From Outside the Den

Even though we are all still wallowing in the greatness that is the Solar Bears and trying to learn everything about the ECHL, one thing is happening that could affect the Solar Bears (not so much in a bad way though).

It's that time of year err, decade... err period, whatever you want to call it, where the NHL and the Players' Association negotiate a new CBA. Yes, we all put with it with the NBA this past year and the NFL the year before that. For those of you who caught sight of this and though: "Oh crap, not 2005 again." may not too far off. According to tweets from Renard P Lavoie of RDS, here's what the owner's have submitted to the PA for the new CBA a couple weeks back:

NHL proposal to players: 1-reduce players hockey related revenues to 46% from 57 %. 2-10 seasons in NHL before being UFA.
— Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) July 14, 2012

3-contracts limites to 5 years 4-no more salary arbitration. 5- entry-level contract 5 years instead of 3.
— Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) July 14, 2012

If you're thinking to yourself "What the *%&!?" you're not the only one. Though some may think #3 & #5 may seem reasonable (and I use that term loosely), the other three are just flat out, outrageous. Sure, why not take a pay cut, wait for a raise, and take whatever we give you and like it? Remember though, this is after all, the first offer. The only logical reason of this would be to eventually "settle" what they really want, kind of like me wanting to buy a $150 hockey sweater for $100, and initially offer the seller $50 with hopes of settling for $100, but even that almost never works. If I really did that, the seller would just give me the middle finger and find someone who will negotiate a better offer.

With October just three months away and the current CBA set to expire on September 15, it'll be interesting to see what the PA will put in their counteroffer. And if there is a lockout, how it would affect the roster quality for the Solar Bears.

Wild and Crazy Rumors Finally Get Settled.

The Orlando Solar Bears announced their first of many signing Tuesday.

These past couple weeks may have some of the most wild and crazy, with the signing rumors that caught the eyes of an agent and the Solar Bears themselves. Even though the rumors turned out to be false (I may or may not have have tried to spread it), it still drew a lot of buzz on SolarBearsForum and to throw more fuel to the fire with a thread with screenshots of agent Shawn Green's twitter account as well as a FaceBook post I made on the Solar Bears page in which they denied the report and eventually took it down. The admin of SolarBearsForum.com did not have much luck trying as far as where exactly the Brad Good signing came from or if fellow client Andrew Hotham could be in the works of signing with the Solar Bears. Green even took a photo of the "rumor mill" we had going on and tweeted it. The flash really got in the way since he did not know that a "prt sc" button exists on a keyboard (If you don't know, push it on your keyboard, open paint, right-click, hit paste and Viola!)

Despite posting this tweet, Shawn Green denied that he spoke with head coach Drake Berehowsky

A couple other hockey forums also posted this unconfirmed rumor, but didn't create any buzz, in fact, posts regarding or inquiring about sources were quickly deleted. Can you believe now that we are less than 100 days til the revival of the Solar Bears is complete? So what if some of us began to throw crap on the wall hoping it sticks? Okay, I just brought myself down to a certain local sportscaster. But anyway, this may or may not have led to these recent announcements from the organization:

 

Matt McIlvane hired as Solar Bears Assistant Coach

During the time Coach Berehowsky was attending the Minnesota Wild Development Camp, he lured the now former Danville Dashers coach and GM Matt McIlvane into the ECHL. McIlvane actually played from Berehowsky when he was the assistant at Peoria, his playing career was cut short due to a severe injury while playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones and began his coaching career soon after.

McIlvane didn't take long to impress in the coaching ranks. When he took over the Dashers of the Federal Hockey League, the team got into serious turmoil when the previous coach, Joe Pace Sr. was in a freak accident during practice that nearly took his life and was unable to continue coaching. McIlvane was able to bring in order as the team was coping with the accident and brought hope to a brighter future for the Dashers with his "Never Quit" attitude.

Ryan Cruthers Becomes first Solar Bear of the ECHL.

No, it wasn't Brad Good, nor was it Andrew Hotham. Instead, the Solar Bears look over to forward Ryan Cruthers to be the go-to core leader as he becomes the first player to don a Solar Bears sweater since the original Solar Bears in 2001. With 86 goals and 152 assists in the past five years and being the all-time scorer for the Reading Royals, Cruthers brings a solid skill set to bring into the new team and the attitude for being the leader Dwight Howard should've been. It's great to see that the team is starting to come together and I'm looking forward to what will be next for the Solar Bears. In the meantime, we'll end on this clip of new Solar Bear Ryan Cruthers, apparently using his psychic powers to stop time during the fireworks at Disney World talking about the FanAttic, which by the way, was torn down in 2007 and wasn't in operation since 1999. Oh, you're talking about the one of the Reading Royals? My bad, goes to show you that I don't go out often.

Just one more thing for Ryan Cruthers: (you all can as well if you want)  

What is your favorite cereal?

Solar Bears Sign F Ryan Cruthers!

 Press release from the Orlando Solar Bears:

SOLAR BEARS AGREE TO TERMS WITH FORWARD RYAN CRUTHERS

Orlando, FL – The Orlando Solar Bears announced today that they have agreed to terms with forward Ryan Cruthers. He becomes the first player to join the Solar Bears.

“It’s an honor to join the Solar Bears and I can’t wait to get on the ice in Orlando,” said Cruthers.

A native of Farmington, NY, Cruthers (6’0’’, 194lbs) spent last season in the ECHL with the Reading Royals and the Alaska Aces. In 48 games with the Royals, Cruthers scored 11 goals, had 28 assists, and recorded 77 penalty minutes. He joined the Aces late in the season and tallied six points and 29 penalty minutes in ten playoff games.

Over a five year span Cruthers registered 86 goals and 152 assists for 238 points in 239 ECHL games. In 2009-10, he led the Royals with 24 points in 16 playoff games. He is the Royals all-time leading scorer and also holds their team record for the fastest goal ever scored; scoring eight seconds into the period.

Cruthers has played professionally in the ECHL, American Hockey League, and Central Hockey League. He played four years of collegiate hockey for Army (2003-05) and Robert Morris University (2006-08). In 2008, Cruthers was named College Hockey America’s Player of the Year.

“Ryan is an experienced player who will provide the Solar Bears with leadership on and off the ice,” said Solar Bears Head Coach Drake Berehowsky.

There you have it folks, the first player to put on a Solar Bears sweaters since 2001. Be back with more later on.