ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Solar Bears Sign Nolan Valleau

February 1, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Solar Bears have announced the club has signed veteran defenseman Nolan Valleau to an ECHL Standard Player Contract for the 2020-21 season. Additionally, Orlando has also traded defenseman Patrick McNally to the Wheeling Nailers in exchange for future considerations, while veteran forward Ben Thomson has been activated from the Commissioner's Exempt List and loaned to the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League.

Valleau (vah-LOO), 28, returns for his third stint with the Solar Bears after playing under contract with the AHL's Syracuse Crunchduring the 2019-20 season, where he registered six points (2g-4a) and 14 penalty minutes in 35 games.

The 6-foot-1, 177-pound blueliner has skated in 48 career games with the Solar Bears, tallying 38 points (10g-28a) and 24 penalty minutes. During the 2017-18 campaign, his .83 points per game (34 points in 41 games) set the current club record for average point production by a defenseman in a single season, and he represented the Solar Bears at the 2018 ECHL All-Star Classic in Indianapolis, where he won the hardest shot competition with a 97-mph slap shot.

In addition to his time in the ECHL with Orlando, Valleau has also appeared in 227 career AHL games with Syracuse, Utica, Milwaukee, Chicago and Rockford, producing 46 points (9g-37a) and 85 penalty minutes. Valleau turned pro after signing with the Chicago Blackhawks on August 18, 2015.

Prior to turning pro, the Novi, Mich. native played one season of college hockey at Bowling Green State University. In 39 games for the Falcons program, the redshirt freshman collected 19 points (2g-17a) and 35 penalty minutes and was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team.

Valleau played junior hockey for the Des Moines Buccaneers and Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, where he put up totals of 26 points (8g-18a) and 38 penalty minutes in 64 games. Prior to that, he posted 31 points (6g-25a) and 52 penalty minutes in 53 games with the North American Hockey League's Port Huron Fighting Falcons and New Mexico Mustangs.

McNally, 29, had five assists and 12 penalty minutes in 15 games with Orlando this season.

Thomson, 28, has two assists and 23 penalty minutes with the Solar Bears.

NEXT GAME: The Solar Bears open a seven-game road trip against the Florida Everblades at Hertz Arena on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. The Solar Bears are back on home ice to host the Florida Everblades at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.

Check out the Orlando Solar Bears Statistics



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