The AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, the Hershey Bears, announced today that they have signed defenseman Aaron Ness to a two-year contract extension. Ness returned to the Bears for the 2022-23 season, spending the previous three years split between the Tuscon Roadrunners and Providence Bruins.
Drafted back in the 2008 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders, Ness has almost exclusively been an AHL player throughout his career. Throughout at least seven years he saw action in the NHL, Ness spent time with the Islanders, Capitals, and Arizona Coyotes. In 72 games played, Ness has one goal and six assists.
Throughout his AHL career, Ness has racked up 660 games, scoring 53 goals and 245 assists, becoming one of the most stable defensemen of the last decade. The most impressive season of his AHL career was back during his first stint with the Bears in 2019 when he scored five goals and 50 assists in 71 games played.
Although it is unlikely that Ness sees any NHL action under this contract, he will at least provide consistent play for one of the better teams in the AHL. In this year’s Calder Cup playoffs, the Bears find themselves up in their Division Final series against the Hartford Wolf Pack after one game.
AHL Contract for Ness.
Theyve been confusing AHL signees for NHL signings since Zach Metsa, Jon McDonald, and earlier this year.
Capitals signed nobody.
Florida didnt sign Brind’Amour. Checkers did.
The new writers need to recognize an AHL contract is not an NHL signing obligation.
So your headline says the Capitals signed him, which they did not. Its an AHL deal he signed with Hersey.
Hershey, or Hersey as you like to call it, is a minor league affiliate of the Capitals. Simple stuff.
Yes, and the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays are an affiliate of Washington’s as well.
Not a single player on either SC or Hershey can play for Washington without a change in their contractual terms. See: Hayden Hodgson’s contractual changes going from Reading to the Flyers.
Simple stuff: Hershey signed Ness. Headline is wrong.
Oh and Philadelphia changed Hodgson’s contractual terms because other NHL teams expressed interest in signing him, which they were free to do, since a Reading or LHV contract doesnt imply exclusive rights.
Thats why this matters. Ness isnt part of Washington’s system other than indirectly. Arizona could offer him a contract tomorrow and he’d be free to take it.
Jeez, pay attention doghockey! There’s a difference between AHL and NHL contracts. Just because a player signs a contract with an AHL team, doesn’t automatically mean he can play for their NHL affiliate. The contract Ness signed was an AHL contract. Simple stuff:
“The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has signed defenseman Aaron Ness to a two-year contract extension. The American Hockey League deal will keep Ness a member of the Chocolate and White through the 2024-25 season.”
And you have the nerve to ridicule the OPs spelling, when you get that wrong. Hilarious!
*Tucson