Hershey Bears forward Pierrick Dubé is in the midst of his second professional season in 2023-24. The native of Lyon, France signed a two-year, entry level contract with the Washington Capitals over the summer typically reserved for players drafted in the organization. Although Dubé is not a traditional prospect, he is a rising star who has provided a desperately needed element to the Chocolate and White: a sniper’s finish.
Liftoff in Laval
Dubé’s acquisition is an interesting story. The undrafted forward played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, notably winning the President’s Cup as a member of the Shawinigan Cataractes. Dubé was one of the leading scorers in those playoffs with 18 points (12 goals, six assists) in 16 postseason games. Afterwards, Dubé made his professional debut with the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL. His play earned him a promotion to the Laval Rocket, where he debuted on October 15, 2022.
It was a difficult season for the Rocket, who narrowly made the Calder Cup Playoffs with the last seed in the North Division. Dubé’s contributions were essential down the stretch, as 14 of his 16 goals happened in games in March or later. All told, it was an outstanding rookie season with Dubé tallying 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 44 games played. Laval was unfortunately bounced in three games of the postseason while Hershey was busy capturing their 12th Calder Cup.
Capital Gains
The Washington Capitals stepped into the picture that summer and nabbed Dubé on a two-year, entry level contract. Hershey’s NHL affiliate is notably savvy with finding diamonds in the rough, and signing an emerging scorer like Dubé has proven to be a significant addition. He’s given the Bears another dimension offensively as he’s on pace to eclipse his rookie numbers in terms of goals and likely overall points. Through 22 games, Dubé has 14 points (ten goals, four assists) and is the fastest Hershey skater to hit ten goals since Christian Thomas did it in the 2016-17 season.
“This guy doesn’t need five chances to score a goal,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson said of Dubé. “If you give him one chance, he’s going to finish. He can score. The two goals he scored (on Friday in Charlotte), there was no question the puck was going to go in the net. It’s a nice luxury to have a guy like that. He’s a good young player. Like everyone else, he’s working on his 200 foot game, but it’s nice to have a player like that. If he gets an opportunity like that, he’s going to score.”
Sharing the Scoring
It’s important to note Dubé is one weapon amongst many strong players for the Bears. Forward Ethen Frank seized the team lead in goals by tallying a hat trick. Frank’s 11 goals and Dubé’s 10 are among the AHL leaders in the first quarter of the season. Dubé plays on Hershey’s third line as well as special teams, with three power play goals to his credit. He’s second on the team behind Frank in terms of power play goals.
His acquisition and strong chemistry between all four Hershey lines has made them deadly offensively. In Hershey’s latest pair of games, Dubé and Frank each had big nights to help them earn nine consecutive wins. If it’s not them, it’s other lines chipping in with goals and points to fill the void. This team has four strong lines that have done the heavy lifting in this stretch of success. It’s a recipe that has made the rest of the league jealous, particularly as the Bears sit atop the standings at 18-4-0-0.
It all adds up to a player who is finding his stride at the professional level. As Nelson mentioned, no player is exempt from learning and improving their game, no matter how many goals they score. However, it’s an excellent start to the season for Dubé and has added a dimension that not even Hershey’s Calder Cup team had.
