AHL | RMNB

Alexander Suzdalev impresses Caps brass with his summer training: ‘He’s put on some really good weight, muscle’

Alexander Suzdalev is one of the most exciting prospects in the Washington Capitals’ organization and due to that, there has been plenty of talk about where he’ll be playing his hockey this upcoming season. The two most likely destinations for the 19-year-old forward are either heading back to junior for another year in the WHL with the Regina Pats or turning pro and playing in the AHL with the Hershey Bears.

Capitals assistant general manager and prospect guru Ross Mahoney discussed the plan for the Russian-born, Swedish-raised winger in Annapolis on Sunday where the Caps are holding the majority of this year’s Rookie Camp.

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By Chris Cerullo 4 days ago

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Hershey Bears announce promotional schedule for 2023-24 season, reveal date for Teddy Bear Toss game

The Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears released their promotional schedule for the 2023-24 season on Friday. The Bears will open their Cup-defending campaign at home against the Belleville Senators on October 14 and lift their championship banner to the rafters of Giant Center pregame. The Bears will also hold an Opening Night Red Carpet Event before the matchup and all fans in attendance will receive a Calder Cup Champions Mini Banner.

Hershey’s famous Teddy Bear Toss game will return on January 7 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. When the first Bears player scores a goal the ice will be showered by stuffed animals which are then donated to local charities. Last season, despite the Bears getting shutout on the ice, Hershey fans started throwing all of their stuffed animals onto the ice with 5.4 seconds remaining in the third period.

The game was forced to end early and after all the Sweet Cuddly Mayhem was cleared off of the ice, Bears fans had broken their own world record again by amassing 67,309 stuffed animals on Giant Center’s ice surface.

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By Chris Cerullo 1 month ago

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Hershey Bears sign defenseman Colin Swoyer to one-year AHL contract

The Hershey Bears added to their defensive depth on Wednesday. The Bears announced they have signed defenseman Colin Swoyer to a one-year AHL contract. Swoyer split last season between the ECHL and AHL in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ organization.

The 25-year-old is a Michigan Tech graduate and has 41 career games of experience with Hershey’s rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The right-handed blueliner has also got into six games for the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers.

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By Chris Cerullo 2 months ago

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Alexander Suzdalev will reportedly determine where he plays next season after Capitals training camp

Alexander Suzdalev had a highly successful first year of hockey in North America last season, posting 86 points (38g, 48a) in 66 games for the WHL’s Regina Pats. The 19-year-old winger was named to the league’s All-Rookie team and seemed primed for the jump to pro hockey according to reports out of Regina earlier this summer.

The Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis tweeted out on Saturday that the brakes may have been pumped on that decision. Suzdalev’s landing spot for the 2023-24 campaign seems to be still very much up in the air.

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By Chris Cerullo 2 months ago

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Hershey Bears release schedule for AHL’s 2023-24 season

The Hershey Bears and the 31 other American Hockey League teams released their schedules for the 2023-24 season.

The 2023 Calder Cup champion Bears will open the franchise’s 86th season at home on Saturday, October 14 against the Belleville Senators for their banner-raising night. The next day they will conclude their opening weekend when they host the Cleveland Monsters at 5 pm.

Hershey will play a total of 14 home games on Saturday night and 10 on Sunday. Their longest homestand of the season runs from December 9 through December 17, as the Bears will play five straight games at Giant Center during a period of nine days.

The Bears will have only four “three-in-threes” this season, where they play three consecutive nights – a staple of the AHL.

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By Ian Oland 2 months ago

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Bear Hughes, Capitals 2020 fifth-round draft pick, signs two-year AHL contract with Henderson Silver Knights

The AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights announced on Friday that have they signed former Caps prospect Bear Hughes to a two-year AHL contract. The Vegas Golden Knights’ affiliate plucked Hughes from the Caps’ system as the 22-year-old forward spent his first pro season with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays last year.

The Caps originally selected Hughes with a fifth-round pick in 2020, 148th overall. Hughes was never signed to an NHL entry-level deal and the Caps’ rights to him expired last summer. The Hershey Bears kept him around after that though, signing him to a one-year deal which expired without him ever dressing in a game for Hershey.

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By Chris Cerullo 3 months ago

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Alexander Suzdalev reportedly to turn pro next season instead of returning to WHL’s Regina Pats

Alexander Suzdalev is coming off a super successful first season in North America with the WHL’s Regina Pats. The 19-year-old winger was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team after a season that saw him record 86 points (38g, 48a) in 66 regular season games.

According to the Regina Leader Post, instead of returning to the Pats for another season, Suzdalev will be turning pro. That likely means the Hershey Bears are adding yet another offensive weapon to a firepower-filled roster.

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By Chris Cerullo 3 months ago

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Where to buy Hershey Bears Calder Cup championship merch

The Hershey Bears became Calder Cup champions for the twelfth time in franchise history on Wednesday after defeating the Coachella Valley Firebirds 3-2 in overtime.

Not long after the goal light was lit by Mike Vecchione and captain Dylan McIlrath lifted the Calder Cup, Bears championship merch went on sale.

We’ve received several inquiries about where you can buy Bears merch so let’s go through the options and see what’s available.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Special group of Bears players looking to bring Calder Cup back to Hershey in final game together: ‘We all have to leave it on the line’

The Hershey Bears’ first possible elimination game of the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs will be their last. After defeating the Charlotte Checkers in four games, the Hartford Wolf Pack in three, and the Rochester Americans in six, the Bears will attempt to win the franchise’s league-leading twelfth championship in the AHL’s final game of the 2022-23 season.

Not only does the Game Seven matchup against the Coachella Valley Firebirds mark the definitive end of the series, the game will likely prove to be the end of an era for one of the deepest teams in the AHL. Many of the Bears’ biggest contributors in the postseason will be free agents in July including defensemen Dylan McIlrath, Logan Day, and Gabriel Carlsson; goaltenders Hunter Shepard and Zach Fucale; and key forwards Sam Anas, Garrett Pilon, Mason Morelli, and Riley Sutter. The Capitals, who are looking to go younger next season, could also pluck several stars from the current team including Beck Malenstyn, Connor McMichael, Joe Snively, and Ethen Frank for the NHL roster.

It’s all or nothing tonight for this special group. But if the Bears are feeling that stress, they weren’t showing it hours before puck drop.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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AHL airing Game Seven of Calder Cup Finals game between Hershey and Coachella Valley free online

The final hockey game of the 2022-23 season will be played on Wednesday night, and now you have no excuse to miss it.

The American Hockey League announced that Game Seven of Calder Cup Finals between the Hershey Bears and Coachella Valley Firebirds will be free to watch online via AHL TV. The game will be played in Coachella Valley and begins at 10 pm Eastern Standard Time

The victor will raise the Calder Cup at the end of the night. If the Bears win, the championship will be their 12th in franchise history — an AHL record — while a potential title will be the first for Coachella Valley.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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