Synonymous with Hershey Bears Hockey, Bourque, Mitchell prepare for free agency

If you were to ask a person from Central Pennsylvania to name a Hershey Bear, even if they had only been to a few games over the last 10 years, you will likely hear one of two names: Garrett Mitchell or Chris Bourque.

Mitchell, 25, and Bourque, 31, are both set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 after each signing two-year contracts before the 2015-16 season. The two were leaders within Hershey’s locker room that set the standard for how you should hold yourself as a member of the Bears and brought stability to the club.

Head coach Troy Mann talked about how his goals when he returned to Hershey in 2014 were to get the team with the times regarding growing the organizations with staff and more attention to detail when preparing for games. One of the other major parts was stabilizing the veteran presence on the team. “Much like a Grand Rapids and Detroit has done over the years where you see, maybe not all six vets being the same every year, but maybe three or four veteran presence that have been around the organization and understands what’s going on. That’s why [Aaron] Ness was signed to a two-year deal last summer, that’s why [Zach] Sill was.

“Mitchy and Bourquey are in those same areas of what we’re talking about. I know they both want to be back, and some of that is out of my pay grade in terms of determining that, but certainly will express my opinion when it comes to talking about next year.”

Mitchell has spent part of seven seasons in Hershey, being named captain after a vote by his teammates in 2015. During those seven seasons, he had never gotten a look at the NHL level, until the end of this season when he played his first NHL game with the Capitals.

“I have two little girls at home and play in the NHL, all in one year, with my wife and my mom and dad and everybody able to come to that game in Washington. Definitely for me it’s a feather in the cap,” said Mitchell. “I don’t know if I’m going to get back [to the NHL], but if I don’t, no one can take that game away from me.”

It’s the first time in Mitchell’s career he goes into free agency unrestricted. “This is kind of the first time that I’ve ever had to go through something like that. It’s the first time I’ve ever been a ‘free agent’ per se that I could go anywhere and you know Washington doesn’t own my rights.” But that doesn’t mean Mitchell wants to go somewhere else. “As I’ve said before, this is a great spot. We love it here.

“I’ve shown them what I can do on the ice. That’s up to those guys [Washington] make those decisions. I don’t get paid enough to make those decisions,” said Mitchell with a smile. “Hopefully, it’s not a goodbye. But at the same time, the six years I’ve had here have been unbelievable.”

Bourque, who accomplished many different milestones this season, echoed that statement of hoping to stay in Chocolate Town: “I’ve got a handful of good years still left in me. I’ll see where I end up. But obviously, I love playing in Hershey. That’s a question that should be answered here the next couple of weeks.”