AHL: Hershey Bears Tab New Head Coach

The Hershey Bears finished the 2024-25 season 44-20-7-1, winning the Atlantic Division. They made it to the Atlantic Division Finals in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Their head coach, Todd Nelson, left the team to become an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Today, they named Derek King the 29th head coach in franchise history.

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Derek King

King previously served as the assistant coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s been the assistant coach in Chicago for the last three seasons. He also served as the Interim Coach in 2021-22 going 27-33-10 with 64 points. Before that, he was the head coach for the Rockford Ice Hogs where he served as the bench boss for four seasons one of which he was the interim coach after being an assistant for three seasons. In 165 games he went 72-81-12 with a .436 winning percentage. He also served as an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL, Toronto Marlies, and was a player-assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins. King played for the New York Islanders, Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St. Louis Blues over 14 seasons. He also played with the Springfield Indians of the AHL.