Spencer Smallman and Calle Rosen appear to be on their way to Hershey.
Friday, the two depth skaters on NHL contracts were placed on waivers by the Capitals.
If the two veterans go unclaimed by the other 31 NHL teams over the next 24 hours, they’ll be assigned to the AHL. The Bears are set to get their first training camp under new head coach Derek King underway on Sunday and play their first preseason game next Wednesday.
Smallman, 29, was re-signed to a two-year contract extension by the Capitals in April after playing his first season in Hershey. The 2024-25 campaign was a career-best for Smallman, as he recorded 34 points (10g, 24a) in 62 games for the Bears.
The Prince Edward Island native was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes and has previously played in the Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche organizations. Smallman played in the Capitals’ first preseason game last weekend, recording one hit, one shot block, and skating the lowest time on ice (11:37) on the team.
Rosen, 31, was signed by the Capitals this past July and has prior NHL experience (93 games) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, and St. Louis Blues. The Swedish blueliner previously won a Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies and played the entirety of last season in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles. He recorded 34 points (10g, 24a) in 62 games.
The two veteran AHL talents will be important to a Bears team expected to be far younger than it has been in several years. Much of Hershey’s championship core moved overseas this summer and will be replaced by some of the top prospects in the Capitals’ organization.
The Capitals will have to make further decisions regarding waivers later in camp as they continue to trim their roster down to a final 23 players. Reports emerged Thursday night that other NHL teams are particularly circling goaltender Clay Stevenson, who is expected to be Hershey’s number-one netminder this season.
