Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Forwards Niko Huuhtanen, Milo Roelens, Cooper Flinton from Syracuse Crunch to Orlando Solar Bears
AHL Syracuse Crunch

Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Forwards Niko Huuhtanen, Milo Roelens, Cooper Flinton from Syracuse Crunch to Orlando Solar Bears

Published on November 20, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned forwards Niko Huuhtanen, Milo Roelens and Cooper Flinton from the Syracuse Crunch to the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, Crunch General Manager and Head Coach Joel Bouchard announced today.

Huuhtanen, 22, has skated in five games with the Crunch this season tallying three assists. Last season, the 6-foot-3, 200- pound forward appeared in 51 games with the Crunch earning eight goals and 12 assists.

Prior to his return to North America, Huuhtanen spent two seasons with Jukurit of Liiga, the top league in his native Finland, recording 36 goals and 76 points in 100 games from 2022 to 2024.

Huuhtanen was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round, 224th overall, at the 2021 NHL Draft.

Roelens, 22, has appeared in 11 games with the Solar Bears this season earning six goals and three assists. He played in 35 games with the Crunch last season tallying six goals and two assists. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound center also appeared in 16 contests with the Solar Bears recording one goal and two assists.

Prior to his professional career, Roelens appeared in 238 career QMJHL games with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Sherbrooke Phoenix and Gatineau Olympiques from 2019 to 2024 earning 165 points (64g, 101a).

Flinton, 22, has played in 10 games with the Crunch this season recording one goal. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 213 pound forward appeared in four games with the Crunch, tallying one goal, after skating in 32 games with Dartmouth College where he recorded 11 goals and 24 points with two shorthanded tallies and four on the power play. Among all Dartmouth skaters during the 2024-25 season, Flinton ranked fourth for points and assists while his 11 goals were tied for third. The Auburn, New Hampshire, native appeared in 89 career games with the Big Green, logging 32 goals and 64 points with five game- winners and 11 goals with the man advantage.

Flinton was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round, 211th overall, at the 2021 NHL Draft.

Single game tickets and ticket packages for the 2025-26 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or online through Ticketmaster. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), X (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).

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American Hockey League Stories from November 20, 2025


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