The Washington Capitals are turning to a former Little Caps player in Joe Snively to try and soothe some of their roster woes. TJ Oshie was announced as unavailable due to COVID-19 protocol Sunday morning and in response, the Caps plucked Snively from their AHL affiliate Hershey Bears.
Snively, a Herndon, VA native, currently leads the Bears in scoring with 22 points through 21 games. He has played in 105 games for the Bears over four seasons since signing with the organization out of Yale University in 2019.
NEWS | The Capitals have recalled forward Joe Snively, a native of Herndon, Va., from the Hershey Bears.
Snively trained at MedStar Capitals Iceplex during his youth and was a participant in Washington's Little Caps program.#ALLCAPS | @FTX_Official https://t.co/nv6n48LxwE
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 19, 2021
Snively was re-signed by the Caps in early June to a one-year, two-way contract. This season against the Springfield Thunderbirds, Snively recorded his second career professional hat trick and has eight total goals in 21 games.
Stumbled upon these pictures from the WAY BACK machine tonight. That's @Capitals strength coach Mark Nemish running off ice training for our 2008 Explode camp. Joe Snively is front and center (the USNA shorts), 11 years before Joe signed his Caps contract! ❤️ #Homegrown pic.twitter.com/dB5tcrvjpq
— Coldrush Hockey (@ColdRushHockey) September 13, 2019
After a very successful four-year stint at Yale, Snively was initially signed to the two-year entry-level contract by the Caps. He was also in attendance outside of Capital One Arena when the Caps took down the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2018.
Snively was one of the Capitals’ final cuts in Training Camp this year and it looks like his dream of playing an NHL game for the team he rooted for growing up will finally come true tonight against the Kings.
More from the Capitals:
Capitals Recall Joe Snively from Hershey
The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Joe Snively, a native of Herndon, Va., from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Snively trained at MedStar Capitals Iceplex during his youth and was a participant in Washington’s Little Caps program.
Snively, 25, has recorded 22 points (8g, 14a) in 21 games with Hershey this season and leads the team in points and tied for first in goals. During the 2020-21 season, the 5’9″, 176-pound forward recorded 17 points (6g, 11a) in 30 games for the Bears. In 105 career games with Hershey, Snively has recorded 70 points (28g, 42a).
Prior to joining Hershey, Snively recorded 36 points (15g, 21a) in 33 games with Yale University in the 2018-19 season and set a collegiate career high with five power play goals. Snively led Yale in points in all four years of his attendance and recorded 139 points (58g, 81a) in 129 career NCAA games. Snively was named as a Hobey Baker Award nominee in the 2018-19 season. In 2017-18, following a 36-point season (19g, 17a), Snively was named to the NCAA All-Ivy League First Team and the NCAA (New England) All-Stars. Additionally, during his freshman year in 2015-16, Snively was named the NCAA Ivy-League Rookie of the Year, to the NCAA (ECAC) All-Rookie Team and was a NCAA All-Ivy League Team honorable mention following a 28-point (10g, 18a) season.
Prior to Yale, Snively was drafted by the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL), 57th overall, in the 2012 USHL Futures Draft. Snively played three seasons in the USHL and recorded 125 points (50g, 75a) in 159 games with Sioux City.
Snively has twice represented Team USA, winning a silver medal in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Tournament at the U-18 level and a gold medal at the 2014 World Junior A Championship.
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
