Orlando Solar Bears - Forum Monday, April 7, 1997

A forum for season ticket holders to the IHL Orlando Solar Bears hockey team was held this week, on Monday evening at the Expo Center next to the Orlando Arena. Present for the Bears organization was General Manager Don Waddell, head coach Curt Fraser, goaltender Allan Bester, and defenseman Todd Richards. They responded to fans' questions for an hour and a half and dispensed a great deal of team information.

Solar Bears wing Bob Joyce was injured during Saturday's game, and was undergoing surgery that day (Monday) for "skier's thumb." He was expected to be out for 3-6 weeks or definitely through the first round of the playoffs.

Waddell confirmed that several players had signed again, and were under contract for next season. These include: Todd Richards, Allan Bester, Jeff Buchanon, Barry Dreger, Mark Beaufait, and Hubie McDonough. The GM said he is currently "working" on Pat Neaton, and that Dave Barr had not signed as of yet in either a coaching or playing capacity.

While this sounded encouraging to the fans present, we need to recall that Shawn Carter was also under contract this season, which did not prevent him from moving up to the NHL when the opportunity presented itself. Barry Dreger was in an NHL camp this past off-season, and it is reasonable to expect that he and several other Solar Bears will be looking to move up in the next year.

Solar Bears defenseman Todd Richards neatly deflected a fan question, when asked what ranking of possible opponents in the playoffs the Solar Bears would like to see. He replied that he was a terribly superstitious person and that was a question he wouldn't even think about. Richards said that they prepare the same way for each opponent and just try to play their game. General Manager Don Waddell then remarked that if you say something about wanting to meet a certain team in the first round of the playoffs, "Then you know what would happen."

When asked what it was that he said to the referee during Saturday's game against the Ice which got him thrown out of the game, Richards replied "We were discussing the best motion picture, 'The English Patient'; the ref liked it, and I didn't care for it."

Allan Bester was asked for his opinion of the shootout, as a method of resolving tie games in the IHL. He replied that it began when he was still playing in the AHL, and that he didn't like it to begin with, but that it had grown on him. He said he likes to know when the game is over that there is a winner, and it's nice to be able to get that extra point.

Near the end of the forum, a fan was thanking Waddell for the opportunity to ask questions, and commenting on the "role-model" status of the Solar Bears players. The GM complimented his players, and said that not one of them had made any gestures at their fans.

Contributed by Erika Heumann, the Hockeynut

Erika Heumann Hockeynut; Solar Bears' author; and currently unemployed Mechanical Engineer - eminently employable. Other Articles I've Written