Bears Announce 2019 Training Camp Roster

September 22, 2019

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PRINTABLE 2019 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER  (Updated 9/25)

The Hershey Bears have announced the roster for the club's 2019 Training Camp, which opens tomorrow morning at Giant Center at 10:30 a.m.

The following players are part of Hershey's initial 2019 Training Camp roster: 

Forwards (17): Casey Bailey, Kody Clark, Dillan Fox, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Kale Kessy, Brett Leason, Stephane Legault, Philippe Maillet, Chris McCarthy, Matt Moulson, Garrett Pilon, Joe Snively, Riley Sutter, Cole Ully, Mitchell Vanderlaan, Matthew Weis, Steve Whitney

Defensemen (11):  Alexander Alexeyev, Kris Bindulis, Erik Burgdoerfer, Tobias Geisser, Tariq Hammond, Connor Hobbs, Tommy Hughes, Phil Johansson, Bobby Nardella, Matt Nuttle, Ed Wittchow

Goaltenders (3): Billy Christopoulos, Parker Milner, Logan Thompson

The 2019 Training Camp roster features 10 players who skated with Hershey last season, including forward Garrett Pilon. The center led all first-year players on the team with 33 points and earned the club's Rookie of the Year award. Additional returners who were regulars in the Bears lineup last year include forward Steve Whitney, and defenders Tobias Geisser and Connor Hobbs. 

The roster features 12 players signed to AHL contracts, including forward Matt Moulson. The newcomer to the Chocolate and White inked a one-year, AHL deal with the Bears in July. The 35-year-old brings nearly 1,000 games of professional experience to the club, including 650 games in the NHL. Moulson joins the Bears from the Ontario Reign where he led the club with 62 points last season while serving as an alternate captain. Also on an AHL contract is a familiar face in defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer. The rearguard returns to Hershey after skating with the club from 2014-16 and helping the team to the 2016 Calder Cup Finals. 

Seven players on Hershey's initial 2019 Training Camp roster are on tryouts. Forward Dillan Fox is a Hummelstown, PA native. The Lower Dauphin product had 16 goals in just 37 games for the Maine Mariners of the ECHL last season. Of the tryouts, forward Casey Bailey is the most experienced of the players attempting to make the roster. The former Penn State standout was an AHL All-Star in 2017 during a season where he led the Binghamton Senators with 21 goals. Additionally, four players on tryouts have agreed to terms for 2019-20 with Hershey's ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, including: Stephane Legault, Phil Johansson, Matt Nuttle, and Mitchell Vanderlaan.

The 2019 Training Camp Roster will be updated at HersheyBears.com over the next week. Player numbers are subject to change. Additions are expected, as Hershey's NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, will have to reduce their roster to a maximum of 23 skaters in the next week. 

The Bears open preseason play on Friday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7:05 p.m. The team hosts the Penguins for a home preseason game on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at Giant Center. Seating is general admission and all tickets are $12. Tickets are on sale now at the Giant Center Box Office, or online via Ticketmaster.