Fortin joins Solar Bears

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced the club has agreed to terms with forward Alexandre Fortin for the 2023-24 season. 

Fortin enters his third ECHL season and seventh in professional hockey. The Blainville, Quebec native has appeared in 275 professional games, including 24 NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2018-19 season, where he had six points (3g-3a). 

The 26-year-old has 49 ECHL games under his belt over two seasons with the Trois-Rivieres Lions and South Carolina Stingrays. Last season with the Stingrays, Fortin tallied 33 points (14g-19a) in 37 regular-season games. Fortin’s six-season, American Hockey League tenure has included stops in Rockford, Colorado, Laval and Hershey, totaling 62 points (22g-40a) in 202 games. 

Prior to his professional career, Fortin played three seasons of major junior hockey for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In 173 regular-season games, he scored 135 points (52g-83a). Fortin helped the Huskies to the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as league champion during the 2015-16 season, but their run to the Memorial Cup fell just short in an overtime loss in the championship game.

Fortin is the nephew of former Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy-winning goaltender, Jean-Sebastien Giguère.