The Washington Capitals and the Hershey Bears announced on Monday that the two teams have extended their affiliation for six more seasons. This new extension will carry through the 2029-2030 season. Hershey’s affiliation with Washington began way back in the 2005-2006 season, and the Bears have won four Calder Cups since that time. The Bears have appeared in the Calder Cup Finals six times in 18 total seasons since then, the most by any team in that span.
Roaring for More
“The Hershey Bears are thrilled to extend our affiliation agreement with the Washington Capitals,” said Bryan Helmer, Hershey’s vice president of hockey operations in the team’s release.
“Our longstanding partnership with the Capitals has established a proven model of success in creating a winning culture and promoting development. Hershey’s 2023 Calder Cup title was the organization’s fourth championship since partnering with the Capitals in 2005-06, and we take great pride in seeing players who helped us win in Hershey graduate to Washington. We look forward to continuing this strong partnership for the next six seasons.”
Many of Washington’s current players and staff got their start in Hershey. Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, and Beck Malenstyn made the jump after winning the Calder Cup in 2023. Not only that, but much of the Capitals’ coaching staff, including head coach Spencer Carbery, assistant coach Scott Allen, and video coach Emily Engel-Natzke, spent time in Hershey in similar roles.
Top Capitals defenseman John Carlson was part of the back-to-back championship squads in 2009 and 2010. Washington’s Stanley Cup team featured many Hershey graduates including Carlson, Karl Alzner, and Braden Holtby, just to name a few. Others, like strength and conditioning coach Mike Wagner, goaltending coach Scott Murray, and radio voice John Walton, all started in the Sweetest Place on Earth.
“The Hershey Bears have played an integral role in the successful development and maturation of players within the Washington Capitals organization for many years, and we are excited to extend our affiliation for the next six seasons and continue our longstanding partnership,” said Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan in the release. “Not only have we had players come through Hershey, but several coaches currently on our staff and members of our support staff have plied their trade with the Bears before joining the Capitals.”
Tradition and Excellence
The two teams last extended their affiliation back in 2020, with that deal set to expire at the end of 2023-24. Even back then, the list of players on Washington’s roster that spent time in Hershey was lengthy at 14. Prior to the current tenure, the two teams were also affiliated from 1977 to 1984, with one Calder Cup in that time. The modern affiliation usurped the title as the longest in Hershey’s 86-year history in 18, surpassing the previous longest with the Philadelphia Flyers from 1984-1996.
Since the teams last extended the affiliation, the Bears captured the Calder Cup in dramatic fashion. Mike Vecchione scored in overtime in Game Seven to lift the Chocolate and White to their 12th title last June. This season, the Bears are atop the AHL with one of their best records in team history, 34-7-0-2 as of the extension’s announcement. In that span are two separate win streaks of nine games, and the Bears have won five in a row with points in their last eight.
Bright Future Ahead
There’s plenty to be content with and excited about for more beyond this season. The Bears have found a winning combination that has yielded exceptional results, and the future is bright. It’s the best possible partnership for the Bears with so much recent success. The logistics of the two teams, including travel, is a great benefit, one that’s tough to match. They’ll continue to be the envy of both the NHL and AHL until the end of the decade.
