The Orlando Solar Bears have announced that forward Carson Focht has agreed to terms on an ECHL Standard Player Contract for the 2024-25 season. Focht, originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, was chosen by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round, being the 133rd pick overall, at the 2019 NHL Draft. As a draft prospect, Focht gained attention for his ability to shoot the puck, particularly favoring the one-timer from the right side during power plays. His ability to quickly step into a penalty-killing role added another valuable asset to Focht’s skill set.
In February 2024, he was assigned to the AHL and played two games with the Henderson Silver Knights under a Professional Tryout (PTO). This was not his first experience in the AHL; he had previously played part of two seasons with the Abbotsford Canucks, participating in 44 games and scoring 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists). Overall, he has played a total of 74 AHL games across four seasons with Utica, Abbotsford, and Henderson, accumulating 24 points (9 goals and 15 assists).
He is now set to join the Solar Bears for his fifth professional season. Last season, he played in 43 games for the Tulsa Oilers, where he recorded 22 points (8 goals and 14 assists). Overall, the 6-foot-1, 181-pound forward has played in 92 ECHL games across three teams, including Kalamazoo, Florida, and Tulsa. The forward has amassed a total of 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists) in that span.
Before beginning his professional career, Focht spent parts of five seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with Tri-City and Calgary. Focht played three of those seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, achieving 32 goals and 24 assists in 61 games during the 2019-20 season. In a combined 262 games in the WHL, he achieved a total of 161 points (74 goals, 87 assists).
The Solar Bears 2024-25 preseason roster now includes the following players: Forwards Carson Focht, Jarrett Lee, Alex Frye, Tyler Bird, Brayden Low, Spencer Kersten, Tanner Schachle, Aaron Luchuk, Ryan Mahshie, Kohei Sato, Jesse Jacques; Defensemen Chandler Romeo, Robbie Stucker, Kurt Gosselin, Avery Winslow, Matt Stief, Wyatt Wilson, Jimmy Mazza, Ben Carroll and Goaltender Alexis Gravel.
The Solar Bears will kick off their season on the road against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Friday, October 18th.
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