The Hershey Bears announced their roster for the start of 2025 training camp on Saturday.
The group consists of 27 players, including 17 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders. The Bears will continue to add players as the Washington Capitals make more cuts to their roster ahead of the NHL regular season.
Unlike in recent seasons, the Bears are expected to be largely inexperienced and youthful under new head coach Derek King. The team’s roster to begin camp includes just three veterans who have won a Calder Cup championship with Hershey: Matt Strome, Nicky Leivermann, and Aaron Ness.
Fourteen of the 27 players have never previously played a game for the Bears. Capitals prospects in the initial group include Ryan Hofer, Ludwig Persson, Alexander Suzdalev, and Mitch Gibson. Another notable name in attendance is DJ King, the son of the Bears’ new bench boss, who is signed with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays.
Zac Funk, sent to Hershey to complete his injury rehab, is also expected to officially join the Bears once he is deemed healthy enough to do so. The Bears will also be without assistant coach Patrick Wellar, as he will be filling in with the Capitals during the NHL investigation of Mitch Love. Brent Thompson, a member of the Capitals’ department of hockey operations, will serve in Wellar’s place. He is the father of Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson.
Sunday marks the start of Bears training camp, with the first practice at Hersheypark Arena. Hershey will play its first preseason game on Wednesday, October 1, at home against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Here’s the Hershey Bears’ full press release:
HERSHEY BEARS ANNOUNCE 2025 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Club to open Training Camp on Sunday at Hersheypark Arena under new head coach Derek King
(Hershey, PA – Sept. 27, 2025) – The Hershey Bears have announced the initial roster and schedule for the opening day of the club’s 2025 Training Camp, set to start on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Hersheypark Arena at 11 a.m.
The following players are part of Hershey’s initial 2025 Training Camp Roster:
Forwards (17):
Kaden Bohlsen, Lynden Breen, Stanley Cooley*, Grant Cruikshank, Patrick Guzzo, Ryan Hofer, Kyler Kupka, Jalen Luypen*, Patrick Moynihan*, Justin Nachbaur, Ludwig Persson, Simon Pinard, Spencer Smallman, Alex Suzdalev, Dalton Smith, Matt Strome, Luke ToporowskiDefensemen (8):
Nicky Leivermann, John Fusco, D.J. King*, Nolan Krenzen*, Connor Mayer, Jon McDonald, Aaron Ness, Calle RosénGoaltenders (2):
Seth Eisele, Mitch Gibson* Indicates player on a Training Camp Tryout
Among those participating in the opening day of Hershey’s 2025 Training Camp are 13 players who suited up for the Bears for at least one game during the 2024-25 season. Returning players include team captain Aaron Ness, who enters his eighth season with the club and helped Hershey to Calder Cup titles in 2023 and 2024. Forward Matt Strome, who scored the Calder Cup winning goal in 2024, returns for his fourth season with the Bears, while Spencer Smallman, who enjoyed a breakout campaign with 34 points last year, is entering his second season with the team.
Additionally, the Washington Capitals have sent forward Zac Funk to Hershey to continue his injury rehabilitation, but he cannot be officially added to Hershey’s roster until he is healthy.
The Bears will be guided by new head coach Derek King who was named the 29th coach in franchise history in August. Among the players on tryouts in training camp is King’s son, D.J., a defenseman who is signed with the club’s ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays.
The 2025 Training Camp Roster will be updated at HersheyBears.com over the next week. Several additions are expected to join the Bears roster as Washington will continue to reduce its camp roster to a maximum of 23 players.
The schedule for the first day of Hershey’s 2025 Training Camp is as follows:
Sunday, Sept. 28
11 a.m., Practice at Hersheypark ArenaThe rest of the week’s Training Camp schedule will be shared and updated when available at HersheyBears.com. Training Camp practices are free and open to the public. All Training Camp events are subject to change.
The club will also hold a Media Availability with head coach Derek King and select players following Monday’s practice at GIANT Center. More information will be sent to media members tomorrow when the practice schedule is finalized.
Hershey will open its preseason schedule against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center.
