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Hershey Bears sign Maryland native and former Little Cap, Sam Anas, to one-year AHL contract

By Chris Cerullo

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August 15, 2022 4:21 pm

The Hershey Bears announced Monday afternoon that they have signed forward Sam Anas to a one-year AHL contract for the 2022-23 season.

Anas is a Potomac, Maryland native and participated in both the Washington Little Caps and Team Maryland programs as a youth player. After two years in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms and three more years playing college hockey at Quinnipiac University, he made his professional debut in the AHL with the Iowa Wild during the 2016-17 season.

In his AHL career, Anas has appeared in 357 games for the Wild, Utica Comets, and Springfield Thunderbirds, recording 284 points in those games. He was the AHL’s scoring leader in the 2019-20 season, collecting 70 points from 63 games for Iowa, and earned AHL First All-Star Team honors for that effort.

The 29-year-old participated in the Caps’ 2013 Development Camp and has skated at MedStar Capitals Iceplex with Caps players in the past as they prepared to ramp up for their respective Training Camps. He was also teammates with current Caps forward Joe Snively at Landon School where they both played in the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League, going undefeated during the 2011 season on the way to the league title.

Anas has also worked with local skating guru Wendy Marco who was a guest coach at the most recent Development Camp earlier this summer.

At Quinnipiac, Anas was an All-American who led the school in scoring in all three of his seasons there. He registered 132 points in 121 games, helping the Bobcats to a 2016 conference championship along the way.

Anas has yet to make his NHL debut. But if he does, he will become just the fifth player born in Maryland to ever do so after former Capitals captain Jeff Halpern, forward Jeff Brubaker, defenseman Jamie Fritsch, and goaltender Jeremy Duchesne. It would be extra special if he does it with his hometown team.

Here’s more from the Bears:

BEARS SIGN FORMER AHL SCORING CHAMPION SAM ANAS

The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has signed forward Sam Anas to an American Hockey League contract for the 2022-23 season. The announcement was made by Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer.

Anas, 29, has been one of the AHL’s top players in recent years. Last year, the native of Potomac, Maryland collected 64 points (20g, 44a) in 75 games to lead the Springfield Thunderbirds in scoring. In addition to serving as the club leader in assists and points, he posted a team-best 20 power play assists and also led the club with three shootout goals. His 64 points were the most by a Springfield player since the T-Birds joined the AHL in 2016.

The 5’8″, 157-pound winger served as an alternate captain for Springfield last season and helped the Thunderbirds to an appearance in the Calder Cup Finals. He notched 15 points (4g, 11a) in 18 postseason games for Springfield, striking for four multi-point games in the playoffs. He was named the recipient of the league’s Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey.

In the shortened 2020-21 season, Anas collected 23 points (4g, 19a) in 23 games for the Utica Comets while also spending time on the St. Louis Blues’ taxi squad.

Anas was the AHL’s scoring champion in the 2019-20 season with the Iowa Wild. He collected 70 points (20g, 50a) in just 63 games for Iowa, earning AHL First All-Star Team honors. He also posted a 61-point campaign with the Wild in 2017-18, tallying a career-best 26 goals.

In his AHL career, Anas has appeared in 357 games, striking for 284 points (96g, 188a) and only 56 penalty minutes. He’s an impressive 17-for-33 all-time in shootouts, good for a 51.5% success rate. He’s also posted 22 points (5g, 17a) in 29 Calder Cup Playoff games.

Anas enjoyed a three-year standout career at Quinnipiac University from 2013-16. The All-American registered 132 points (69g, 63a) in 121 games, and helped the Bobcats to a 2016 conference championship. He led Quinnipiac in scoring in all three of his seasons with the club.

Anas is a product of the Washington Little Caps and Team Maryland programs. He participated in the Washington Capitals 2013 Development Camp and was teammates with Capitals forward and former Bear Joe Snively at Landon School. He and Snively helped the Landon Bears to an undefeated 25-0-1 season and a Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League title in 2011, and Anas was named the league’s player of the year, striking for 72 points (46g, 26a).

Anas and the Bears open the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, versus the Utica Comets at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15 at GIANT Center. Fans may join the Season Ticket Holder community with plans starting at less than $12 per game. Choose your games and seats with Full and Partial plans available now.

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