2026 Offseason Player Tracker

May 11, 2026

Welcome to the Hershey Bears Player Tracker for the 2026 offseason! This page will be updated throughout the summer as players sign contracts for the upcoming season.

Many of your favorite players from Hershey's squad last year are already under contract and will return within the Washington Capitals/Bears pipeline for next year. Our Player Tracker has you covered!

Below is a list of players who skated the majority of the season with Hershey in 2025-26 and/or ended the season in the organization, and their current contract status. This list will be updated as players re-sign and sign elsewhere. 
 
Not sure what all this means? PuckPedia has a great Q&A page for your reference.

NHL and AHL Free Agency starts on July 1.

FORWARDS

Players in BOLD are under contract for the 2026-27 season or beyond

#10 Ivan Miroshnichenko
Under NHL contract through 2027-28 season

#11 Spencer Smallman
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

#12 Henrik Rybinski
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, UFA Group 6, Signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 3

#13 Eriks Mateiko
Under NHL contract through 2028-29 season due to entry-level slide

#14 Zac Funk
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

#15 Sonny Milano
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, Signed with SC Bern for 2026-27 season

#19 Grant Cruikshank
Under AHL contract through 2026-27 season, Re-signed to a one-year AHL contract on March 9

#20 Andrew Cristall
Under NHL contract through 2027-28 season

#23 Brett Leason
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, Signed a one-year, two-way contract with the San Jose Sharks on July 2

#24 Wyatt Bongiovanni
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, UFA Group 6, Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Providence Bruins on July 5

#25 Ryan Hofer
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season

#26 Ludwig Persson
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

#29 Milton Gästrin
Under NHL contract through 2028-29 season due to entry-level slide, Traded to the St. Louis Blues on June 23

#37 Dalton Smith
AHL expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, Re-signed to a one-year AHL contract on June 11

#39 Patrick Thomas
Under NHL contract through 2027-28 season

#40 Ilya Protas
Under NHL contract through 2028-29 season due to entry-level slide

#41 Alex Suzdalev
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

#43 Sam Bitten
Under AHL contract through 2026-27 season, Re-signed to a one-year AHL contract on April 10

#44 Bogdan Trineyev
Under NHL contract through 2027-28 season

#45 Matt Strome
AHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season

#52 Jalen Luypen
AHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, Re-signed to one-year AHL contract on June 12 

#56 Alex Gaffney
Under AHL contract through 2026-27 season, Signed to a one-year AHL contract on March 24

DEFENSEMEN

#2 Cam Allen
Under NHL contract through 2027-28 season

#4 Reilly Webb
AHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season

#5 Ryan Chesley
Under NHL contract through 2027-28 season

#6 Corey Schueneman
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, Signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 1

#7 Louie Belpedio
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

#27 Aaron Ness
AHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, announced retirement from professional hockey on June 2

#34 Leon Muggli
Under NHL contract through 2028-29 season due to entry-level slide

#47 Jon McDonald
AHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season, Re-signed to a one-year AHL contract on June 3

#48 David Gucciardi
Under AHL contract through 2026-27 season

GOALTENDERS

#1 Garin Bjorklund
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season

#30 Jesper Vikman
NHL contract expires at conclusion of 2025-26 season

#31 Clay Stevenson
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

#35 Mitch Gibson
Under NHL contract through 2026-27 season

Players under AHL contract with the Bears in 2025-26 who spent the majority or all of the season in South Carolina (ECHL) and are considered Unrestricted Free Agents at noon on July 1:

#18 Connor Mayer, D, Signed with HC TIWAG Innsbruck - Die Haie (ICEHL) on May 21
#21 John Fusco, D
#32 Justin Nachbaur, F
#33 D.J. King, D
#36 Lynden Breen, F
#38 Kaden Bohlsen, F
#46 Simon Pinard, F, signed with Ässät (Liiga) on June 4
#49 Kyler Kupka, F
#50 Seth Eisele, G, Signed to a one-year AHL contract by the Utica Comets on July 3
#51 Patrick Guzzo, F

POTENTIAL ADDITIONS

Theodor Niederbach, F - Signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, two-way contract on May 7

Jonny Brodzinski, F - Signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, one-way contract on July 1

Josh Dunne, F - Signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, one-way contract on July 1

Justin Holl, D - Signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, one-way contract on July 1

Jacob MacDonald, D - Signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, two-way contract on July 5
 

Capitals prospects who served as Black Aces for Hershey in the playoffs that have now turned pro and could play for Hershey in 2026-27:

• #53 Aron Dahlqvist, D - Joined Hershey on an amateur tryout agreement and remains on the reserve list for Washington until June 1, 2029.
• #54 Terik Parascak, F - Re-assigned to Hershey at the conclusion of the WHL Playoffs, is under NHL contract through the 2028-29 season (entry-level slide) and is expected to make the full-time jump to the professional ranks next season