The Hershey Bears, linked to the Capitals, have signed Brad Hunt on a one-year deal.
Hunt, turning 36 soon, played in the NHL for ten straight seasons but spent last year in the minors. His smaller size limited his NHL potential, but he’s very skilled offensively. This is a smart move for the Capitals’ organization. Though they don’t get his signing rights outright, they can still sign him anytime if needed. Hunt brings 288 NHL games worth of experience and will be a key player for the Bears, who’ve won two Calder Cups in a row.
Last season with the Colorado Eagles, Hunt led in scoring with 49 points (16 goals and 33 assists) over 70 games and made it to the AHL’s first All-Star team . Since starting his pro career over ten years ago, he’s racked up 279 points (80 goals and 199 assists) across 381 AHL games over eight seasons.
Brad Hunt’s Journey:
In his final stint under his last contract with the Avalanche, he played in 47 NHL games during the 2022-23 season. Despite limited ice time of just over eleven minutes per game without any special teams duty, he managed to score ten points (four goals and six assists) with a +4 rating. Fans might think this move shows how much faith teams have in experienced players even when they’re not at their peak anymore.
The British Columbia native has accumulated 88 career points (26 goals and 60 assists) with a -32 rating across parts of ten NHL seasons playing for various teams including Oilers, Wild, Golden Knights, Predators, Blues, Canucks and Avs.
What do you think about this new addition?
