Orlando Solar Bears (IHL)
| Orlando Solar Bears | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Orlando, Florida |
| League | IHL |
| Conference | Eastern Conference |
| Division | Central (1995–96) Northeast (1996–99) |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Operated | 1995–2001 |
| Home arena | Orlando Arena |
| Colors | Solar purple, seafoam green, sunset orange, white |
| Owner(s) | RDV Sports, Inc. |
| General manager |
Don Waddell (1995–97) John Weisbrod (1997–2001) |
| Head coach |
Curt Fraser (1995–99) Pete Horachek (1999–2001) |
| Media |
Sunshine Network WZKD (AM 950) WFLF (AM 540) |
| Affiliates |
Atlanta Thrashers (NHL) 1999–2001 Greenville Grrrowl (ECHL) Mississippi Sea Wolves (ECHL) |
| Championships | |
| Division Championships | 1 1995–96 |
| Conference Championships | 3 1995–96, 1998–99, 2000–01 |
| Turner Cups | 1 2000–01 |
The Orlando Solar Bears were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Orlando, Florida. The Solar Bears played in the International Hockey League's Eastern Conference. They played their home games at the Orlando Arena.
The Solar Bears franchise started in 1995 and played in the International Hockey League (IHL) until the league folded in 2001. They were owned by the DeVos family, who also owned the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Kansas City Blades of the IHL and the Orlando Magic of the NBA. During their time in the IHL, the team made it to three Turner Cup finals, being swept by the Utah Grizzlies in 1996, losing in game seven to the Houston Aeros in 1999 and defeating the Chicago Wolves in five games in 2001, which was the final Turner Cup Championship.
Several IHL teams were taken into the American Hockey League, but the Solar Bears were not among them. The DeVos family could only bring one team into the AHL, and chose the Griffins because the Solar Bears had never drawn well despite their on-ice success, including being the second-last team to win the Turner Cup. A handful of Solar Bears went on to play for the team they defeated for the championship, the Chicago Wolves, in the AHL, most notably goalie Norm Maracle, the IHL MVP of that deciding playoff series. That Wolves team went on to win the Calder Cup in their first AHL season.
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