Solar Bears Defenseman Inks AHL Contract

Kris Myllari has played over 300 ECHL games in his professional career. On Wednesday, the Orlando Solar Bears defenseman finally got the opportunity to move up the ladder.

The ECHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that Myllari has been signed to a professional tryout contract (PTO) with the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League.

Additionally, the Solar Bears have signed defenseman Mark Auk to an ECHL Standard Player Contract (SPC).

The 27-year-old Myllari has appeared in 29 games this season with the Florida Everblades and Orlando, tallying two goals and nine assists for 11 points.

Myllari enjoyed career-highs in goals (11), assists (37), and points (48) while captaining the Allen Americans last season and was selected to the ECHL All-Star Classic. In 304 ECHL games over five seasons with Utah, Kansas City, Allen, Florida, and Orlando, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound blueliner has recorded 126 points (32-94-126).

Prior to his professional career, Myllari played four seasons of NCAA hockey for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 2016-20. In 149 games, he racked up 62 points (19-43-62) and helped his team to two Big Ten Championships.

During the 2016-17 season, Myllari was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team.

Auk, 29, rejoins the Bears after spending part of the 2020-21 campaign in The City Beautiful. The 6-foot, 187-pound rearguard has appeared in 100 ECHL games over two seasons with Toledo, Rapid City, and Orlando, scoring 56 points (10-46-56).

Since his previous tenure in Orlando came to a close, Auk has played four professional seasons in Europe, most recently in the Slovak Extraliga for HK Nitra.

In 35 games this season, Auk has posted three goals and 12 assists to go along with 37 penalty minutes.

Before turning pro, the Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. native played four seasons of college hockey at Michigan Tech, where he notched 84 points (21-63-84) and 49 penalty minutes in 150 career games for the Huskies program. He was part of back-to-back WCHA conference championships in 2017 and 2018.

Auk played junior hockey in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, posting 39 points (11-28-39) and 39 penalty minutes in 93 career games.