13 CHL alumni claim 2023 Calder Cup with Hershey
Thirteen CHL alumnus have claimed the AHL’s Calder Cup after the Hershey Bears won Game 7 against the Coachella Valley Firebirds Wednesday night.
Captained by former Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Dylan McIlrath, the Bears clinched the 12th AHL championship in franchise history after Mike Vecchione scored the overtime winner at 16:19 to secure a 3-2 victory.
O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN! pic.twitter.com/m3XNeGUEiE
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 22, 2023
Among former CHL skaters, Prince Albert’s Aliaksei Protas’ 13 points were the most and tied for third in Bears postseason scoring. Former Hamilton and London forward Connor McMichael led the team with six goals.
Kole Lind, who spent four seasons with Kelowna from 2014-18, led the AHL with 31 postseason points as the Firebirds made the Calder Cup Finals in their first season. Ryker Evans, who played for Regina between 2018-22, led all AHL d-men with 26 points in the playoffs.
Of the 13 players to hoist the Calder Cup, eight played in the WHL, three in the OHL and two in the QMJHL.
The Bears are coached by Todd Nelson, who played 252 games with Prince Albert from 1985-90.
13 CHL alumnus win 2023 Calder Cup:
Zach Fucale (Halifax/Quebec – QMJHL)
Vincent Iorio (Brandon – WHL)
Lucas Johansen (Kelowna – WHL)
Hendrix Lapierre (Chicoutimi/Acadie-Bathurst – QMJHL)
Beck Malenstyn (Calgary/Swift Current – WHL)
Dylan McIlrath (Moose Jaw – WHL)
Connor McMichael (Hamilton/London – OHL)
Garrett Pilon (Kamloops/Everett – WHL)
Aliaksei Protas (Prince Albert – WHL)
Henry Rybinski (Medicine Hat/Seattle – WHL)
Mike Sgarbossa (Barrie/Saginaw/Sudbury – OHL)
Riley Sutter (Everett – WHL)
Matthew Strome (Hamilton – OHL)