Hershey Bears

Hershey Bears
CityHershey, Pennsylvania
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionAtlantic
Founded1932 (T-SHL/EAHL);
1938 (IAHL/AHL)
Home arenaGiant Center (2002–present)
ColorsChocolate, tan, cocoa, white
       
Owner(s)Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company
General managerBryan Helmer (de facto - VP of Hockey Operations)
Head coachTodd Nelson
CaptainAaron Ness
MediaThe Patriot-News
WFVY
WHTM-TV (ABC27)
WHP-TV (CBS21)
WGAL-TV (NBC8)
WPMT-TV (FOX43)
AHL.TV (Internet)
AffiliatesWashington Capitals (NHL)
South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL)
Franchise history
1932–1933†Hershey B'ars (T-SHL)
1933–1934†Hershey Chocolate B'ars (EAHL)
1934–1936†Hershey B'ars (EAHL)
1936–1938†Hershey Bears (EAHL)
1938–1939†Hershey Cubs (EAHL)
† —Non-AHL franchises operated by the Hershey Hockey Club
1938–presentHershey Bears (IAHL, AHL)
Championships
Regular season titles9 (1942–43, 1957–58, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1987–88, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2020–21, 2023–24)
Division titles19 (1938–39, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1951–52, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1975–76, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1993–94, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2020–21, 2023–24)
Conference titles25 (1940–41, 1941–42, 1944–45, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1979–80, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1996–97, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2015–16, 2022–23, 2023–24)
Calder Cups13 (1946–47, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1987–88, 1996–97, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2022–23, 2023–24)
Current uniform
Current season

The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town located 14 miles east of the state capital of Harrisburg. The current Bears club has played in the American Hockey League since the 1938–39 season, making it the longest continuously operating member club of the league still playing in its original city.[1][2][3]

The Bears organization has served as the primary development club for the NHL's Washington Capitals since 2005-06. Since 2002–03, the hockey club's home games have been played at Giant Center, located less than half a mile west of Hersheypark Arena, the AHL club's previous home from 1938 to 2002. (The arena was also the home to the EAHL Hershey Bears from 1936 to 1938.) The Bears have won 13 Calder Cups, more than any other AHL team. They won their most recent title in 2024.

Chocolate manufacturer Milton S. Hershey first established the "Hershey Hockey Club" in 1932 to manage professional hockey teams based in Hershey. Now in its ninth decade, it has operated four teams in three pro leagues, including the AHL Bears. Now called the Hershey Bears Hockey Club, it is a subsidiary of the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company (originally called "Hershey Estates" and later "HERCO"), the entertainment and hospitality division of the Hershey Trust Company.[1][4]

Gordie Howe, who was selected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 and was known as "Mr. Hockey", once remarked, "Everybody who is anybody in hockey has played in Hershey," although he himself did not play there.[5]

  1. ^ a b Cooper, Bruce C. (April 7, 2002). "1936-2002: HERSHEYPARK ARENA'S SIXTY-SIX YEARS AS HOME TO HERSHEY BEARS HOCKEY". HockeyScoop.net. Special game program for the last Hershey Bears' regular season game at HersheyPark Arena
  2. ^ Cooper, Bruce C. (October 1998). "1938-1998: SIX DECADES OF AHL HOCKEY IN HERSHEY". HockeyScoop.net. Published as a 12-page "60th Anniversary" pamphlet by the Hershey Bears Hockey Club, 1998
  3. ^ Chaimovitch, Jason (ed). "2014-15 American Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book" Springfield, MA: American Hockey League, 2014
  4. ^ "Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company". Hershey Community Archives. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  5. ^ Leone 2003, p. Introduction.

Developed by StudentB