The Orlando Solar Bears, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL’s Iowa Wild and Toronto Marlies, announced on Monday that they have agreed to terms with F Mickey Lang, F Mike Ullrich, F Ian Slater, F Alex Gallant, and D Ben Shutron. Lang led the ECHL with 44 goals last season while being named the League’s MVP.
Lang (5-9, 185 lbs.) led the Solar Bears in goals (44) and points (77) while finishing second on the team with 33 assists. His 77 points was third in the ECHL and along with being named the ECHL MVP he was named an ECHL First Team All-Star. He recorded two hat tricks as a Solar Bear, leading Orlando to a 4-3 victory over the Greenville Road Warriors on March 7, and helping the Solar Bears defeat the Evansville IceMen 5-3 on March 27. Lang scored three overtime goals for the Solar Bears last season as well (Feb. 15 vs. Gwinnett, Feb. 23 at Kalamazoo, March 4 at Florida). He was named the ECHL Player of the Week for February 10-16 after scoring eight points (7 goals, 1 assist) in four games. Lang appeared in five games with the Iowa Wild (AHL) last season, scoring one goal. The Reno, NV, native has played in 192 games in his professional career for Orlando, Fort Wayne, Rockford (AHL), Iowa (AHL), and Quad City (CHL), scoring 105 goals and adding 96 assists for 201 points.
Ullrich (6-2, 200 lbs.) appeared in 42 games with the Solar Bears last season, posting 35 points on 10 goals and 25 assists. He had two three-point games and recorded multiple points eight times. Ullrich assisted on an overtime game-winning goal on January 5 to help the Solar Bears to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Grizzlies at the Amway Center. Ullrich played in 12 games in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs and Iowa Wild, picking up his first career AHL goal with Manchester. A native of Banff, Alberta, Ullrich has played in 191 games in his professional career, scoring 64 goals and adding 97 assists for 161 points.
Slater (6-0, 198 lbs.) collected four goals and added 10 assists for 14 points to go along with a team-high 155 PIM in 51 games with the Solar Bears last season. The Satellite Beach, FL, native split the 2012-13 season between the Trenton Titans (ECHL) and Adirondack Phantoms (AHL) scoring seven goals and four assists along with 147 PIM in 63 games. Prior to turning pro, Slater was the captain of the Western Michigan University Broncos (NCAA) where he won a National Championship during the 2011-12 season.
Gallant (6-0, 185 lbs.) enters his second professional season after leading the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League) with 251 PIM in 43 games last season. Gallant played the 2012-13 season with the Summerside Western Capitals (Maritime Junior A Hockey League) where he finished fourth on the team with 106 PIM in 29 games. Hailing from Summerside, PEI, Gallant’s amateur career also includes a season (2011-12) in the QMJHL with the Prince Edward Island Rocket, totaling 133 PIM in 32 games. Alex is the younger brother of Brett Gallant, who played four games for the New York Islanders last season.
Shutron (6-1, 185 lbs.) was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round (#95 overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He enters his first professional season after skating the last five years (2009-14) for the University of New Brunswick (CIS) where he served as an alternate captain last season. In 101 CIS games, Shutron picked up 56 points on eight goals and 48 assists. He won the CIS University Cup in 2010-11 and was named to the CIS All-Rookie team in 2009-10. Shutron played five seasons (2004-2009) in the OHL for the Kingston Frontenacs and Windsor Spitfires, finishing with 30 goals and 124 assists for 154 points to go along with 353 PIM in 298 games. The Orleans, ON, native helped Windsor capture both the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup Championship in 2008-09, won an OHL Championship with Kingston in 2007-08, and played in the CHL Top Prospects Game in 2005-06.
In order to complete future considerations deals from the 2013-14 season, the Solar Bears have traded forward C.J. Severyn to the Alaska Aces (Zach Harrison), D Corey Fienhage to the Toledo Walleye (Aaron Clarke to complete deal for Mickey Lang), the rights for G Tyler Beskorowany to the Idaho Steelheads (Connor Goggin).