the Crunch prior to the start of the 2025-26 season.