Bears Sign Kyle Jackson to AHL Contract for 2026-27

The Hershey Bears announced today the signing of forward Kyle Jackson to an American Hockey League contract for the 2026-27 season. The announcement was made by Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer.

Jackson, 23, appeared in 12 AHL games during the 2025-26 season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, recording two points (1g, 1a), while also skating in 38 games with the ECHL’s Bloomington Bison, where he notched 44 points (17g, 27a) to finish fourth in team scoring. Jackson led the league with an 11-game home point streak (8g, 13a) from Oct. 18-Dec. 13 and was named to the roster for the 2026 ECHL All-Star Classic before earning a recall to Hartford. He later finished third in playoff scoring with Bloomington by adding five assists in six playoff contests.

During his first professional season in 2023-24 with the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks, Jackson helped Kansas City capture the Brabham Cup as regular-season champions, and the Bruce Taylor Trophy as Western Conference champions in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The 6’2”, 190-pound forward has appeared in 14 career AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hartford, tallying two points (1g, 1a).

Jackson has also posted 140 points (58g, 82a) in 158 career ECHL games with Kansas City, Wheeling, and Bloomington; his 140 points are the second most over the last three seasons by an ECHL player under the age of 24 entering the upcoming campaign. 

Prior to turning pro, the Ottawa, Ontario native played for the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League, where he amassed 170 points (71g, 99a) in 186 games. Jackson also led the Ottawa Jr. Senators of the Central Canada Hockey League to a Bogart Cup championship in 2018-19 after capturing Rookie of the Year honors.

Jackson was originally a seventh-round selection (196th overall) of the Seattle Kraken in the 2022 NHL Draft.

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.

Photo Credit: Hartford Wolf Pack