ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears have agreed to terms with veteran defenseman Mike Monfredo, defenseman Alexander Kuqali and forward Trevor Olson for the 2019-20 season.
Monfredo returns for his third season with the Solar Bears after captaining the squad to its second-best regular-season performance in team history during the 2018-19 campaign. Monfredo led the team in games played (71) and penalty minutes (207), while contributing 27 points (8g-19a).
Kuqali returns for his second season with the Solar Bears after he was acquired from the Fort Wayne Komets on Jan. 29 to complete the future considerations portion of the Dec. 18 trade that sent Brady Shaw to the Komets. In 22 games with the Solar Bears, Kuqali registered eight points (2g-6a) and 11 penalty minutes. He led the Solar Bears with five assists in 10 games during the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Kuqali also led the Solar Bears in the postseason with a +7.
Olson posted 32 points (16g-16a) and 40 penalty minutes in 51 games with the Solar Bears during his first full season of professional hockey before suffering a season-ending injury in mid-March. At the time of his injury, he was second on the team in goals and finished the year tied for the team lead with four game-winners. Olson turned pro with the South Carolina Stingrays near the end of the 2017-18 campaign, where he added one assist and six penalty minutes in eight games.
