I got the chance to chat with Garrett Mitchell about being back in Hershey, how last season’s tight race in the division will affect this season, meeting with Bears fans at Season Ticket Holder night this coming Thursday, and much more as training camp rolls along.
It looks like the Bears captain will be getting a bobblehead in the 2017-18 season. The Bears announced on Tuesday afternoon that the promotional schedule for the upcoming season would be coming next week, but gave fans a little teaser to keep them entertained.
A photo of what looks like the feet of a Garrett Mitchell bobblehead was released on social media, and we are hyped.
On Monday at noon, the Hershey Bears announced that they have re-signed forward Garrett Mitchell to a one-year contract.
If you were to ask a person from Central Pennsylvania to name a Hershey Bear, even if they had only been to a few games over the last 10 years, you will likely hear one of two names: Garrett Mitchell or Chris Bourque.
Mitchell, 25, and Bourque, 31, are both set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 after each signing two-year contracts before the 2015-16 season. The two were leaders within Hershey’s locker room that set the standard for how you should hold yourself as a member of the Bears and brought stability to the club.
Zach Sill throws a ball to first base as Riley Barber and Travis Boyd look on. (All Photos: Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Sometimes it’s nice to get away from the rink and have some fun at another stadium. That’s what the Hershey Bears did on Thursday afternoon as they joined the Harrisburg Senators on City Island to try their hand at some batting practice.
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…’
If you were writing a movie about Garrett Mitchell’s journey to the NHL, this would be the closing shot.
After Mitchell’s call up to the NHL Sunday, he got the rookie treatment by having to skate a lap alone in warm-ups and had to start the game by being forced by Nicklas Backstrom to take the opening faceoff. But after the game might be the most appropriate part of the entire night.
Photo: @Capitals
If you can’t tell, we’re super excited to see Bears captain Garrett Mitchell make his NHL debut Sunday night, and we think you are too. We’ve put together this mega post with everything related to Mitchell’s NHL debut and will be updating it throughout the game.
Garrett Mitchell talks about his feelings heading in to his first NHL Game. #CapsCats #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/0byinrNkuC
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 9, 2017
Video: @Capitals and the Monumental Sports Network
In his pregame interview with the Washington media, Garrett Mitchell was visibly emotional. Hershey’s captain was less than 24 hours removed from being told by Bears head coach Troy Mann that he will finally be called up to the NHL after over a half a decade with the Chocolate and White.
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.
