Helmer, Yingst Inducted into AHL Hall of Fame on Monday

January 30, 2017

(Allentown, PA- January 30, 2017)-Monday's American Hockey League Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony welcomed the 12th group of enshrinees into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame. Those inducted included Bryan Helmer and Doug Yingst of the Hershey Bears. The induction took place during the 2017 Capital BlueCross AHL All-Star Classic at the Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown, PA.

Helmer is Hershey’s Vice President of Hockey Operations after serving as a player and coach with the Bears. During his playing career, Helmer amassed more assists and points than any defenseman in the history of the American Hockey League. Helmer skated two seasons with the Bears (2008-10) where he captained the club to back-to-back Calder Cup championships. 

Helmer was the recipient of the league’s Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award in 2010-11, as the player exemplifying sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey. Helmer’s 20-year professional playing career ended in 2013, and he finished in third place all-time with 1,117 regular-season games played, and first among AHL defensemen with 435 assists and 564 points. Helmer also played more postseason games (159) than anyone in AHL history – including seven trips to the conference finals and his three Calder Cups – and he finished with a cumulative plus/minus rating of +188, finishing at +15 or better eight times.

The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native returned to Hershey in 2014 and served as an assistant coach with the Bears for two seasons, leading the club to the 2016 Calder Cup Finals. He moved to the front office this past summer as he was named Hershey’s new Vice President of Hockey Operations on July 21, 2016. 

Yingst made a name for himself during a storied 34-year career as an executive with Hershey. Hired as the Bears’ sales and promotions director in 1982, Yingst won the AHL’s Ken McKenzie Award for outstanding promotion of his club in 1987-88 as the Bears captured the Calder Cup. He was promoted to assistant general manager under the legendary Frank Mathers in 1988, and in 1990 added the role of director of hockey operations.

Yingst was named GM in 1996, and in his first season in that position the Bears won a Calder Cup championship. He later established an affiliation with the Washington Capitals in 2005 that began the greatest five-year run by any team in league history, with three more Calder Cup titles, four Finals appearances and a record 60-win season in 2009-10.

A long-time member of the AHL’s Board of Governors and chairman of several league committees, Yingst was honored with the James C. Hendy Award as the league’s outstanding executive in both 2000 and 2006, and was the recipient of the Thomas Ebright Award for his career contributions in 2008.

Yingst retired in 2016 after one more trip to the Calder Cup Finals, the eighth of his career. His four championships as general manager are tied for the most of anyone in league history.

In addition to Helmer and Yingst, Billy Dea and Rob Murray were inducted as part of the Class of 2017. The AHL Hall of Fame was established in 2006 to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions specifically in the AHL.