Aaron Ness Announces Retirement from Professional Hockey

June 2, 2026

Hershey Bears captain Aaron Ness announced his retirement from professional hockey after a 16-year playing career. 

"Wearing the Hershey Bears jersey and serving as your captain has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I will always be grateful for what we shared together," said Ness, in a letter to Hershey Bears fans he shared on HersheyBears.com. "While it's difficult to step away from the game, I leave with nothing but gratitude and pride. Hockey will always be a part of me and Hershey will always feel like home."

Ness, 36, is one of the most decorated defensemen in franchise history and helped the club to Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024. He skated in eight seasons for Hershey during his illustrious career, enjoying two stints with the Bears from 2015-19, and from 2022-26. He played in 466 games with the club, scoring 188 points (33g, 155a). His 466 games are 19th overall in franchise history, and rank seventh among defensemen. He also appeared in 76 postseason games for Hershey, the most playoff games in club history by a defenseman, recording 18 points (2g, 16a).

"During his time in Hershey, Aaron Ness set a standard of what it means to be a Bear with his professionalism, work ethic, leadership, and skill, all while representing the Chocolate and White with the utmost class," said Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer. "He was instrumental in bringing the Calder Cup back to Hershey in 2023 and 2024, and he will go down as one of the finest defensemen of his era in the American Hockey League. We wish Aaron - along with his wife, Samantha, and their three children, Carter, Henrik, and Thomas - all the best in retirement."

The native of Roseau, Minnesota is the highest-scoring American-born defenseman in franchise history. He ranks fifth in regular-season assists among defenseman, and is tied for first in game-winning goals by a defenseman (11, Joe Schertzl and Mike Mahoney). His plus-minus of +54 ranks first in franchise history among rearguards. 

In 2022-23, Ness logged 19 points (5g, 14a) in 69 games and tallied one goal in the postseason as Hershey won its 12th Calder Cup. The following season, Ness had 23 points (4g, 19a) in 68 regular-season games, then added two points (1g, 1a) in 10 playoff games as Hershey claimed the Calder Cup for a second straight year. 

Ness was named Hershey's captain on October 23, 2024 after serving as an alternate captain the previous two seasons. While wearing the "C," he guided Hershey to an Atlantic Division title in the 2024-25 campaign, and in the postseason he helped the club to an Atlantic Division Semifinals victory over Lehigh Valley, earning Hershey its ninth consecutive playoff series win, an AHL record. 

In his final campaign in 2025-26, Ness scored six points (1g, 5a) in 38 games and skated in his 800th career AHL game on Dec. 6 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

In his first stint with the organization from 2015-19, Ness helped the Bears reach the 2016 Calder Cup Finals. He served as an alternate captain for parts of the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, and in 2018-19, he wore the "A" for all home games and enjoyed the best offensive season of his career, posting 55 points (5g, 50a) to lead all AHL defensemen in scoring while earning AHL Second All-Star Team honors. He also claimed Hershey's Team MVP honors that year, and won the Milton Garland Memorial Award as the club's best defenseman for the second straight year. 

Ness previously served as captain of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2014-15, earning a spot in the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic. He appeared in 818 career AHL games with Bridgeport, Hershey, Tucson, and Providence, collecting 339 points (61g, 278a). He ranks 16th in AHL history in games played by a defenseman, and his 818 AHL contests are the most by an American-born defenseman.

Ness was originally a second-round selection (40th overall) of the New York Islanders in the 2008 NHL Draft, and went on to play in 72 career NHL games with the Islanders, Washington Capitals, and Arizona Coyotes, notching seven points (1g, 6a). Ness also represented the United States in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, collecting one assist in four games.