Home / News / Capitals sign AHL rookie standout, Ethen Frank, to one-year, two-way contract

Capitals sign AHL rookie standout, Ethen Frank, to one-year, two-way contract

By Ian Oland

 3 Comments

March 2, 2023 11:43 am

The Washington Capitals announced that they signed AHL rookie sensation Ethen Frank to a one-year, two-way deal on Thursday. The signing comes a day after NHL teams could come to agreements with players for next season.

Frank leads the Hershey Bears in goals with 24 and is third on the team in points (41). His latest tally came in the Bears’ 5-3 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday.

Known for his slick skating, Frank led the NCAA in goals last year. Unable to find an NHL deal, Frank inked an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears, one of the top organizations in the league, and earned first-line playing time with veterans Mike Sgarbossa and Mike Vecchione.

The 25-year-old forward was named to the AHL’s 2023 All-Star Game and won its Fastest Skater competition, opening eyes across the league.

Frank will be eligible to play for the Capitals next season. He will make $775k at the NHL level and $205k in Hershey.

Frank was essentially an unrestricted free agent and could talk to any NHL team. Elliotte Friedman reported that if the Capitals did not sign him, other teams would be chasing him.

Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:

Capitals Sign Ethen Frank

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed forward Ethen Frank to a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000/$205,000) for the 2023-24 season, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Frank, 25, has recorded 41 points (24g, 17a) in 45 games with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. Frank’s 24 goals lead Hershey and rank tied for fifth in the AHL. In addition, Frank ranks first among AHL rookies in goals and tied for second in points. The 5’11”, 185-pound forward represented the Bears at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic and was named the AHL Rookie of the Month for January after recording 13 points (7g, 6a) in 10 games. Frank, who signed an AHL contract with Hershey on April 11, 2022 after a five-year collegiate career at Western Michigan University, has recorded 42 points (25g, 17a) in 50 career AHL games with the Bears.

Frank served as assistant captain for Western Michigan (NCAA) in 2021-22 and recorded 39 points (26g, 13a) in 38 games. The Papillon, Nebraska native finished the season with the most goals in NCAA Division I and led the Broncos in shots on goal (141), power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (6). In addition, Frank was selected to the NCHC First All-Star Team and the NCAA (West) Second All-American Team. In five seasons at Western Michigan, Frank registered 118 points (70g, 48a) in 158 career games.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

,