Solar Bears Re-Sign Bent, Sign Four Players to Tryouts

stephen kerr

Mon, Sep 30, 2024, 12:33 p.m.·2 min read

The Orlando Solar Bears made several more transactions ahead of training camp, which opens in October.

The club announced forward Kelly Bent has re-signed for the 2024-25 season, agreeing to terms on an ECHL Standard Player Contract. The Solar Bears also inked four players to tryout contracts.

Bent returns for his second season in purple and orange after leading the Solar Bears and recording a career-high in penalty minutes during the 2023-24 season with 174.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound forward appeared in 62 games last season with Orlando and the Wichita Thunder, potting six goals and one assist for seven points.

The 29-year-old Bent has appeared in 137 ECHL games over four seasons with Kansas City, Allen, Wichita and Orlando, scoring 15 points (9-6-15) and recording 428 penalty minutes.

Prior to turning pro, the Halifax, Nova Scotia native played USports at Dalhousie University from 2016-20, scoring 26 points (10-16-26) in 116 games.

Bent also played major junior hockey from 2012-16 for Prince Edward Island, Gatineau, Saint John, and Halifax of the QMJHL, scoring 36 points (13-23-36) and racking up 522 penalty minutes in 215 regular-season contests.

During the 2015-16 season, Bent was the QMJHL’s most penalized player with 150 minutes in penalties.

The Solar Bears also announced four players have signed tryout contracts ahead of training camp.

D Gabriel Belley-Pelletier (Professional Tryout)
G Ryan Kenny (Professional Tryout)
G Jaxon Friedman (Amateur Tryout)
F Janis Vizbelis (Amateur Tryout)

Belley-Pelletier, 23, appeared in 24 games last season for Tours (France2), scoring eight points (1-7-8) and recording 33 penalty minutes. The Saint-Pascal, Quebec native has previous experience in the ECHL, appearing in 16 games for Fort Wayne and Trois-Rivières during the 2021-22 season.

The 25-year-old Kenny spent most of the 2023-24 season with the Fayetteville Marksmen of the SPHL, posting a 18-10-4 record in 32 games and led the league with a .929 save percentage. The native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida appeared in two ECHL games last season for Reading and Atlanta.

Friedman, 25, spent four years at Johnson & Wales University (NCAA Div. III) going 5-16-1 in 24 games. The Kennebunk, Maine native made a season-high 51 saves on December 2, 2023 at Hobart College.

Vizbelis, 25, is coming off four years of college hockey at Elmira College (NCAA Div. III) scoring 86 points (45-41-86) in 94 games. During the 2021-22 season, the Riga, Latvia native was named New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Third Team All-Conference.

As of September 30, Orlando has 14 forwards, seven blueliners and one goalie. Keep checking back with The Hockey News ECHL page for the latest transactions, news and analysis.