Louie Belpedio Ready To Lead As Hershey Bears Captain

Leading a team and donning the “C” is no easy task and comes with responsibility.

The Hershey Bears announced today, October 2nd, 2026, that Louie Belpedio will serve as the team’s captain for the 2026-27 season. This gives the veteran defenseman the “C” after spending last season as an alternate captain.

The promotion represents an important chapter for Belpedio’s career. A career that has been built around consistency, accountability, and the willingness to lead from the blue line. The 30-year-old defenseman is entering his second season with Hershey after putting together a career-high of 34 points in the 2025-2026 season that included nine goals and 25 assists in 67 games played.

Belpedio’s impact was felt off the ice as well. He earned the Milton W. Garland Award as the best defenseman and led all AHL defensemen with five first goals last season. He scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal against the Rockford IceHogs on January 4th.

Belpedio is the third consecutive Hershey captain to come from the defense core, and he follows Dylan McIlrath and Aaron Ness. McIlrath wore the “C” from 2022- 2024, and Ness served his captaincy tenure in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons.

Belpedio is stepping into a team with a mix of experience. He has spent parts of his eight professional seasons in the AHL with more than 400 games played at the professional level. This gives Belpedio a perspective that is valuable in the locker room with players at different stages of their careers.  His time in Hershey has also allowed him to establish himself as more than just another veteran defenseman.

Before Hershey, Belpedio spent three seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He dressed in 174 games and tallied 65 points. He signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract with the Washington Capitals in 2025 and joined the Hershey organization. His nine goals were a career best, and his five opening goals showed his willingness to make an early impact. The captaincy is the natural progression of his value in Hershey.

The leadership group with Belpedio includes Jonny Brodzinski and Jacob MacDonald who will serve as the alternate captains at home. Josh Dunne and Spencer Smallman will wear the “A” on the road. The “C” places Belpedio at the center of the Bears’ locker room and on the ice where his position allows him to watch the game develop in front of him.

The challenge now changes for Belpedio. The goal is no longer to establish himself in Hershey; he has done that. Now it’s to help establish the next chapter of the Hershey Bears. His captaincy comes as Hershey prepares for another season in which the expectations remain high. The Bears enter the new season with another defenseman wearing the “C”, something that isn’t new to Chocolatetown. The bricks Belpedio has laid throughout his career have led him to this point.