The Hershey Bears revealed on Wednesday that defenseman Aaron Ness has been named the 46th captain in team history. Ness, 34, is in the midst of his seventh season with the Chocolate and White over two separate stints. Since rejoining the Bears in 2022-23, Ness has served as an alternate captain and won back-to-back Calder Cup Championships. The announcement, including his family presenting his sweater with the “C” on it, was posted on the team’s social media.
Years in the Making
Ness, a veteran of 733 regular season games in the AHL as of writing, joined the Bears prior to the 2015-16 season. He became a staple on Hershey’s blue line for the next four seasons, leading all AHL defensemen in points with 55 (five goals, 50 assists) during the 2018-19 campaign. The Bears went to the Calder Cup Finals with Ness in the lineup in 2016. In total, Ness has played 381 games in a Hershey sweater, tallying 171 points (29 goals, 142 assists).
In a wave of change, Ness departed the team ahead of the 2019-20 season. He’d split time between the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, during the next two years. He’d return east for 2021-22, teaming up with his linemate in Hershey Tyler Lewington with the Providence Bruins. Ness and Lewington were a staple pairing during their time with the Bears, overlapping Ness’s first stint.
Prior to joining the Bears, Ness skated five seasons with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In his last year, he was named team captain and earned nomination to the 2015 AHL All-Star Game. Ness represented Team USA at the 2022 Olympic Games, tallying an assist in four games. Combining the regular season and playoffs, Ness has skated in 800 AHL games.
Ness Fills a Big Void
Hershey’s captaincy has been vacant through the team’s start to 2024-25. Dylan McIlrath served as captain for the last two seasons but earned a promotion to the NHL out of training camp. “Big Mac” has played an essential role in the team’s championships and is a tough player to replace. It’s a situation that hasn’t occurred much in the team’s current affiliation with Washington.
However, Ness has been the logical candidate to pass the honors on to. After an injury sidelined him in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final, Ness was a leader and his presence necessary. He’d take warm-ups when able and made more than one speech in the locker room before games. His experience and leadership played a massive role in both of Hershey’s Calder Cup wins.
The good news is that Ness will be captain for some time. Hershey signed Ness to a one-year contract only days before he was named captain. By the time the 2025-26 season concludes, Ness will have two separate stints of four years as a Bear. He’ll go down as one of the top defensemen in team history, already ranking seventh in scoring among blue liners all-time.
Veteran Leaders
Hershey’s core leadership group will remain the same. Mike Vecchione will be an alternate captain, while Riley Sutter and Brad Hunt will share the responsibilities. Sutter will wear the “A” for home games while Hunt will wear it for road games. This implies that McIlrath will be in Washington for the time being, hot on the heels of impressing in recent NHL action.
It’ll be a little while before Bears fans will see their new captain in-person. Hershey is set to embark on a challenging road trip this weekend. They’ll be back at home to start a five-game homestand on October 30. Hershey is attempting to make history this season in an attempt to win the Calder Cup for a third straight season. Ness will be in the fold for the next two seasons to set the standard in the Sweetest Place on Earth.
