The signings include five forwards and a defenseman
The Hershey Bears have signed six players on one-year deals, the team announced Thursday.
Those signed include forwards Grant Cruikshank, Austin Magera, Micah Miller, Justin Nachbaur, and Tyler Weiss along with defenseman Jayden Lee.
Cruikshank, a native of Delafield, Wis., split this past season between the Toronto Marlies and the Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL). In 19 games with the Marlies, Cruikshank had four points. With the Growlers, he scored 21 goals and added 22 assists for 43 points in 35 games.
The 2023-24 season was Cruikshank's first full professional season after a five-year NCAA career that saw him suit up for Colorado College, Minnesota and St. Cloud State.
Magera, hailing from Suwanee, Ga., suited up for the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) in 2023-24, collecting 29 goals and 45 assists for 74 points in 70 regular season games. Magera's performance earned him ECHL Rookie of the Year.
Similar to Cruikshank, Magera just wrapped up his first full season of pro hockey after spending five years at Sacred Heart (NCAA).
Miller, a product of Grand Rapids, Minn., joins the Bears after splitting this past season between the Tucson Roadrunners and Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL). In three games with Tucson, Miller was held pointless but he had 41 points in 63 regular season games with the Gladiators.
Prior to turning pro at the end of the 2022-23 season, Miller spent five seasons at St. Cloud State.
Nachbaur, hailing from Cross Lake, Man., spent this past season with the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL), collecting 10 goals and nine assists for 19 points in 39 regular season games. Before turning pro, Nachbaur spent time in the WHL and MJHL.
Weiss, drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, spent the entire 2023-24 season with the Newfoundland Growlers. In 56 regular season games, Weiss had 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points.
To round out the group, Lee joins the Bears after spending the past five seasons at Quinnipiac. As captain of the team in 2023-24, Lee had 26 points in 39 games from the backend.
While it would not be a surprise to see some of these players in the ECHL next season, the Bears continued winning has made them a desirable location to play. With added depth, the Bears will only continue to be a nightmare for other AHL teams.
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