The Hershey Bears welcomed back defenseman Dylan McIlrath after the Washington Capitals placed him on waivers and loaned him to Hershey. McIlrath practiced with the American Hockey League team Tuesday at GIANT Center for the first time since June 2024, when he captained the Bears to a second consecutive Calder Cup championship.
McIlrath made the Washington Capitals roster in each of the previous two seasons and began the current campaign with Washington. The Capitals acquired goaltender Rémi Poirier on Sunday, then created room on their roster by placing McIlrath on waivers before officially loaning McIlrath to Hershey on Monday afternoon.
Dylan McIlrath Returns to the Hershey Bears
The 34-year-old defenseman previously played for the Hershey Bears from 2021-24. His return gives him an opportunity to receive more consistent game action after he appeared in 30 NHL contests over the previous two campaigns and four NHL games during the current season.
“It feels good [to be back],” McIlrath said. “Different circumstances than I’m used to being here, but at the same time, I got some time to process the last couple days, and just walking in the rink, [I feel] immense pride just to be back here, and I think gratitude comes to mind. Grateful to be here in such a place that feels like home.”
McIlrath has played more than 700 professional games and said he wants to rebuild his rhythm in Hershey. “That’s the goal of being here, is to get my minutes up, play games consecutively, and feel like a hockey player again,” McIlrath said.
“I’ve tried to do my job the best I can up there, and it was just getting tougher with limited ice time and limited games, so everyone involved thinks it’s a good idea to get me playing again and get back to myself and to make sure I’m effective when I do get the chance to play again,” McIlrath said.
Derek King Expects Physicality From McIlrath
Hershey head coach Derek King said McIlrath will add physicality to a blue line that was surrendering the sixth-fewest shots against per game in the league at 25.40. King identified closing on opponents, ending plays, and pinning players to the walls as important parts of McIlrath’s role.
“Closing on players, ending plays, pinning guys to walls,” King said. “That’s going to be a big part of his game and it’s going to help us a lot.”
McIlrath won his first of three Calder Cups with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017 and was a former first-round pick of the New York Rangers. King also praised McIlrath’s qualities as a teammate after previously coaching against him.
“I hated coaching against him, I know that. He used to terrorize our guys,” King said. “But, he’s just a character guy. You would never think, when you coach against somebody like that, when you meet him at the rink, he’s on your side, how nice he is. Gentle, very caring. Cares about players, his team, and we’re excited to have him.”
Balancing Veteran Presence and Development
McIlrath’s addition increased the number of veterans on the Hershey Bears’ roster to nine. For this article, veterans are defined as players with at least 260 games in qualified leagues at the season’s start.
The veteran defensemen are McIlrath, Louie Belpedio, Justin Holl, and Jacob MacDonald. The veteran forwards include Joey Anderson, Jonny Brodzinski, Spencer Smallman, Dalton Smith, and Matt Strome.
Hershey’s younger defensemen include Cam Allen, Ryan Chesley, David Gucciardi, and Leon Muggli. King noted the need to balance relying on experienced players while giving young defensemen opportunities to play and develop.
“When you have good vets helping these young guys play, that helps settle things down for them. Last year we didn’t have that really,” King said. “It was just the young guys trying to figure things out on their own.”
King indicated that Hershey’s four veteran defensemen were expected to dress in the following day’s game against the Hartford Wolf Pack. With a two-game weekend road set against the Springfield Thunderbirds ahead, he also acknowledged that the Bears would need to rotate players through the lineup.
“At some point we’re going to have to figure out how to rotate those guys in and take some of our other vets out,” King said. “It’s tough to do because those are guys you’re counting on to lead this team, but there’s got to be a time when these guys have to play some hockey.”
Cal Petersen Misses Practice for Personal Reasons
Goaltender Cal Petersen was absent from practice for personal reasons involving a relative, according to King. Mitch Gibson took regular practice repetitions, while Padraig Carey also faced shots.
Carey is a goaltending coach with Lebanon Valley College and the Hershey Cubs and has previously filled in for the Bears. King said Petersen was expected to return soon.
“He’ll be back, and we’ll get him up and running again,” King said.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Dylan McIlrath’s return gives the Hershey Bears another experienced option on the blue line while he works toward regular game action. His previous time in Hershey, Calder Cup experience, and physical style fit the role Derek King described for him.
The Bears will also have to manage the competing needs of veteran leadership and development for their younger defensemen. McIlrath’s return makes that balance more complicated, but it also gives Hershey a player who is focused on rebuilding his rhythm through consecutive games.
Source: Original report
