Last season was an odd one for the Hershey Bears. For a team that typically contends for the Calder Cup and has a strong veteran presence leading the way, they went through a rebuild. Two rookies led the team in points, and they took a step back in the standings. 

It came with a coaching change and back-to-back Calder Cup titles. Derek King took over a young team that needed a season to adjust. The good news is that the progress was noticeable by the time the playoffs rolled around, and the team pushed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a hard-fought four-game series. 

Now, the Bears enter the season with higher expectations. Yes, they lost many veterans in the summer, including key players from previous championship teams. That said, it’s King’s second season with the team, and the roster looks better heading in. 

Stats from 2025-26:

Record: 32-31-6-3 (5th in the Atlantic Division, 9th in the Eastern Conference & 21st in the AHL)

Offense: 2.91 goals per game (tied for 22nd in the AHL)

Defense: 3.19 goals per game (tied for 21st in the AHL)

Last season was the feeling-out process for King. He was back in the AHL for the first time since 2021 and coached a young team learning the pro game and his style. It’s why the Bears struggled early on and picked things up in the second half. 

Now, King understands the Bears, and they understand him. The young players who were adjusting to his system are ready from day one and will buy in. Likewise, the veterans who played under Todd Nelson have adjusted and will help build the culture in Hershey. 

It’s worth adding that King won’t run a complex system. He’s not known for the Xs and Os like other innovative coaches in the AHL. He wants the Bears to play a simple game with limited mistakes while competing in all three zones. 

The difference between last season and this one is that the Bears return key players, specifically prospects who understand that. While last season had its ups and downs as the players deviated from King’s style, they return ready to go from day one. 

Aside from King’s vision for the Bears taking shape, they enter the season with a more talented group. It starts with the prospects who will carry them. Andrew Cristall, one of their best offensive players as a rookie, is expected to return to the AHL and lead the league in points. Cristall is one of the many returning prospects who are coming back stronger. 

Plus, the Bears added notable veterans in the offseason. Kyle Jackson and Josh Dunne will add depth to the forward unit and round out a bottom six that struggled last season. The big signing, however, was defenseman Jacob MacDonald, who scored 31 goals in 2024-25 to win the Eddie Shore Award as the league’s best defenseman. MacDonald battled injuries last season, but if he returns to form, he’s the star the Bears are looking for in their lineup who adds much-needed scoring to the blue line. 

The other plus for the Bears is the return of some veterans, including Matt Strome. Strome is a fourth liner but is one of their leaders and an integral part of the Bears. Along with Strome, the Bears return vets Louie Belpedio and Clay Stevenson, giving them leaders in every position. 

It’s worth adding that the Bears won’t cut corners. They spend big on the AHL team and will make the moves needed to upgrade the team throughout the season. The expectation in Hershey is to compete for a Calder Cup, and they plan on doing so. 

It’s safe to assume Ilya Protas will be on the Washington Capitals at the start of the season. He led the Bears with 66 points and was the top-line center whom they relied on in all situations, making him a viable middle-six option in the NHL this season. 

So, all eyes are on Andrew Cristall. He’s the skilled winger who had 60 points, the second-most on the Bears and, more importantly, made significant progress at the end of his rookie season. He will be the driving force of the offense but also someone they can count on defensively.

The newcomer to watch is Lynden Lakovic. He’s a big winger who projects as an NHL-level power forward. That said, he’s coming off a significant upper-body injury and will need time to develop in the AHL. So, he can become a standout on the Bears. 

While the defense struggled, Ryan Chesley was a bright spot as a 22-year-old prospect. At 210 pounds, he could develop into a shutdown option, and with MacDonald in the lineup, he can work on his defense this season. 

In the big picture, the Capitals have multiple borderline NHLers they must decide on, especially on the wings. Ivan Miroshnichenko and Bogdan Trineyev are in their early 20s and are great at the AHL level, yet have struggled to carve out a role on the NHL team. The Capitals traded Hendrix Lapierre this offseason because their surplus of wingers made him expendable, so they might do the same with Miroshnichenko or Trineyev this season, especially if it adds a player who gets the Caps over the hump.