In the first game of the 80th AHL season in Hershey Bears hockey history, goaltender Parker Milner would get the call as both Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek were ruled out due to injuries. Milner would have to deal with a Phantoms team looking for revenge after the Bears knocked them out of the playoffs last season.
Forward Chandler Stephenson has been re-signed by the Washington Capitals on a two-year, $1.3 million contract.
Washington Capitals Senior writer Mike Vogel confirmed today that Chandler Stephenson, Liam O’Brien, and Travis Boyd have been tendered qualifying offers from the team before Monday’s 5 PM deadline.
As members of the Hershey Bears packed their equipment before heading home for the summer, five players prepared for free agency for the first time in their careers.
Travis Boyd, Nathan Walker, Liam O’Brien, Chandler Stephenson, and Christian Djoos are all set to become restricted free agents this summer. While typically restricted free agents are locks to be re-signed, due to the current standing of the Washington Capitals organization, no qualifying offer is promised this offseason.
The Hershey Bears’ 2016-17 season concluded on Wednesday evening with a 4-2 loss to the Providence Bruins in Game 7 of the Atlantic Division Finals. The Bears went down 3-1, and nearly came back, but stout defense from the Bruins kept Hershey off the board when they needed it most.
It looked pretty good for the Bears at the start of Game Six of the Atlantic Divison Finals. Two first-period goals put the Bears up 2-0 after one period. However, the next forty minutes would be a different story.
The Washington Capitals have recalled center Chandler Stephenson. The 22-year-old has played four games for Washington this year, and 72 for the Chocolate and White. Washington plays Friday night in game five of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Photo: @TheHersheyBears
When watching the video of Bears captain Garrett Mitchell being told he was getting his first NHL call-up, you could feel the emotion coming through whatever screen you were looking at, even though there might not have been much excitement on Mitchell’s face. “When I look at the video, even my wife goes ‘You don’t look that excited,'” said Mitchell. “Honestly, I could have started crying right there. I couldn’t have been more excited.
“I didn’t know it was coming. Once [Troy Mann] said Chandler [Stephenson’s] name, I was kind of like ‘Oh man.’ I was very happy for Chandler, but that’s always something you hope might be you. But then he goes ‘He’s been waiting for six years…’
After over 350 AHL games, and parts of eight seasons in Hershey, Garrett Mitchell has finally made it to the NHL.
Days after clinching the President’s Trophy, the Capitals rewarded the Bears captain with his first call-up almost eight years after being drafted by the organization. The Regina, Saskatchewan native has only played in a limited number of preseason games for the Capitals in his career, and never an NHL regular season game. Sunday night that should all change.
On a snowy Saturday, many of you are probably wanting something to entertain you. ChocolateHockey.com want to provide you with just that. Which brings us to our fourth set of Hershey Bears emojis!
This set we name the “Young Guns” as these emojis feature the young stars on this Bears squad. Caleb Herbert, Chandler Stephenson, Christian Djoos, Madison Bowey, Riley Barber, and Travis Boyd have now been emoji-ified.
