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ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Baier, Nielsen Agree to Terms with Orlando

June 16, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


Orlando, FL - The Orlando Solar Bears, proud affiliate of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL's Toronto Marlies, announced that defensemen Eric Baier and Carl Nielsen have agreed to terms with the Solar Bears for the 2015-16 season. In a separate transaction, the Solar Bears acquired D Kirill Tulupov from the Wichita Thunder to complete a future considerations transaction (Sean Bonar) and traded him to the Rapid City Rush to complete a future considerations transaction (Joe Howe). The Solar Bears also announced their 2014-15 Season Ending Roster.

Baier (6-2, 210 lbs.) appeared in 54 games for the Solar Bears last season, finishing tied for first among Solar Bears defensemen with nine goals and second with 21 points. He also played 12 games for the Albany Devils (AHL), posting one goal and two assists for three points. The North Kingstown, Rhode Island, native skated in 56 games with the Solar Bears in the 2013-14 season, finishing the year with nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. Baier scored a double overtime game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 2013 Kelly Cup Playoffs to force Game 6 back in Orlando. In his ECHL career, Baier has played in 223 games for Reading, Trenton, and Orlando, tallying 73 points on 25 goals and 43 assists. His AHL career includes 47 games and five points (2 goals, 3 assists) for Albany, Charlotte, Portland, Providence, and Rockford.

Nielsen (6-4, 225 lbs.) led the Solar Bears with a +19 rating and 134 PIM last season. He scored three goals, including two game winning tallies, to go along with seven assists for 10 points. The native of Lorain, OH, was named the Kevin L. Heller Memorial Award winner (Unsung Hero) at the Solar Bears Awards Ceremony in March. In his ECHL career, Nielsen has played in 101 games, registering 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) and 185 PIM. He collected nine PIM in nine AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Season-Ending Rosters may include up to 20 players. Season-Ending Rosters cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2014-15.

Each team is entitled to reserve rights to a maximum of eight players from the list of 20 by extending a qualifying offer no later than June 30. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four can be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the 2015-16 season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded. Teams are not required to extend a qualifying offer to players who sign a contract by June 30.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until August 1, at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player, or to a goaltender who has played more than 180 regular-season games, will retain the rights to that player until August 1. After August 1, if the veteran player or goaltender is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran or goaltender shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player's rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player's rights, and the Professional Hockey Players' Association. The member with the player's rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by August 31, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.

The Solar Bears Season Ending Roster is as follows:

Forwards:

Defensemen:

Akim Aliu

Jacob Cepis

Marshall Everson

Kristoff Kontos

Johnny McInnis

Greg Miller

Brock Montgomery

Ben Rosen

Scott Tanski

Joe Tolles

Bryce Aneloski

Eric Baier

Mike Keenan

Spencer McAvoy

Max Nicastro

Carl Nielsen

Jake Parenteau

Yann Sauve

The Orlando Solar Bears, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL's Toronto Marlies, play all of their home games at the 2012 Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year, the Amway Center.

Check out the Orlando Solar Bears Statistics



ECHL Stories from June 16, 2015


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