Solar Bears acquire Steven Oleksy from Walleye

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears have announced the club has acquired veteran defenseman Steven Oleksy from the Toledo Walleye in exchange for forward Ian Parker. Additionally, forward Joe Garreffa has been loaned to the Solar Bears by the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League, while forward Tristin Langan has received a Professional Try-Out agreement from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.

Oleksy, 35, has eight points (2g-6a) in 16 games with Toledo this season. The 6-foot, 195-pound blueliner brings NHL experience to the Solar Bears roster, having skated in 73 career games between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, where he collected 20 points (3g-17a) in 73 games, and was a “Black Ace” with the Penguins during their Stanley Cup championship in 2016. Oleksy has spent the bulk of his career in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, San Diego Gulls, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Hershey Bears, Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Lake Erie Monsters, where he has recorded 114 points (22g-92a) in 411 games.

Oleksy also has extensive experience in the ECHL with Toledo, Idaho and Las Vegas, putting up 61 points (12g-49a) in 159 games. Oleksy has also played in Austria and with the Port Huron Ice Hawks of the defunct International Hockey League.

Prior to turning pro, the Chesterfield Township, Michigan native played three seasons of college hockey for Lake Superior State University, where he tallied 20 points (3g-17a) in 113 games for the Lakers program.

Parker, 25, posted 12 points (6g-6a) in 30 games with the Solar Bears.

Garreffa, 22, returns to Orlando, where the second-year pro has 10 points (5g-5a) in 16 games for the Solar Bears. He has also skated in 11 contests for the Barracuda.

Langan, 23, has 25 points (8g-17a) this season with the Solar Bears, and has also appeared in eight AHL matches with the Syracuse Crunch, where he has picked up three points (1g-2a).

NEXT GAME: The Solar Bears return to action when they host the Utah Grizzlies on Monday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center.