Solar Bears add rookie forward Romanko

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears have announced that the club has agreed to terms with rookie forward Darian Romanko for the 2019-20 season.

The Solar Bears are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning and the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch.

Romanko began his pro career this past spring in a three-game stint with the Norfolk Admirals, in which he recorded two points (1g-1a).

Prior to turning pro, the 24-year-old enjoyed a four-year collegiate career with the University of Minnesota, where he skated in 137 career games with the Golden Gophers program, posting totals of 21 points (7g-14a) and 59 penalty minutes. As a senior, Romanko served as one of the team’s alternate captains, and during his sophomore and junior seasons was the only player on the team to appear in all 38 games in each campaign. Romanko helped Minnesota earn back-to-back Big Ten regular season championships in 2016 and 2017.

The Shoreview, Minnesota native played his junior hockey for the Minnesota Wilderness of the North American Hockey League, tallying 102 points (51g-51a) and 88 penalty minutes in 114 games. During the 2015 NAHL playoffs, Romanko helped lead the Wilderness to the Robertson Cup for the organization’s first-ever championship and led the junior circuit in postseason scoring with 19 points (7g-12a) in 17 playoff contests.