Capitals prospects fuel Hershey run to Calder Cup title
McMichael, Lapierre, Protas among drafted players who contributed for AHL affiliate
ByPatrick Williams
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
PALM DESERT, Calif. -- NHL general managers crave the opportunity for their prospects to experience what a run through the Calder Cup Playoffs can mean.
The Hershey Bears, the American Hockey League affiliate for the Washington Capitals, won the 2023 Calder Cup with a healthy presence of NHL prospects. A 3-2 overtime win against the Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle Kraken) in Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals at Acrisure Arena on Wednesday gave Hershey its AHL-record 12th championship.
Down 2-0 late in the second period, two first-round picks of the Capitals helped key the comeback. Connor McMichael (No. 25, 2019 NHL Draft) had a power-play goal. Hendrix Lapierre (No. 22, 2020 NHL Draft) followed with a goal 3:17 later. Rookie defenseman Vincent Iorio (No. 55, 2021 NHL Draft) and forward Aliaksei Protas (No. 91, 2019) had assists on the Lapierre goal.
The top developmental league of the NHL has been bountiful for the Capitals. The affiliation began before the 2005-06 season and has four Calder Cup championships (2006, 2009, 2010, 2023). Washington's 2018 Stanley Cup championship team featured 14 Hershey alumni.
Spencer Carbery, who was hired as Capitals coach May 30, worked three seasons in that same role with Hershey (2018-21).
Iorio, Lapierre, McMichael and Protas, along with forwards Beck Malenstyn (No. 124, 2016 NHL Draft) and Ethen Frank (signed as undrafted free agent) could be among the Hershey players who go on to play for the Capitals.
McMichael spent last season with Washington and began there this season. However, the Capitals loaned him to Hershey on Nov. 20 and kept him there the rest of the season. The 22-year-old had 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 57 games and served as an alternate captain late in the season. He had 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 20 playoff games.
"Oh, man, it was huge," McMichael said of his playoff run with Hershey. "This is the furthest I've ever been in the playoffs. It was huge for me to get those extra reps and compete every night with this group of guys and win a championship, so I think it's going to be huge for my development.
"I think at the start of the year, it's not the start I wanted. But it turned out to be one of the best years of my life. I think I made huge improvements and huge growth this year, and right now I just couldn't be prouder of these guys."
Iorio quickly became a reliable defensive presence for Hershey and made his NHL debut with Washington on March 4. He played three games for the Capitals, and had 22 points (two goals, 20 assists) in 63 games for Hershey; The 20-year-old had five points (one goal, four assists) in 15 playoff games.
"[The Capitals] have a lot of trust in Hershey, for sure," Iorio said. "Both organizations are top-class, and I think that speaks for itself. Hershey itself, it's a small town, but everyone's so gathered around the team. Everyone's so proud of the team, and we realize we understand that, too. We know that Hershey has our back, we have their back, and it's a great, great relationship."
Capitals professional development coach Olaf Kolzig has seen the commitment to bringing players through the AHL. Kolzig won the Calder Cup in 1994 as a player with Portland, Washington's former AHL affiliate, and now sees it from the coaching side of the organization. He was a teammate in Portland with Hershey coach Todd Nelson.
"Chris Patrick (Capitals assistant general manager, player personnel) being here all the time," Kolzig said of why the relationship works so well. "There's always somebody here. There's just good cohesion, and when there's good communication, good things happen. [Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer] is a big key of that as well. He's played in the Capitals organization. He's obviously got a great personality, and he and Chris Patrick really clicked, so we've got some real good synergy."
