Gritty Forward Peter Laviolette III Joins Solar Bears for 2025-26 Season
Published on September 8, 2025 under ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today the signing of gritty forward Peter Laviolette III to a contract for the 2025-26 season.
Laviolette, 27, joins the Solar Bears after three seasons playing for his native Wheeling Nailers. In 110 career ECHL games, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound winger tallied 28 points (10g-18) and 292 penalty minutes.
In addition to his play on the ice, Laviolette is well-known in the Wheeling, West Virginia community for his contributions off the ice, winning back-to-back Project BEST Community Player of the Year Awards (2022-23, 2023-24).
Laviolette's father, Peter Jr., is a former NHL Head Coach, most recently with the New York Rangers. He is the winningest American-born coach in NHL history with 846 coaching victories, three Stanley Cup Final appearances and one Stanley Cup Championship with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. Laviolette III was born on a game day while Peter Jr. was coaching the Nailers during the 1997-98 season.
Solar Bears 2025 Preseason Roster:
FORWARDS: Anthony Bardaro, Tyler Bird, Carson Focht, Cole Kodsi, Peter Laviolette III, Aaron Luchuk, Jarid Lukosevicius
DEFENSEMEN: Nick Anderson, Logan Britt, Davis Bunz, Tony Follmer
GOALTENDERS: Jon Gillies
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