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Washington Capitals Set to Cut Ties With Defenseman After Latest Report

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The Washington Capitals went on a great run in 2024/25, and ahead of the off-season, they're officially cutting ties with a veteran blue liner.

Nobody quite saw the Washington Capitals being as good as they were a season ago, but with some great off-season moves and the motivation behind a historic campaign, they ended up winning the Presidents Trophy before losing in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Now, there's going to be some changes this summer, as it's now been confirmed that forward Andrew Mangiapane will be headed for free agency following his one season with the team.

On top of that, Canucks reporter Rick Dhaliwal has revealed another departure from the team, noting that GM Chris Patrick has allowed defenseman Ethan Bear to negotiate with other teams ahead of free agency, with plenty of interest in the talented blue liner.

At 27-years of age, Bear was once one of the most promising defenseman in the NHL, but after bouncing around Carolina, Vancouver and Washington over the past four years, it's unclear if he'll ever be a full-time NHLer again.

Last season, Bear played entirely down in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, and with 10 goals and 46 points in 62 games played, he's shown that he still has the ability to be productive, even if it was at the AHL level.

According to Dhaliwal, there is plenty of interest in Bear, and while no team will sign him to be a top-four defenseman, as a depth piece on a good team, there could be a lot worse moves than signing Bear.

Ultimately, this was a former top prospect for the Edmonton Oilers that had high hopes in the NHL, and while he's never quite lived up to those expectations, there's still time for him to make his mark, with plenty of suitors lining up for him in the summer.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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