The Washington Capitals announced Saturday that they have recalled Ethan Bear from the AHL’s Hershey Bears ahead of their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.
Bear’s call-up comes after the Caps played their regular-season finale with just five defensemen, sitting Martin Fehervary, John Carlson, and Matt Roy against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fehervary, who turned his ankle against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, did not practice with the team on Saturday.
Though he played exclusively for the Capitals in 2023-24, Bear was sent down during training camp last October and spent the entire 2024-25 regular season in the AHL. He put up a strong performance with the Bears this year, leading the team in scoring with 46 points (10g, 36a) in 62 games, and was named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team on Thursday.
Bear, who missed large parts of the 2023-24 campaign recovering from a shoulder injury and receiving treatment from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, logged 24 games for the Capitals last season, recording four points (1g, 3a).
The Capitals are set to start their playoff series with the Montreal Canadiens at home on Monday at 7 pm.
