Matt Carey looking to find a role in the Chocolate and White

Matt Carey was in a rough spot with the Hartford Wolf Pack last season. A team that only won 24 games in 2016-17 was not the ideal situation for the 25-year-old.

“My first year in Rockford, I’d tell all the rookies, when I was a rookie in Rockford, we got it good,” said Carey on the first day of Bears training camp. “They showed us right off the bat that if you mess around, they showed you, or they told you how to act and stuff like that. I don’t think last year in Hartford – we didn’t hold enough accountability. I think [Hershey] does hold accountability, so I think that’s what the attitude shows and accountability is probably big for this team.”

That sort of attitude could help Carey earn a contract with Hershey this season. Before training camp, the Hamilton native signed a professional tryout contract with the Bears and is attempting to make the team. “It covers us in terms of if something changes in Washington,” said head coach Troy Mann. “We just wanted to get a little bit more experience in here. It was a tough summer across the board for a number of players.

“There were a number of quality players available towards the end, and we were able to bring a couple of guys in here for insurance. Certainly, if they play well and our roster number is reasonable, maybe there’s another contract to be earned.”

Trying to earn a contract on a tryout isn’t an experience 21 that’s new to Carey. He’s treated his last few seasons in New York the same way he is treating this one.

“One of the players that I played with last year, Tanner Glass, he’s trying out for Calgary this year, and he said it exactly right and I agree with him,” said Carey. “He said that the last three years that he was in New York he was on a tryout, and I feel like last year I was on a tryout as well. So this year, nothing has changed.

“I feel like I’m on a tryout; I am on a tryout actually, so it’s just the same role that I was in last year. I felt like the whole year I had to try out; I had to work hard every day, so nothing has changed. This year I’m just going to bring the same mentality and same attitude that I did last year, try to work as hard as I can, and try to build guys up around me.”

Carey had 21 goals for the Wolf Pack last season and could bring both an offensive and physical presence to the Chocolate and White. “My role last year was net front a lot, and I like to go to the net. I like to be kind of like Dino Ciccarelli. He was very tough in front of the net, and that’s kind of the role I play. I just found that role last year, and it seemed to work, so that’s what I want to go off of.”

So is there a role he sees himself in Hershey? “I will do basically whatever the coach tells me to do. If it’s a fight to protect my teammates or anything like that, you just gotta try and make a spot and make an impact somehow.”