The Washington Capitals loaned forward Henrik Rybinski to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) following the conclusion of last night’s game, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick has announced.
Rybinski, 23, has recorded 20 points (6g, 14a) in 28 games with Hershey this season, his third season with the Bears. The 6’1”, 187-pound forward has already established single-season career highs in goals, assists and points (previously 2022-23: 5g-13a–18p in 51 GP). Rybinski, who averaged 0.31 points-per-game in 2023-24, has a points-per-game rate of 0.71 this season. Rybinski ranks second on Hershey in assists, second in plus-minus (+9) and third in points. The Capitals signed Rybinski to a three-year entry-level contract on March 1, 2022.
The Vancouver, British Columbia native appeared in 52 regular-season games with Hershey in 2023-24, registering 16 points (5g, 11a). Rybinski tied for the team lead in shorthanded points (4) and shorthanded assists (3). Rybinski added nine points (5g, 4a) in 19 playoff games and ranked tied for first on the team in plus-minus (+7) and tied for sixth in goals as the Bears won their second-straight Calder Cup championship.
Rybinski recorded 18 points (5g, 13a) in 51 games during his first professional season with Hershey in 2022-23. Rybinski ranked tied for third among Bears rookies in goals and fourth in assists, points and shots (42).
In 131 career AHL games with Hershey, Rybinski has recorded 54 points (16g, 38a).
Rybinski was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round (136th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. Rybinski played five seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) prior to signing with Washington. From 2017 to 2022, Rybinski registered 176 points (50g, 126a) in 233 career games with the Medicine Hat Tigers and Seattle Thunderbirds.
