Sam Anas, one of two Hershey Bears players from the 2022-23 championship team to have local DMV ties, celebrated his Calder Cup day close to home on Saturday, July 22.

Anas brought the Calder Cup to his hometown rink, Rockville Ice Arena, and spent time in some of his favorite spots around Maryland with family and friends.

Anas, as a youth hockey player, suited up for Team Maryland, the Washington Little Capitals, Montgomery Blue Devils and Chevy Chase Club. In high school, the Potomac, MD native would lead the Landon Bears to their first MAPHL state championship and undefeated season during the 2010-11 campaign. Anas was later honored by the Washington Post as its All Met Player of the Year in 2011.

To get to that level, Anas spent countless hours at the Rockville Ice Arena where he played with friends and honed his craft.

“I’ve spent many long hours in the Rockville rink sometimes I would even have Landon practice or a game in the afternoon and then stay at the rink and work out there and then have a travel team practice at night,” Anas said. “Some of those days I would be at the Rockville rink from 3:30 pm through 10 pm. Those were definitely long days but I loved them.”

In acknowledgment of the rink’s role in his career, Anas brought the Cup to the arena. From 11:30 am through 12:30 pm, Anas, dressed in his Hershey Bears jersey, took photos with fans and reminisced about times earlier in his career. He was blown away by the reception.

“I was surprised to see how many people were there, it was awesome!” a humbled Anas said. “It was cool to see people from all over that showed up. Some caps fans, some youth hockey players, some people even came down from Hershey. There must have been 150-200 people, crazy to think about.”

Anas also made sure to bring the Calder Cup back into his former locker room where he took several photos. One of them he took in front of the Landon Bears logo on the floor with the Calder Cup.

Photo: Alexander O’Reilly/RMNB

He also staged an incredible photo by his former locker where he hung his old Landon Bears’ jerseys by his AHL and high school championships.

Photo: Alexander O’Reilly/RMNB

Above, a high school photo of Anas hung above the lockers, which saluted his accomplishments with the team.

Photo: Alexander O’Reilly/RMNB

Anas started his day with a painful but sweet wakeup call at 5:30 am to play a round of golf at the PB Dye Golf Club near Urbana, MD.

“That’s my favorite local golf course that I always play with my closest friends,” Anas said. “I played with my brother in law Matt Giamalis then two long time friends Dillon Rupp and Paul Adkins.”

Hershey Bears’ Calder Cup champion, @samanas7, took the Cup for a round of golf at @PBDyeGolfClub near Urbana, MD pic.twitter.com/fyEyifKQx7

— Ian Oland (@ianoland) July 28, 2023

After his appearance at Rockville Ice Arena, Anas held a party at his family’s house in Potomac.

“The afternoon was probably my favorite part being at home hanging out with family and friends by the pool and my dad grilling out,” Anas said.

Anas also stopped by Sprinkles Potomac where his family got the very special experience of eating ice cream out of the bowl of the Calder Cup together.

Anas closed his night at Caddies in Bethesda, a local sports bar, where he would usually frequent to watch football.

As for his Cup day and his successful professional career in hockey, Anas hopes that his experience inspires DMV kids around the area.

“I really hope that kids now can see a path or a future in the hockey world,” Anas added. “When I was younger, there weren’t too many local guys who had made it to college or the pro ranks. The thing I am most proud of is that I stayed in the DC area all through high school.”

In the coming days, Anas will travel to Belarus where next season he’ll play for the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk.

See all of the Hershey Bears’ Calder Cup Days.

Headline photo: Alexander O’Reilly/RMNB