The Hershey Bears have had a lot of success in the last three years. They’ve won back-to-back Calder Cup Champions and developed some current cornerstone players for the Washington Capitals. Hershey is currently preparing to contend for a third straight championship title this spring. No team has accomplished such a feat in over 60 years. They have a growing list of young talent making their AHL debuts who figure to be key pieces of the team’s future.
Embarrassment of Riches
Hershey has a boatload of talent already within their organization this season. They’ve had so many players that they’ve utilized their ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, to get players prominent roles. Young players like Alexander Suzdalev, Ryan Hofer, and Zac Funk have played big minutes with the Stingrays. Additionally, the Bears have a lot of quality AHL signings including Tyler Weiss, Austin Magera, Micah Miller, and Jayden Lee.
The embarrassment of riches has paid off in a major way. South Carolina is having a monumental season, winning 17 games in a row and are set to finish as the ECHL’s top team. It’s been an exciting season under first-year head coach Jared Nightingale. All of Hofer, Suzdalev, and Funk have taken strides in their development playing in top roles. They’ll be prime candidates for promotions to Hershey full-time in the fall.
The Stingrays look to bring the Kelly Cup home for the first time since 2009. South Carolina will benefit from the influx of young talent for years to come. These young players won’t be the last to skate in the ECHL simply due to sheer numbers. It’s a true sign of the excellence in this organization and a way to further development.
The Kids Are Alright
Hershey has had quite a few AHL debuts happen in the 2024-25 season as the first showing from the next generation. Ryan Chesley, David Gucciardi, Leon Muggli, and Garin Bjorklund have all taken their first strides in the AHL recently. Gucciardi scored his first AHL goal in his first game, with Chesley doing the same a day later. Bjorklund has two wins under his belt in difficult outings.
Other players within the organization are waiting their turn. Prospect forward Ludwig Persson was assigned to the Bears and is awaiting his debut. Persson is the latest player from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft to join Hershey. Gucciardi, Chesley, Hofer, Suzdalev, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Persson all hail from the same draft class. All but one player selected in that draft are now part of the Bears.
Muggli, on the other hand, just got drafted in the summer of 2024. He became the youngest player to make his AHL debut with the Bears since Jonas Siegenthaler at the tail end of the 2015-16 season. At just 18 years of age, he’ll hone his craft in the pros earlier than most, but he’s got a good skill set for the job.
“He’s a pretty skilled guy,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson said. “Moves really well, very agile. He defends well. I’m excited to watch him play, it’s a great opportunity for him. He’s only 18, I remember when I was that age, I wouldn’t dream of playing pro hockey, he’s that talented.”
Cristall Clear
Another top player expected to join the Bears once his junior season ends is Andrew Cristall. He’s been a highlight machine in the junior ranks and will be a huge asset to the Bears in the coming years. Depending on how long his current run in Spokane goes, Cristall could join Hershey during the postseason. He almost made the Capitals out of training camp as one of the last cuts made before the regular season.
Cristall is currently skating with the Spokane Chiefs in hopes of leading them to the Memorial Cup. He scored the tying goal in Game One of their series against Victoria before setting up the game-winner in double overtime. Cristall is a highly-regard prospect from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and will be a huge asset to the organization. He’s set to join the professional ranks as soon as his junior season concludes.
The Future is Now
It’s a great group of players looking for bigger roles, and it would be fine to expect that to be the group. However, there’s even more players who will likely be options in the organization. Patrick Thomas, enjoying a big year with the Brampton Bulldogs, signed his first NHL contract and is going to turn pro. Ilya Protas, the younger brother of former Bear Aliaksei Protas, is likely to turn pro as an import player in juniors. Ilya won the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player honors this season with Thomas the runner-up for the award.
Both players have strong skill sets and will further their development at the professional level. Another player whose name will be in the mix is defenseman Cam Allen, who is playing for the London Knights. Allen is under contract with the Capitals and is working back from some issues off the ice a few months ago. He’s another player who will most likely make his way to Hershey at the end of his junior season.
It’s a hefty group of players who are taking their first shot at the professional ranks. There’s the group of players who have been here all season. Still others under contract but not quite ready to make the pro leap are Eriks Mateiko and Terik Parascak. Parascak joined the Bears to get some exposure to the pro ranks earlier this week but is expected to play in juniors next year. There are other prospects not yet under contract but will earn it with time like Cole Hutson. Plus, there will be a new draft class this summer.
Summer Roster Shaping
Washington and Hershey will be keeping all these players in mind when making roster decisions this summer. The key to any successful roster is a strong balance of youth and veteran talent. There are plenty of decisions to be made on Hershey’s lineup, and the Capitals have proven to be adept at finding the right mix. It’s more than likely that next fall will skew a bit younger than in recent years.
The early prognosis is that the Bears will once again be stacked to the ceiling with talent for a long time. It’s rare to see so many players descending on Hershey at the same time, but it shows how rich Washington’s prospect pool is. The Bears will have some elite talent to develop and hopefully continue finding success. The Giant Center rafters certainly have room for more banners!
