The Hershey Bears are getting reinforcements for their run to try and repeat as Calder Cup champions.
The Washington Capitals announced on Monday afternoon that they have sent a group of seven players including Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko to the AHL after having their NHL postseason ended by the New York Rangers on Sunday night. Hershey’s first series in the AHL playoffs kicks off on Wednesday night against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
NEWS | The Capitals have loaned forwards Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko, defensemen Vincent Iorio, Lucas Johansen, Dylan McIlrath and Hardy Haman Aktell, and goaltender Mitchell Gibson to the Hershey Bears. https://t.co/Lh7SujjAnl
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 29, 2024
The Capitals previously sent Lapierre and Miroshnichenko along with goaltender Hunter Shepard to the Bears at the March 8 trade deadline in a paper move so that they’d be eligible for this demotion to play in the AHL postseason. After the 3 pm deadline passed, all three were brought back to the Capitals’ roster.
Lapierre has been up with the Capitals the longest, receiving his most recent actual recall back on February 23. The 22-year-old center officially completed his rookie NHL season, tallying 22 points (8g, 14a) in 51 games for Washington. He chipped in an additional two points (1g, 1a) in the four playoff games against the Rangers.
The 2020 first-round draft selection helped Hershey win the franchise’s 12th Calder Cup last summer, tallying six points (3g, 3a) in 20 AHL playoff games. He recorded 17 points (5g, 12a) in 21 games for the Bears this season.
Miroshnichenko arrived for his latest stint in DC due to an injury Anthony Mantha suffered in late February. The young Russian chipped in his first six points (2g, 4a) in the NHL, getting into a total of 21 games with the Capitals this year. He also received his NHL postseason debut in Game Three against the Rangers.
The 20-year-old winger was a healthy scratch for much of the final stretch run with the Capitals. He returns to Hershey where he had recorded 25 points (9g, 16a) in 47 games. Miroshnichenko retains his NHL rookie eligibility for next season after not playing in more than 25 NHL games.
The two forwards are joined by a quartet of defensemen including Vincent Iorio, Dylan McIlrath, Lucas Johansen, and Hardy Häman Aktell. The four blueliners were all recent arrivals in DC due to a barrage of late-season injuries suffered by Capitals defenders.
Iorio, McIlrath, and Johansen were all also champions with Hershey in 2023. Per Hershey’s Zack Fisch, Iorio will not officially join the Bears’ roster until after he’s fully recovered from the injury he suffered during Game One of the Capitals’ playoff series.
Mitch Gibson is the lone goaltender headed back to Hershey after he served as the Capitals’ emergency third netminder at the end of the season. Gibson played the majority of his 2023-24 campaign in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays.
Here’s the press release from the Capitals:
Capitals Loan Lapierre, Miroshnichenko, Iorio, Johansen, McIlrath, Haman Aktell and Gibson to Hershey
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have loaned forwards Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko, defensemen Vincent Iorio, Lucas Johansen, Dylan McIlrath and Hardy Haman Aktell, and goaltender Mitchell Gibson to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Hershey, the defending Calder Cup champions and this year’s No. 1 seed, will open the Calder Cup Playoffs against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday, May 1 at GIANT Center for Game 1 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals.
Lapierre, 22, established NHL career highs in games played (51), goals (8), assists (14) and points (22) during the regular season and added two points (1g, 1a) in four playoff games. Lapierre made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 at the New York Rangers on April 21 and scored his first career postseason goal in Game 4 on April 28. In 21 regular-season games with Hershey, Lapierre registered 17 points (5g, 12a).
Miroshnichenko, 20, appeared in 21 games with the Capitals this season, recording six points (2g, 4a). Miroshnichenko, Washington’s first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut on April 26. In addition, Miroshnichenko registered 25 points (9g, 16a) in 47 games with Hershey and led Bears rookies in assists and points and ranked tied for first in goals during the regular season.
Iorio, 21, appeared in six regular-season games with Washington this season and made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 at New York on April 21. The 6’4”, 205-pound defenseman recorded 14 points (4g, 10a) in 60 games with Hershey and led the AHL’s top team in plus/minus (+26).
Johansen, 26, tallied one assist in six games with the Capitals during the regular season and appeared in two postseason games, making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 2 at New York on April 23. In 22 games with Hershey, Johansen recorded 12 points (2g, 10a) and a +18 plus/minus rating.
McIlrath, 32, recorded one assist in three regular-season games with Washington and appeared in all four playoff games. McIlrath, Hershey’s captain, registered nine points (3g, 6a) and a team-leading 100 penalty minutes in 58 games with the Bears in 2023-24.
Haman Aktell, 25, recorded one assist in six games with the Capitals this season. The 6’3”, 216-pound defenseman made his NHL debut on Oct. 21 at Montreal and tallied his first career assist and point on Oct. 29 vs. San Jose. In 55 games with Hershey, Haman Aktell registered 11 points (2g, 9a).
Gibson, 24, had a record of 22-14-3 with a 2.56 goals-against average, a .899 save percentage and three shutouts in 42 games with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) this season. The 6’2”, 204-pound goaltender ranked second in the ECHL in minutes played (2,532), tied for second in games played and tied for fifth in wins. The Phoenixville, Pennsylvania native also appeared in two games with Hershey, posting a 2-0-0 record with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Lapierre, Iorio, Johansen and McIlrath were members of Hershey’s 2023 Calder Cup championship team.
