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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Announce Team Captains for 2014-2015 Season

October 7, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has named forward Dane Byers as team captain for the 2014-2015 season. Additionally, the club has named forward Garrett Mitchell and defenseman Mike Moore as alternate captains. The announcements were made by Bears President/GM Doug Yingst and head coach Troy Mann.

Byers, 28, will lead the Bears for a second consecutive season. Named the 41st captain in team history on October 4, 2013, he joins Boyd Kane (2011-2013) and current assistant coach Bryan Helmer (2008-2010) as the club's most recent players to serve consecutive seasons as team captain.

The 6-3, 204-pound native of Nipawin, Saskatchewan finished last year with 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists), a plus-six efficiency rating and a team-leading 211 penalty minutes. Playing in 73 of 76 regular-season games, Byers was also named the Bears' most valuable player in a season-ending awards ceremony.

After appearing in 58 games and serving as alternate captain for the Oklahoma City Barons in the 2012-2013 campaign, Byers was acquired in a late-season transaction with the parent Edmonton Oilers. The forward joined Hershey on April 2, 2013, and went on to appear in five regular-season games and one Calder Cup playoff contest.

Hershey is the third team with which Byers has worn the "C", as he has also led the Hartford Wolf Pack (2009-2011) and Springfield Falcons (2011-2012).

Byers, selected 48th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, has also appeared in 14 NHL games with the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Mitchell, 23, has been with the organization since being selected in the sixth round (175th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He debuted with the Bears in 2009-2010, dressing in one regular-season game. After playing in his fifth year with the WHL's Regina Pats in 2010-2011, Mitchell was tabbed to appear in two contests with the Chocolate and White. He broke into the AHL full-time in 2011-2012, and since then, has played 157 regular-season games with the Bears. The 5-11, 195-pound native of Regina, Saskatchewan has a total of 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists), including a career-best 30 (15 goals, 15 assists) in 2012-2013.

During an injury-shortened 2013-2014 season, Mitchell posted two assists in 17 games. He is also a returning leader, having been named alternate captain on October 4, 2013.

Prior to turning pro, Mitchell's five seasons with his hometown Pats featured 112 points (51 goals, 61 assists) and 465 penalty minutes in 264 career games.

Moore, 29, is also no stranger to the captaincy, as he will serve as a team leader on his fourth AHL club. Most recently, the 6-1, 200-pound native of Calgary, Alberta served as captain of the Providence Bruins. Playing in all but one regular-season game, Moore tallied 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) with his seven goals setting a new single-season career high. He finished with a plus-13 efficiency rating, good enough for a tie for third among his teammates.

Moore was also selected to serve as captain of the Worcester Sharks late in the 2010-2011 season, and went on to lead the Sharks again during the following year. In parts of five seasons in Worcester, Moore compiled 72 points (14 goals, 58 assists) in 253 games.

In just six professional seasons, Moore is a three-time winner of his team's IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award for his efforts in the community (Providence, 2014; Worcester, 2009 and 2010). He has amassed 109 points (26 goals, 83 assists) in his 378-game career. He also has one goal in six career NHL games with the San Jose Sharks.

Prior to turning pro, Moore played four years at Princeton University (ECAC), where he registered 52 points (14 goals, 38 assists) in 121 career games. He led the Tigers to the ECAC Championship while serving as captain in his senior year of 2007-2008, and was simultaneously named a First Team All-American, First Team All-Ivy League, First Team All-ECAC and the ECAC's best defensive defenseman.

The captains will lead the Bears on their quest for a 12th Calder Cup championship in the regular-season opener on Saturday, October 11, in a 7:15 PM faceoff against the Norfolk Admirals at Scope Arena. Fans may listen to the game beginning with pre-game at 6:35 PM on the Bears Radio Network of affiliates WQIC-FM 100.1, WTKT-AM 1460, WOYK-AM 1350, WRBT-FM 94.9 HD-2 and on the iHeart Radio application, station WTKT-AM 1460.

Hershey will host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the club's home opener on Saturday, October 25. The Bears will wear special opening-night jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game, and the first 8,000 fans will receive a magnetic schedule courtesy of PNC Bank. Tickets for this game and all home contests may be purchased at the GIANT Center box office, by calling (717) 508-BEAR or online at TicketMaster.com.

Information on group tickets and season tickets for the 2014-2015 Hershey Bears regular season is available by calling (717) 508-BEAR. Many different flexible plans are offered and start as low as $170.

HERSHEY BEARS TEAM CAPTAINS

1938-39 Sammy McManus

1939-43 Wally Kilrea

1943-44 Hank Lauzon, Pat Patterson (co-captains)

1944-45 Peggy O'Neill

1946-47 Harvey Bennett

1947-48 Gordie Bruce

1948-49 Herb Cain

1950-52 Frank Mario

1957-59 Obie O'Brien

1960-61 Myron Stankiewicz

1962-63 Barry Ashbee, Marc Reaume (co-captains)

1967-71 Mike Nykoluk

1972-74 Ralph Keller

1974-75 Billy Inglis

1975-76 Steve Cardwell

1977-78 Steve Andrascik

1979-80 Bob Bilodeau

1981-83 Tony Cassolato

1983-84 Jay Johnston

1984-85 Steve Smith

1985-87 Don Nachbaur

1987-93 Dave Fenyves

1994-95 Stewart Malgunas

1995-96 Shawn McCosh

1996-97 Mike Hartman

1996-98 Mike McHugh

1998-2001 Brad Larsen

2001-02 Kelly Fairchild

2002-03 Brent Thompson

2003-04 D.J. Smith

2004-05 Brett Clark

2005-06 Boyd Kane

2006-07 Lawrence Nycholat

2006-07 Dean Arsene, Alexandre Giroux (co-captains)

2007-08 Quintin Laing, Dean Arsene

2008-10 Bryan Helmer

2010-11 Andrew Joudrey

2011-13 Boyd Kane

2013-present Dane Byers

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