Philipp Grubauer returned to the Hershey Bears for his third season and posted career highs in games played with 49, and 27 wins. Grubauer received top goaltender honors in the 2015 AHL Skills Competition while representing the Eastern Conference All-Stars.
Spending the first half of the season in Washington after making the Capitals opening night roster, Nate Schmidt returned to Hershey for what was planned to be just two games against Norfolk in January. An unexpected injury would sideline Schmidt for six weeks, before he would return on February 27th against Binghamton where he had one assist.
His play in Hershey would earn him three more recalls to Washington, two of which came in the post season, when he lead the league in scoring as a defenseman at the time of Hershey’s exit (4-5-9 in eight playoff games). Schmidt will be a restricted free agent this summer.
After spending parts of two seasons in Washington, defenseman Steve Oleksy started the season out with the Hershey Bears, this time wearing an alternate captains patch. The 29-year-old played a key part in Hershey’s strong defensive corps, earning him a call up to Washington in a game in February against the LA Kings where he logged 12 minutes of ice time against the Kings in a Capitals loss.
Oleksy would return to have that ‘A’ changed to a ‘C’ as he was named the 42nd captain in Bears history after injury forced Dane Byers out for the rest of the season. Oleksy with four goals and 15 points (4-11-15) in the regular season and three assists in the post season. Oleksy is set to go on the free agency market as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Cameron Schilling played his fourth season with the Hershey Bears in 2014-15, netting three goals and 18 points in 63 games during the regular season. He matched his season goal total in ten Calder Cup Playoffs game, where he posted eight points (3-5-8). This season he played a career-high four games in the NHL with the Washington Capitals. Schilling will be a restricted free agent this off season.
Pheonix Copley hugs Chris Brown after Hershey’s 6-4 win over Hartford in game two of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Hershey Bears fans almost got to see history at game two of the AHL Eastern Conference semi-finals between the Bears and Hartford. Pheonix Copley came within less than three seconds of becoming the first Bears goalie ever to score a goal. Trailing 6-4, Hartford took a shot from behind their own blue line that went right on the Bears net. Copley made the save and then attempted a shot at the empty Hartford net. The puck went in, but time just ran out.
There are a few Washington Capitals super fans that most everybody knows about if they attend Verizon Center for a game (Horn Guy, Goat, Capstronaut). For the Hershey Bears, that’s Cotton Eyed Joe guy, better known as DJ Jones.
HERSHEY, PA – Jakub Vrana holds up the puck for his first goal with the Hershey Bears on Friday night. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
When Jakub Vrana arrived in Hershey late in the regular season, little was known about the 19-year-old Czech would bring to Hershey. After spending the first part of this season with Linkopings HC, playing along side with former Bear Jeff Taffe, Vrana joined the Chocolate and White and immediately became a force to be reckoned with. In only three regular season games, the Prague native assisted on five goals.
Photo: Kyle Mace
Dmitry Orlov finished his three game rehab stint with the Hershey Bears on Wednesday night. These were his first professional hockey games played in since May 2014 at the IIHF World Championships. Orlov broke his wrist after a collision into the boards during the series.
An annual springtime tradition among families is coloring Easter Eggs. As the holiday quickly approaches, we thought it would be fun to get some Bears in on the action as they relive a great childhood tradition.
Illustration by Kyle Mace
Steve Oleksy has been a team leader on and off the ice for the Hershey Bears. Now that leadership has been rewarded. Oleksy was named Captain of the Bears, replacing Dane Byers who is out for the season with an injury.