Ethen Frank was the leading goal scorer for the Hershey Bears during their back-to-back championship years in 2023 and 2024. Now, he’s looking to take the next step and graduate to the NHL with the Washington Capitals.
Two preseason games in, though, Frank has struggled to create offense and defend. The Capitals lost both games he played against the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins and were outscored a combined 10-4.
“I’ve liked some of the things he’s done in practice,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said. “I think the games haven’t been his best showing, I’ll put it that way. From talking to him, I think he would agree with that. And that’s hard. In the games he’s played in, the team struggled, [that] might have a little bit to do with it as well. [I’ll] need him to take a big step if and when he gets into another game.”
With Frank on the ice at five-on-five, the Capitals have surrendered five goals and scored none of their own, posting a 30 percent expected goals percentage. They also have negative differentials in shot attempts (21-15), scoring chances (12-7), and high-danger chances (8-1). Frank has posted no points and only one shot on goal. Frank had a hand in two of the five-on-five goals the Capitals surrendered against the Bruins on Tuesday.
To try to jumpstart the Bears’ right winger, Carbery is giving Frank an opportunity to skate with Jakub Vrana and Connor McMichael on the second line against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. McMichael is moving back to center for the game as Hendrix Lapierre has had a slow start to the preseason.
Washington’s lineup against the Blue Jackets will also feature every forward assumed to be involved in the battle for the team’s last roster spots, which includes Frank, Vrana, Mike Sgarbossa, Andrew Cristall, Henrik Rybinski, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Pierrick Dubé.
“We’re getting down to the nitty gritty with the amount of games remaining, so significant game for a lot of guys tonight on home ice,” Carbery said.
“It’s probably in the back of everybody’s head, but I don’t think anybody’s specifically thinking about it or worrying about it,” Frank said. “It’s just part of the job.”
The 26-year-old forward out of Papillon, Nebraska knows there’s room for improvement as he tries to make his NHL dream come true, describing his first full week of NHL Training Camp as “not bad, not great.”
“There’s a lot of things I can be better at,” Frank said. “I’m still just trying to get in the swing of things. It’s been a pretty chaotic summer and I don’t want to make any excuses. But yeah, like I said, just trying to get back in the swing of things and get my game back to normal.”
If Frank wants to impress the coaching staff, he said he needs to show off “more of my speed, more playmaking and offensive ability, and then just being a reliable guy on defense and without the puck.”
Frank was internally considered for an NHL call-up last season but got hurt midway through the year, seeing an injury recall to the NHL go instead to Dubé. Frank, who signed a two-year extension in June, must be put on waivers to be sent down to AHL Hershey if he’s cut from Capitals camp. Regardless, Frank is keeping a good attitude and remaining grateful.
“It means a lot, and being able to have this opportunity means the world to me,” Frank said. “Just trying to make the most of it.”
