Ethen Frank made his debut with the Washington Capitals, picking up an assist.
Ethen Frank made his debut with the Washington Capitals, picking up an assist.
A call-up to the NHL can be a whirlwind of activity, not to mention emotions. Ethen Frank is just fine with that.
The former Lincoln Stars forward was recalled by the Washington Capitals from the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears Friday morning. That same evening, he skated in his debut with the club against the Montreal Canadiens.
The 26-year-old Frank logged 16 shifts for 10:29 of TOI. He even picked up an assist for his first NHL point on Lars Eller’s game-tying goal in the third period. He became the 40th player in Capitals franchise history to score a point in his NHL debut.
The only blemish on the night was the Capitals eventually losing to Montreal 3-2 in overtime.
The undrafted Papillion, Nebraska native was originally signed to an AHL contract by the Bears following the 2022-23 season. On March 2, 2023, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Capitals.
Before turning pro, Frank played NCAA hockey at Western Michigan University. He spent two seasons with the Lincoln Stars, collecting 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points in 106 career games. He also played on the World Junior A Challenge team, scoring two goals in five games.
Frank is second in the AHL this season with 20 goals for the Bears. His 28 points are tied for 20th in the league, and his five game-tying goals are tied for first. He was selected to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic for the third straight year.