Practice Notebook: Gibson Nears Return, Potential Season Debut for Bears Rookie, Capitals Development, and More

After rotating through Cal Petersen and Garin Bjorklund to open the first weekend of the 2026-27 season, the Hershey Bears got some good news this week with the return of Mitch Gibson at practice.

The goaltender exited Hershey’s preseason contest on Sept. 26 at Lehigh Valley with a lower-body injury in the second period, and head coach Derek King is glad to have the opportunity to see the netminder potentially earn some game time this weekend as Hershey heads into its two-game set at GIANT Center against the Texas Stars, beginning Saturday at 7 p.m.

“We’ll see tomorrow after the morning skate, but we’re hoping to get him in one of the games this weekend,” King said Friday following practice at Hersheypark Arena. “Probably the second, but we’ll see how he recovers and feels after this practice.”

The ever-talkative Gibson was effusive as he came off the ice.

“I feel great. The training staff here has done a great job with me to get me back in and I feel ready to go whenever the team needs me,” Gibson said. “Great energy right now from all the guys. That’s definitely helped them get me back into it.”

The last time the Bears started three different goaltenders by the team’s fourth game of a season occurred during the 2012-13 campaign, when Braden Holtby, Dany Sabourin, and Philipp Grubauer all saw time between the pipes as Hershey opened the season with a 1-2-1-0 start.

Parascak poised to make season debut

The last time Terik Parascak suited up for Hershey in a game of consequence was at the end of the 2024-25 season, when the then-18-year-old had joined the Bears after his season with the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars had come to an end. Parascak made his professional debut on April 19 against Lehigh Valley.

“I think I’ve definitely just gotten a lot stronger,” Parascak said when he reflected on how far he’s come since then. “I think obviously that’s something that I need to continue to improve on, but I think just kind of maturing into my body from that first game that I played a couple years ago, I just think that I’m ready for the pro game now.”

Although he made Hershey’s season opening roster this season, the now 20-year-old had yet to earn a sweater. That is likely to change this weekend, as Parascak has been skating on a line with veteran forward Spencer Smallman and fellow rookie Lynden Lakovic.

“I think we just kind of compliment each other in different ways,” Parascak said. “I think Smalls is a guy who’s been around for a long time, so it’s been really good for him to help us out a bit, and I know Lak’s got a lot of speed and a lot of skill, so I think I kind of compliment them with my smarts and just being able to do what I do out there.”

Part of that is by design – the Capitals have a development plan in place for the 2024 first-round pick – and not every game is going to be a requisite to play; there will be opportunities for growth in practice, in the gym, and in the film room.

“Obviously with not getting in last weekend, I spent a lot of time with them and got extra reps on the ice working on a lot of little things,” Parascak said of his work with the Capitals development staff. “So the schedule right now is a little bit weird, but it works out really well to get on the ice with those guys and just continue to learn, and prepare for a season here.”

“We want to win hockey games here, and that’s what we expect, and I think a lot of people expect that,” King explained. “But you can’t take away from the development of these players. So we’ll get him in and see what he’s like, and we’ll go from there.

“For him, it’s going to be the little details of the game. A lot of these kids come from or school – and it’s nothing against the coaching they’ve had – but when you get to this American League, it’s a tough league. So the details of the game are going to be important for him. He can skate, he can shoot a puck; it’s now about thinking the game, and that’s what we’ll work on with him.”

Bears benefitting from presence of Capitals development staff

Speaking of development – the season isn’t even halfway through its first month, and already it seems like the Bears locker room has had a constant stream of Washington Capitals management and development staff making their way through.

Among the names spotted at games and practices so far: director of minor league operations Jason Fitzsimmons, director of player development Steve Richmond, associate director of player development Brooks Orpik, player development coaches Olie Kolzig and Jim Slater, skating coach Wendy Marco, and scout Alex Chiasson.

Their presence is felt among both the players and coaches.

“I think it’s huge for them to come and watch practice, watch a game, be on the ice with these guys. I mean, we can file reports [to Washington] but they may see something different that maybe we’re missing or vice versa,” King said. “But prospects are going to get developed and they have to be patient and know that it’s a process. So it’s great having those development guys here so they can be a part of that process.”

While Parascak has worked extensively with Slater, who primarily specializes in working with the organization’s forward prospects, Parascak has tried to soak up as much as he can from the development staff as a whole.

“Just working with them and being able to talk to them, just talk about whatever,” Parascak said. “If it’s life or hockey, they’ve been great – all of them play a part, for sure.”

Bears on the Capitals Podcast Channel

For more on the relationship between the Bears and Capitals, including some insight into the development process, catch the inaugural episode of the Hershey Bears Report podcast, hosted by Bears play-by-play announcer Zack Fisch.

The Bears broadcast department will be making in-season contributions to Washington’s radio network podcast channel in the form of Hershey-focused episodes, and this episode also features an interview with one of the most electrifying talents playing in Hershey in Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall.

Written by Bears media specialist Jesse Liebman