ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced forward D-Jay Jerome and defenseman Jake Stevens have agreed to terms on ECHL Standard Player Contracts for the 2023-24 season.Â
Jerome, 23, enters his third professional season and first with the Solar Bears. The Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada native appeared in 14 regular season games for the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL and 14 games with the Fayetteville Marksmen of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) during the 2022-23 season scoring 16 total points (7g-9a). The 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward skated in 30 games with the Allen Americans during the 2020-21 season, scoring 10 points (4g-6a).Â
Prior to his professional career, Jerome played in 233 Western Hockey League (WHL) games over four seasons for Red Deer, Prince Albert, Victoria, Lethbridge, and Swift Current, scoring 105 points (49g-56a) from 2016 through 2020.Â
Stevens, 26, begins his first full professional season after appearing 11 ECHL games during the 2021-22 season with the Iowa Heartlanders, following the conclusion of his collegiate season at Long Island University. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman scored eight points (1g-7a) in those 13 professional games and 17 points (4g-13a) in 34 NCAA games during the 2022-23 season.Â
Stevens started his junior hockey career in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Victoria Grizzles appearing in 112 regular season games, scoring 72 points (14g-58a). Following the 2016-17 season, Stevens was named the BCHL’s Top Defenseman and BCHL Second Team All-Star. He began his collegiate career at St. Lawrence University, skating in 115 games over four seasons from 2017 through 2021 and captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship for the 2020-21 season. He transferred to Long Island University for his final year of college hockey and led the team defense core in points (17) and assists (13).Â
Keep up to speed with the Solar Bears roster updates from players past and present on the Orlando Solar Bears Off-Season Headquarters.Â
SOLAR BEARS PRESEASON ROSTER:
Forwards:Luke BokaJoe CarrollRyan CoxAlex FryeD-Jay JeromeBrayden LowAaron LuchukPatrick NewellJamie Rome
Defensemen:Chris HarpurChris PernaMitchell SmithJake Stevens
Goaltenders:Drennen Atherton
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