ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today the club has re-signed defenseman Ethan Szmagaj to a contract for the 2026-27 season.
Szmagaj, 24, rejoins the Solar Bears after he was acquired in a trade with the Reading Royals in November of 2025. In 62 games with the Solar Bears and Royals, the Canton, Mich. native scored 14 points (3g-11a) and recorded 30 penalty minutes with a minus-3 rating. In total, Szmagaj has appeared in 66 ECHL games with Savannah, Reading, and Orlando, tallying 15 points (3g-12a), 34 penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating.
Prior to his professional career, Szmagaj played four seasons of college hockey at Arizona State University, where he was the captain of the 2024-25 squad. In 130 games, Szmagaj scored 28 points (6g-22a) and 101 penalty minutes.
Solar Bears 2026 Preseason Roster:
FORWARDS: Camaryn Baber, Tyler Bird, Connor Eddy, Massimo Lombardi, Aaron Luchuk, Keegan McMullen, John Parker-Jones, Luciano Wilson
DEFENSEMEN: Jarod Crespo, Tony Follmer, Colton Kammerer, Kade Landry, Ethan Szmagaj
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