Bears leading goal scorer Paul Carey signs with New York Rangers

Hershey Bears leading goal scorer Paul Carey is heading to New York to play for the Rangers. First reported by Aaron Ward of TSN, Carey signs a one-year, two-way contract ($650k NHL, $400k AHL) with the Rangers for the 2017-18 season.

Over the past two seasons, Carey has seen action in 99 games with Hershey and ten with the Washington Capitals. During the 2015-2016 season with the Bears, Carey was on pace to a career high in points until he sustained a season-ending shoulder injury.

The Boston native would return to the Chocolate and White for the 2016-2017 season and set a career-high in points (24 goals, 31 assists, 55 points,) ranking him third in scoring for the club. A good bit of Carey’s points would come during his 19 game point streak that lasted two months from October 26th to December 26th.

Carey’s play also caught the attention of the Washington Capitals, which earned him call-ups throughout the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 28-year-old forward played 55 games for Hershey and six for Washington this past season, bring his professional total to 319, one short of being qualified as an AHL veteran.

Press release:

New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has agreed to terms with free agent forward Paul Carey.

Carey, 28, skated in 55 games with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2016-17, registering 24 goals and 31 assists for 55 points, along with a plus-14 rating and 29 penalty minutes. Carey established AHL career-highs in several categories during the past season, including goals, assists, points, plus/minus rating, power play goals (eight), and game-winning goals (six). He led the Bears in points per game (1.00) and game-winning goals, tied for the team lead in goals, ranked third in power play goals and shots on goal (122), ranked fourth in assists and points, and ranked fifth in plus/minus rating in 2016-17. Carey was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the week ending on March 19, 2017, as he registered eight points (six goals, two assists) in three contests during the week. He tallied two points (one goal, one assist) in four playoff contests with Hershey during the past season. In addition, Carey skated in six NHL regular season games and one NHL playoff game with Washington in 2016-17.

The 6-1, 200-pounder has skated in 287 career AHL games over parts of six seasons (2011-12 – 2016-17), registering 79 goals and 103 assists for 182 points, along with a plus-six rating and 146 penalty minutes. Over the last two seasons (2015-16 and 2016-17), Carey has recorded 86 points (37 goals, 49 assists), including nine game-winning goals, and has posted a plus-16 rating in 99 AHL contests. He has also notched three points (two goals, one assist) in eight career AHL playoff games.

Carey has played 32 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (2013-14 – 2016-17) with Colorado and Washington, registering one goal and one assist for two points, along with a plus-two rating. He has not been assessed a penalty thus far in his NHL career. Carey made his NHL debut with Colorado on March 12, 2014 vs. Chicago, and he registered his first career NHL assist/point on February 16, 2015 vs. Arizona. He has also skated in four playoff contests in his NHL career.

Prior to beginning his professional career, Carey played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Boston College (2008-09 – 2011-12), where he was teammates with current Rangers Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider. Carey recorded 86 points (45 goals, 41 assists) in 147 career collegiate games, including 56 points (31 goals, 25 assists) and a plus-32 rating in 82 games over his final two seasons. Carey helped Boston College win the National Championship twice (2009-10 and 2011-12), the Hockey East Championship three times (2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12), and the Hockey East Regular Season Championship in 2011-12. He was also named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 2011-12, as he tallied two goals in the NCAA Semifinals against Minnesota and one goal in the National Championship Game against Ferris State.

The Boston, Massachusetts, native was selected by Colorado in the fifth round, 135th overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.