The Derek King era officially gets underway this weekend when the Hershey Bears host the Syracuse Crunch for a pair of games at GIANT Center, starting with the home opener on Saturday night.
For King, the 29th head coach in franchise history, it will bring an end to a whirlwind summer that saw him named to his post on August 4.
So, on the eve of his first game behind the bench of the AHL's most storied club, at what point will the 58-year-old King give himself a chance to sit back and breathe a sigh of relief?
"I'll do that tomorrow morning after the morning skate," he said with a smile after the team's practice Friday at Hersheypark Arena. "It has been a little crazy, but it's a good crazy - getting used to the players, the faces, the nameplates - and I'm excited about getting the season going."
The new bench boss appears to already have the buy-in from his players.
"I think he thinks the game really well," Ethen Frank said. "The way he approaches it and obviously his resume speaks for itself, so I know guys will respect him right off the bat and be able to go to war for him, but his hockey mind and his ability to kind of see things as they happen and then be able to adjust on the fly will be great."
Stevenson poised to seize net
The progression of Clay Stevenson's career over the last three seasons has shown demonstrable growth. In his first season, he spent the majority of time in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays, platooning with Tyler Wall, while getting into three games with the Bears. In his second season, still considered an AHL rookie, he formed a tandem with Hunter Shepard that claimed the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Trophy for the best goals-against average in the league. And last year, Stevenson ascended to hockey's highest level, making his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals, while primarily serving as second chair to Shepard in Hershey.
With Shepard's departure from the Capitals organization this summer, and following Stevenson's loan to Hershey on Monday after clearing NHL waivers, the net is now Stevenson's; it's the first time in his professional career that he can lay claim to the No. 1 role at the start of a season.
"I liked getting to know him at camp," King said. "He's got a great personality. He's a character guy and I'm excited for him and I'm excited for him making some saves for us."
It's an opportunity that the 26-year-old netminder embraces.
"I'm always looking to play every game. I'm just definitely looking forward to having more of the reins and being that rock back there for the guys," Stevenson said. "The funnest thing in hockey is winning games and making your teammates proud. That's what I look forward to every game this year and every day. Just putting my best foot forward for the guys in front of me."
Frank returns to lead potent offense with new additions
Also successfully passing through NHL waivers and assigned to the Bears on Monday was Ethen Frank.
The speedy winger started hot out of the gates last season with Hershey, rifling 20 goals by the New Year, and in doing so, he joined a list of less than 25 other players in team history who had managed to string together three consecutive seasons of 20 or more goals in each campaign.
By mid-January, all of Frank's hard work in Hershey over the past three years appeared to have paid off with his recall to Washington, earning a point in his NHL debut and ultimately getting into 24 contests while finding the net four times.
The economics of the NHL means that for now, however, Frank will begin the season by calling Chocolatetown home. But there will be a noticeable difference when Frank takes the ice for the Bears at GIANT Center. In each of his three previous seasons, Frank often was on a line with one or both of Mike Vecchione and Mike Sgarbossa, both of whom have continued their careers overseas. The absence of familiar linemates may require an adjustment, but Frank is not discouraged, and is confident that new chemistry can be found.
"I think taking things that those guys taught me and how we were able to build chemistry and just kind of pass that on to the new guys and figure out certain ways where we can help support each other better, be better options, and learn how to attack and defend as a unit or as a line and just kind of go from there," Frank said. "Obviously it might be kind of a rough start with new guys all over from top to bottom, but I'm sure that it'll turn around pretty quickly if it does."
Fortunately for Frank, the offense will not rest solely upon him. The Capitals have assigned several players to the Bears who are expected to help light the lamp. Among them is third-year winger Ivan Miroshnichenko, whose 23 goals led the club last season, along with free agent signings Graeme Clarke and Sheldon Rempal.
"I remember coming in my first couple of years and just having the utmost respect for the leadership group and the older veteran players that have been around for a while," reflected Frank. "Time flies by quickly, so I can't believe I'm already one of the older and more tenured guys, but it'll be fun to help the young kids kind of learn the ins and outs of professional hockey and be able to help out as much as I can."
Bears prepare to enter season with deep rookie crop
When Hershey opened the 2024-25 campaign, its roster featured only two AHL rookies in Zac Funk and Alex Suzdalev. Funk led all Hershey rookies that season with 15 games played, while Suzdalev only got into three contests. Both have maintained their AHL rookie status and are back for another tour of duty, though Funk can't be formally added to Hershey's roster until he completes his rehabilitation from a lower-body injury sustained last season while re-assigned to the ECHL with the Stingrays.
Barring any unforeseen call-ups or re-assignments, the Bears are poised to enter the 2025-26 season with a season-opening roster that boasts 13 rookies (11 skaters, two goaltenders), among them, each of Washington's second-round picks from the 2022-24 NHL Drafts in Ryan Chesley, Andrew Cristall, and Leon Muggli.
In short, the kids are going to play.
With so many freshman players expected to receive meaningful ice time, assuming at least one satisfactorily transitions from the junior or college ranks to the pro game, the Bears could very well end the season with some representation on the league's All-Rookie Team; perhaps one of Hershey's young players could even take home the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award, given to the AHL's outstanding rookie, and only won by a Bear once before, when goaltender Ron Hextall took home Garrett Award honors in 1985-86.
Bears leaning on veteran experience
While principally a developmental league, the AHL still provides opportunities for seasoned players to provide valuable experience to younger players. Thus, the six veteran spots available to Hershey (players with over 260 games of pro experience with at least one under 321 games) in each game are at a premium.
The Capitals and Bears have worked well together in their time as affiliates to provide Hershey with quality veterans, and this season is no different. Back are Aaron Ness, Spencer Smallman, and Dalton Smith, while Louie Belpedio, Sheldon Rempal, Calle Rosén have been brought in to round out the veteran core.
Rempal is acutely aware of the history and expectations that surround Hershey, but he doesn't bristle at the challenge.
"Just to try to bring that same juice. I'm kind of a guy that wants to win, and I'm at a point in my career where I'm looking to win some games and hopefully go far in the playoffs," Rempal said. "I'm looking forward to it, and it seems like a great group and a great staff, so it should be good."
Having players such as Rempal in the locker room to offer advice to the younger members of the roster will be valuable. An early message from Rempal to his younger teammates?
"Just stay patient. When I came in [to pro hockey] I wanted to have all the success right away, and I wanted it to happen right away, but it's a different game. It's a different life for sure - it's not junior or college hockey anymore. Guys do this for a living now. It's a lot more structured, it's a lot harder to have success, so just stay patient."
Luypen sticking around
Forward Jalen Luypen spent his first three years of professional hockey within the Chicago Blackhawks organization, the team that selected him with its seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. It was that time in the Blackhawks organization that created familiarity with Derek King, and why - after receiving no high-level offers and signing an ECHL standard player contract with the South Carolina Stingrays over the summer - Luypen received a tryout invite to Hershey's training camp, and why his coach could hardly believe his luck.
"I knew him from my Rockford days and I liked him then. He's a good character guy," King said. "He can play this game. He's a good player. It's amazing this guy [hadn't been] on an American League deal at least."
It appears King's faith in Luypen has paid off, as Luypen remains with the Bears heading into the start of the season, signing a professional try-out agreement (PTO) with the organization.
"It's definitely a nice feeling. I think I wanted to come in and try and prove a point and prove to everyone I can play in the American League," Luypen said. "I think I found a spot where I can come and improve myself and show that I can stick in the American League and play my game here. Even though I'm a smaller guy, I don't shy away from anyone, so I just try and bring that energy into the lineup every night and chip in when I can."
Written by Jesse Liebman, Bears media specialist
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