GIANT Center to Host NHL Preseason Game on September 25

July 3, 2025

The Hershey Bears and the club's National Hockey League affiliate, the Washington Capitals, are proud to announce that NHL preseason action is coming to Hershey as the Capitals will take the ice in Chocolatetown to battle the Philadelphia Flyers at GIANT Center on Thursday, September 25 at 7 pm.

Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, July 18 at 10 a.m. online via HersheyEntertainment.com and Ticketmaster.com. There will be an exclusive presale for Hershey Bears Season Ticket Members and Washington Capitals Season Ticket Holders with further information distributed via email. 

"We're excited to bring our team to Hershey for this preseason matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers," said Washington senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick. "Hershey has a rich hockey tradition and we are proud to be a part of that legacy through our longstanding and successful partnership with our AHL affiliate. The affiliation between our two organizations has been essential in developing our players, instilling our organizational values, and building a strong connection with the local community. We look forward to the chance to engage with the passionate and loyal fans who make Hershey such a special place for hockey."

The Bears and Capitals have enjoyed a longstanding affiliation that began twenty years ago ahead of the 2005-06 season. The Bears have won the Calder Cup five times during the current partnership (2006, 2009, 2010, 2023, 2024), and no NHL-AHL pairing has won more Calder Cups in that span. When the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018, 14 players on the club's playoff roster previously played in Hershey.

Last season, the Capitals roster featured 15 players who have also played in Hershey for the Bears. Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas were part of Hershey's 2023 Calder Cup team, while Ethen Frank and Dylan McIlrath led Hershey to back-to-back Calder Cups in 2023 and 2024. Capitals defenseman John Carlson won the Calder Cup with Hershey in 2009 and 2010.

The Capitals staff also has many connections to Hershey. Washington head coach Spencer Carbery, who won the 2024-25 Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year, was Hershey's head coach from 2018-21, winning the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding coach in 2020-21. Washington assistant coach Scott Allen, goaltending coach Scott Murray, video coach Emily Engel-Natzke, assistant athletic trainer Murphy Luatua, assistant strength coach Mike Wagner, and radio play-by-play broadcaster John Walton are all former Hershey staffers. 

"We are proud of our partnership with the Washington Capitals and we look forward to welcoming them and the Philadelphia Flyers to GIANT Center in September," said Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer. "Hershey is a historic hockey market that has played a large role in the careers of many NHL players over the years. We are excited to showcase NHL action to our dedicated fans who are the best in the American Hockey League and are sure to provide a great atmosphere for this marquee showcase." 

This is the fourth time the GIANT Center has hosted an NHL preseason game and the first since 2006. Previous NHL preseason games at GIANT Center included the initial NHL contest on Oct. 2, 2003 when the Flyers were bested by the New York Islanders. On Sept. 25, 2005, the Capitals and Penguins played at GIANT Center in a game that saw Alex Ovechkin take the ice for Washington ahead of his record-setting rookie season. The following year, Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur helped the New Jersey Devils to a win over the Capitals in Hershey on Sept. 24, 2006. 

Further information on the upcoming NHL preseason game at GIANT Center will be shared via HersheyBears.com and HersheyEntertainment.com.