The Hershey Bears announced the date of their home opener where they’ll raise their AHL-record 13th Calder Cup banner to the rafters.
Hershey will host the Cleveland Monsters at Giant Center on Saturday, October 12 to kick off the 2024-25 regular season. All fans in attendance will receive a replica mini Calder Cup banner.
The game will be a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals where Hershey needed seven games and a Garrett Roe overtime goal to dispatch the Monsters.
Next season, Hershey will attempt to become just the second club in AHL history to win three straight championships next year. The only team to do so is the 1960-1962 Springfield Indians.
The Bears’ full season schedule will be released on Thursday with more information on single-game ticket sales coming later this summer. Additionally, the Bears say more details about the pregame festivities for the Home Opener will be announced closer to the day of the game.
Many of the heroes from the 2024 championship team have signed on for another year in the organization, including Hardy Häman Aktell, Riley Sutter, Alex Limoges, Nicky Leivermann, Garrett Roe, and Dmitry Osipov. Luke Philp, Spencer Smallman, and Brennan Saulnier have also been added to the group to help combat the losses of Joe Snively and Jimmy Huntington.
The banner-raising game (unfortunately) occurs on the same day as the Capitals’ Home Opener against the New Jersey Devils in the NHL.
Here’s Hershey’s press release:
SAVE THE DATE! BEARS 2024-25 HOME OPENER IS OCT. 12
Defending champs to raise 13th Calder Cup banner to GIANT Center rafters against Cleveland
(Hershey, PA – July 10, 2024) – The 2024 Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears announced today that the club’s home opener for the 2024-25 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, will take place versus the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday, Oct. 12 at GIANT Center. The puck drops on Hershey’s 87th American Hockey League season at 7 p.m. that evening.
That night’s proceedings will also include a pre-game ceremony featuring the raising of Hershey’s AHL-record 13th Calder Cup banner to the GIANT Center rafters; all fans in attendance will receive a replica mini Calder Cup banner. Further details about Hershey’s Opening Night festivities will be announced later this summer.
The full 72-game schedule for the 2024-25 regular season is expected to be released on Thursday, July 11.
Bears single-game ticket information will be announced later this summer.
