After a decorated 16-year career that included significant time with the Washington Capitals organization and Hershey Bears, defenseman Aaron Ness is hanging up the skates. The Hershey captain officially announced his retirement from professional hockey on Tuesday. "Wearing the Hershey Bears jersey and serving as your captain has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I will always be grateful for what we shared together," Ness said in a letter shared with fans [https://www.hersheybears.com/news/aaron-ness-thank-you-hershey/]. Ness, a New York Islanders second-round pick in 2008, originally joined the Capitals in 2015. That season, he got eight games up with the big club and had two assists in eight games while also posting 27 points in 62 games with the Bears and ultimately, earning an extension. The Minnesota native stayed with the Washington organization for the next three seasons, helping the Bears advance to the Calder Cup Finals in 2016. Following the 2018-19 season, he spent time with the Arizona Coyotes and Boston Bruins organizations before ultimately returning to Hershey on an AHL contract, where he'd finish out the remainder of his career in memorable fashion. Ness appeared in a total of 466 career games with the Bears, picking up 188 points, the most among American-born defensemen in Bears history. He also helped Hershey to back-to-back Calder Cup Championships in 2023 and 2024. Additionally, Ness represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The 36-year-old succeeded Dylan McIlrath as the Bears captain at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. This past season, injury limited him to just 38 games, where he had a goal and five assists while hitting the 800-game milestone. "While it's difficult to step away from the game, I leave with nothing but gratitude and pride," Ness added. "Hockey will always be a part of me and Hershey will always feel like home."
