Spencer Carbery introduced as Hershey Bears head coach

At first, Spencer Carbery wasn’t planning on inquiring about the Hershey Bears head coaching job. The 36-year-old was loyal to the Boston Bruins organization, where he was an assistant with their AHL team in Providence, after moving from job to job over the last three seasons. But his relationships in the Washington Capitals and Bears organization lead him to become the 26th coach in the 81-year history of the Chocolate and Whites.

“In a roundabout way things started to materialize,” said Carbery on Wednesday afternoon at his introductory press conference. “Once the process started, it was a long process but partly due to the fact that Washington was doing so well in the playoffs and going on to win a Stanley Cup. But that’s how it got started. And then from there it just evolved.”

Bears Vice President of Hockey Operations Bryan Helmer had a large part choosing Carbery to lead the oldest franchise in the AHL, learning a lot during the process of choosing the next head coach. “I learned coaches love to talk,” Helmer said with a laugh. “We did phone interviews and face to face, and it was neat doing both. Sometimes you get guys who speak really well on the phone; you get them face to face then tend not to do that.

“It was tough,” said Helmer. “The guys that were involved made it difficult on us to choose Spencer. But in the end with his experience knowing each organization, the drive, and how good of a communicator he is, and what he’s done with the teams he’s had in the past is pretty impressive, and I think he’s going to fit in well here.”

Carbery describes his coaching style with two major words: puck pursuit. “Our teams are hard to play against,” said Carbery. “We work and we’re going to compete. And we’re going to get on the puck and we’re going to play quick and we’re going to have guys that are working away from the puck. That’s something that we’ll stress from day one and I believe. All the other stuff the X’s and O’s and the different strategies stuff that we’ll do, that stuff’s interchangeable, but that baseline of us being puck pursuit – when we have it, we’re attacking let’s go – when we don’t have, we are on it to get it back.”

There are high expectations Bears fans hold their teams to, and Carbery knows that from his time with the organization as a player and coach. Coming to Chocolate Town with that knowledge provides a level of comfort. “Knowing the expectations, knowing some of the history, knowing some of the players that played here and potentially will play here next year; I think all that stuff is valuable for me as a coach coming in as opposed to someone that just has heard about the Hershey Bears in an indirect way.”

Not including any restricted free agents or possible returning unrestricted free agents, Hershey already has 20 projected players on next year’s roster. But Carbery is not going to get caught up in looking at next season’s roster until Washington starts putting all the pieces together for next year’s squad. “Have to let the process play out with Washington and looking at the free agent [market]. Because if you start to evaluate now and start to project, you’re just going to be not wasting your time, but there’s just so many different pieces that are going to fall into place in the next month.”

Carbery will now head to Capitals Development Camp to meet some of his potential players and get acquainted with the organization he once again will call home.