The Hershey Bears have announced that Louis Robitaille has been named assistant coach. The announcement was made by Hershey Bears vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer and Washington Capitals senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick.
Robitaille, 44, brings an accomplished coaching résumé to Hershey, and returns to the Bears after skating in three seasons with the club from 2005-08, helping the team to the 2006 Calder Cup title. He spent last season as head coach of Omskie Krylia in the All-Russian Hockey League (VHL), leading the team to a 38-20-3-1 finish.
"We are thrilled to welcome Louis back to the Hershey Bears," said Helmer. "Louis understands our championship culture and brings an impressive coaching background that will be valuable in helping our young players grow and develop in the American Hockey League. No doubt, Louis was a passionate player, and we know that passion will fit perfectly with our coaching staff."
Prior to his move overseas, Robitaille excelled in the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), spending 14 seasons behind the bench, serving as an assistant coach with Drummondville (2011-15) and Val d'Or (2015-16), while holding head coach positions with Victoriaville (2016-20), Gatineau (2020-23), and Cape Breton (2023-25).
With the exception of the canceled 2019-20 season, Robitaille led his club to a playoff appearance in every season of his QMJHL head coaching career, reaching the conference finals on three separate occasions. In his most recent stint with Cape Breton, he led the Eagles to a 73-49-5-5 record over two seasons, and he became one of just 24 coaches in QMJHL history to record 300 career wins.
In his QMJHL head coaching career, Robitaille posted a 310-193-42-21 record over nine seasons, good for a .603 points percentage. During his tenure with Gatineau, he was also the club's general manager. He was a finalist for the league's Maurice-Filion Trophy for general manager of the year during the 2022-23 season, leading the Olympiques to a 49-12-5-2 record and a West Division title.
The native of Montréal, Québec also brings international coaching experience to Hershey. Robitaille won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, and also claimed a bronze medal as assistant coach with Canada at the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship. He was an assistant coach with Team Canada Black at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2017, and then was the head coach with Team Canada Red during the same tournament the following year. He was slated to be the head coach for Canada for the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his playing career, Robitaille was a fan favorite with the Chocolate and White, appearing in 200 games, scoring 45 points (17g, 28a) while adding 938 penalty minutes, a mark that ranks sixth in franchise history. He led the American Hockey League in penalty minutes with 350 in 2007-08 (the third-most by a Bear in a single season in franchise history), and paced Hershey in penalty minutes in each of his three seasons with the Bears. Robitaille played in 39 playoff games for Hershey, collecting three assists and 124 penalty minutes, good for sixth in team postseason history.
"Hershey has always been a special place to me, and returning here feels like coming home," said Robitaille. "This is a franchise that builds champions and has an incredible tradition. Personally, my son was born in Hershey, so my family and I are so excited to return and call Chocolatetown home. Thank you to Jason Fitzsimmons, Bryan Helmer, Derek King, and to the Bears and Washington Capitals for this incredible opportunity. The Capitals gave me my first chance as a professional hockey player back in 2003, and it is an honor that they are now giving me my first opportunity as a professional coach in North America. I look forward to joining the coaching staff in Hershey and getting to work chasing the Calder Cup."
In his professional playing career, Robitaille skated in 440 AHL games with Portland, Hershey, Lowell, and Albany, scoring 77 points (24g, 53a), adding 1,759 penalty minutes. He also appeared in two NHL games with the Washington Capitals during the 2005-06 season.
The Bears open the 2026-27 season, presented by Penn State Health, at GIANT Center on Saturday, Oct. 3. The puck drops on the club's 89th season in the AHL at 6 p.m. that evening as they host the Charlotte Checkers. For season ticket information, visit HersheyBears.com.
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