Bears Recall Connor Mayer, Sign D.J. King to PTO

November 16, 2025

The Hershey Bears have recalled defenseman Connor Mayer from the club's ECHL affiliate the South Carolina Stingrays and the club has signed defenseman DJ King to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). The announcements were made by Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer.

Mayer, 26, has posted one assist in nine games with the Stingrays this season. The 5'11", 185-pound blueliner collected nine points (4g, 5a) in 22 AHL games with the Colorado Eagles during the 2024-25 campaign, and added one assist in four contests with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL.

The Champlin, Minnesota native played for five seasons with Colorado College between 2019-24, scoring 32 points (7g, 25a) in 159 NCAA games. Mayer also won a Clark Cup championship with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League in 2016-17.

King, 25, has tallied one goal in 10 games this season with the Stingrays. He is the son of Bears head coach Derek King and previously attended the club's 2025 Training Camp.

The 6'3", 216-pound defender has played eight career AHL games including six last season for the Rockford IceHogs. He recorded one assist in two games with the Grand Rapids Griffins during the 2021-22 season. 

King has appeared in 174 ECHL games for Fort Wayne, Norfolk, Indy, and South Carolina, scoring 26 points (8g, 18a). He played with Hershey teammate Matt Strome with the Ontario Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs in 2018-19 and he was teammates with Sam Bitten for the Mississauga Rebels U16 AAA team in 2015-16.

Mayer will wear #18 for Hershey while King will wear #15 for tonight's contest. 

The Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, when they return home to host the Phantoms today at 3 p.m. at GIANT Center for their first Washington Capitals Night of the season, celebrating 20 continuous seasons of partnership with their NHL affiliate. Sunday's game is also the first Hersheypark Pass Night of the campaign - all fans in attendance will receive a 2026 Hersheypark Ticket, valid for one-day admission through June 30, 2026. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for this game.