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The Hershey Bears have appointed Derek King as their new head coach, marking him as the 29th in the franchise's history. Announced by Hershey Bears vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer and Washington Capitals senior vice president Chris Patrick, King brings extensive experience from both the American Hockey League (AHL) and the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks and was an interim head coach during the 2021-22 season.
King, 58, hails from Hamilton, Ontario, and has a rich coaching background. Before his time with the Blackhawks, he spent seven seasons with their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, and had a stint with the Toronto Marlies. His coaching career began as a player-coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins. As a player, King enjoyed a successful 14-season NHL career, playing 830 games and scoring 612 points.
During his introduction, King expressed his excitement about joining the Bears, likening the opportunity to working with an "Original Six" NHL team. He emphasized his commitment to building on the Bears' existing success and helping the team secure another Calder Cup. King replaces Todd Nelson, who has joined the Pittsburgh Penguins as an assistant coach.
King's approach focuses on developing young players and instilling good habits. He stated, "All the mistakes I made as a player, I'm going to tell them, 'don't do that, don't do that.'" The Bears will open their regular season at home against the Syracuse Crunch on October 11.
According to the Hershey Bears, King is known for his excellent communication skills and ability to develop players. His appointment is seen as a strategic move to continue fostering a winning culture within the team.
As reported by ABC27, King plans to maintain an open-door policy with players, emphasizing hard work and humility as key values for the team.