"It was an absolute pleasure to be the head coach of the Hershey Bears and leaving my post with this organization was an extremely difficult decision,"
"What we accomplished over the past three years was truly special, and being part of this historic franchise was the honor of a lifetime. I want to thank the Washington Capitals, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, and everyone involved with the Bears organization - from the players, to the staff, to the outstanding fans - for making my time in Hershey so memorable. I'm excited to join the Penguins and take the next step in my career, but Hershey will always hold a special place in my heart."
The Washington Capitals lost 5-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Alex Ovechkin exchanged jerseys with Evgeni Malkin after the game. Former Hershey Bears players Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, and Dylan McIlrath reunited with former Hershey coach Todd Nelson in the hallway outside the locker room. Nelson moved to the Penguins in the offseason as an assistant coach on Dan Muse's staff after three seasons in Hershey. Nelson described leaving Hershey as an extremely difficult decision and called the past three years' accomplishments truly special. McMichael and Protas became Calder Cup champions in 2023 and are now top-six Capitals players. McIlrath captained both championship Bears teams and serves as a reserve defenseman with the Capitals.
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