HERSHEY, PA — For Matt Strome, Wednesday night was both a celebration of how far he’s come in professional hockey and a reminder of how different his role with the Hershey Bears has become.
The 26-year-old winger played in his 200th career AHL game against the Hamilton Hammers, a milestone he didn’t even realize he was approaching until just before puck drop. It was also his first home game of the 2026–27 season, as playing time has been difficult to come by for the veteran forward.
After signing a one-year AHL contract extension with the Bears in August, Strome, the scorer of the Bears 2024 Calder Cup championship-winning goal, has been healthy-scratched in 13 of Hershey’s first 15 games of the season as the fan favorite is subject to the AHL’s veteran-player rule this season.
“I obviously want to play every game,” Strome said. “I think if you ask any hockey player and they said something different, they’re lying.”
Matt Strome’s Calder Cup-winning goal
Against the Hammers, Strome centered the fourth line and skated with veteran power forward Sam Bitten and Capitals’ first-round pick Terik Parascak.
Strome, now in his fifth season with Hershey, has gone from being one of the younger players looking for guidance to one of the team’s veteran leaders. And while he’d much rather be contributing on the ice every night, he’s finding other ways to make a difference, particularly by mentoring prospects like Tarek Parascak, Lynden Lakovic, and Petr Sikora as they adjust to professional hockey.
“I’m a Hershey Bear, so whatever it takes to win, whether I’m playing, whether I’m not playing, I’m going to help the young guys wherever I can,” Strome said.
After Wednesday’s game, Strome reflected on his limited playing time, the responsibility he feels toward Hershey’s younger players, and the special honor awaiting his older brother, Dylan Strome, who will have his jersey retired by the Erie Otters in January.
Matt Strome Q&A
This interview is from Matt Strome’s press conference after Wednesday’s game against the Hamilton Hammers. Questions are lightly edited for understanding and context. Questions from RMNB are noted.
RMNB Q. As a role model and mentor to the team’s younger players — you had Tarek Paraskak on your line tonight on the fourth line — how do you help him develop as a player, especially with his slow start to the year.
Matt Strome: Yeah, well, I think it’s just reps for him. You can practice as much as you want. Nothing compares to the game speed and little touches. But I thought Perry (Terik Parascak) was great tonight. I thought he made a couple of nice plays behind the net in the first period. Good chance in the third period where he kicked it to MacDonald walking down. So, yeah, I think he’s going to be a good player. He just knows it’s going to take some time. and playing with them today was fun. He wants to put up points, he wants to do all the right things, and you can tell he kind of gets down on himself on the bench, so just trying to keep his head up, and he’s going to make a lot of those plays. It’s just taking a little bit for it to bounce his way. But no question that he’s going to be a good player, for sure.
Q. This is game number 200 in the league for you tonight. Does it feel like 200? It’s also your first home game this year in front of the home fans. What was it like getting out on the ice tonight, warming up, and then being out there?
Matt Strome: Yeah, I didn’t even know it was 200th game right before the puck drop. But, you know, obviously cool. I’ve been here for five years now, and I can remember my first year coming in and not really knowing anybody and, you know, looking back, all the success that we’ve had here. And it’s a privilege to wear this jersey, and to be able to do it for 200 games, it’s a huge honor.
Q. This was a Wednesday night game. Feels like a Friday or a Saturday for any other franchise. I think that never gets old for you guys, right? Still have this building, you know, jumping in mid-November on a Wednesday night?
Matt Strome: Yeah, for sure. I mean, last five years, every Wednesday game I’ve been a part of, you know, it feels like a Friday or Sunday game. You don’t get that many other places around the league. So, you know, it’s a privilege, and you can’t take it for granted any time you get a sweater to play at home here. So nice to get out there, nice to play in front of the fans, and I wish you could have got the two points, but it felt good.
RMNB Q. How have you felt about your role this year being off the ice so much for games?
Matt Strome: Yeah, it’s obviously different. But, you know, I’m a Hershey Bear, so whatever it takes to win, whether I’m playing, whether I’m not playing, I’m going to help the young guys wherever I can. If it’s at the end of practice or, you know, just talking with them off ice, making sure they’re good at home. And, you know, it’s a lot of guys first times living alone and I’ve been through it and it was difficult. So just trying to help those young guys out as much as I can. I think that’s something that I’ve kind of learned over my seven years playing pro. I’ve seen guys my first year help me out and then along the way, and now it’s my turn to help the young guys out. So I obviously want to play every game. I think if you ask any hockey player and they said something different, they’re lying, but just whatever I can do to help the guys, help the young guys win, that’s what I’m going to do.
Q. Dylan McIlrath made his return to the team last week after being put on waivers by the Capitals. What’s that like to have Big Mac around again?
Matt Strome: The first day he got down here, he looked at me and was like, ‘I think it’s just me, you, and Bogey from the years we won (Calder Cups). So, yeah, before the year, when obviously losing Nesser (former captain Aaron Ness) this year, coming back in is different. You bond with guys over the years, and it’s definitely nice to have Mac back on our side, bringing that physical presence. And you can just see how well he fits into this room, how much of a leader he is, how much he helps the young guys. He’s just the ultimate pro, and I’m glad he’s back here. Obviously, I wish for him he was still up with Washington, but I’m happy he’s here on the other side of the ice.
Q. Watching these games from the stands and now getting on the ice, what have you seen growth-wise from this group so far compared to Game 1 of the season? Now we’re about six weeks through the season.
Matt Strome: I think just the confidence guys are getting. Obviously, Brodzie (Jonny Brodzinski) is going to do his thing. He’s the ultimate pro. But you see the young guys like (Lynden) Lakovic and (Petr) Sikora get into a rhythm, and (Theodor) Niederbach. He’s been awesome recently. So just the growth of the young guys. I mean, you saw it last year with AC (Andrew Cristall) and Pro (Ilya Protas). It just takes some time to kind of get adjusted to the pro game. That little stretch at the start of the year where we weren’t playing much, it’s kind of hard to get in the rhythm. But just seeing those younger guys grow — it’s pretty cool to see how they’re going to translate their game to the pro game.
RMNB Q. Your brother Dylan is getting his jersey retired with the OHL Erie Otters where he played junior hockey. How did you feel when you first found out about that?
Matt Strome: It’s such an honor. You know, you see kind of the guys that have been through that Erie Otters organization. And for him to have that opportunity with his family, to go back there and have his jersey raised in the rafters, it’s something I know he doesn’t take for granted. I know for my whole family, it’s something we’re very proud of. He, you know, going to the United States at 15 or 16 years old, it wasn’t easy. And the success he had there, winning championships, he’s got the most points in Erie history. So he did it all there and I’m proud of him, obviously. Even though he’s my older brother, I’d still be proud of him. And yeah, that’s just such a cool honor for him and his family to be a part of.
RMNB Q. Are you gonna have a chance to go up and be there with his family?
Matt Strome: I think we’re in Hartford. I’m not sure if it’s that exact day.
