The Hershey Bears celebrate after winning the 2024 Calder Cup. Travis Boyd/Special to the Daily News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Capitals can find roster replenishment in AHL-champion Hershey Bears

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Jun 25, 2024 5:41 PM ET

The Washington Capitals are in a tight spot financially and competitively. They're strapped for cash with little salary cap space to make meaningful roster moves for younger talent.

After trading for Pierre-Luc Dubois on June 19, a move that added to their salary cap woes, Washington only has $3.7M in cap space according to CapFriendly.

But that could balloon to $15M if injured veterans Niklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie both retire or are placed on long term injured reserve (LTIR). Moving on from free agent Max Pacioretty could add cap space as well.

But with three forward positions then becoming vacant, how should Washington use that new-found cash influx to fill the roster gaps? The answer is already in-house — it's time to unleash the farm system.

Washington's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hershey Bears, clinched back-to-back Calder Cup championships Monday night, the franchise's 12th and 13th Cup wins in their 92-year history.

BACK-TO-BACK @CALDERCUP CHAMPS @TheHersheyBears | #RepeatTheRoar pic.twitter.com/UQqe5ItOYb
— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) June 25, 2024

Hershey's roster offers a multitude of players who made at least one appearance for Washington over the last two seasons but there are three in particular that can immediately step up to fill Washington's needs and keep salary costs down.

Forward Hendrix Lapierre, who earned AHL playoff MVP honors Monday night, played 51 games for Washington this season accruing 23 points and flashing major potential for more.

"Some people thought he might not come down, but he wanted to win another Cup. Next stop: the Washington @Capitals, full-time."

You've done us proud, Lappy pic.twitter.com/XXJGrHlgOS
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 25, 2024

Goaltender Hunter Shepard only has four NHL games under his belt but he registered two high-quality wins last season for Washington. Backing up starter Charlie Lindgren next season is an opportunity he can learn from.

Forward Ivan Miroshnichenko had a lackluster 21-game tenure with Washington this season before returning to Hershey for further development, but he posted an admirable 25 points in 47 games there and deserves another crack at the NHL level.

Lapierre, Shepard and Miroschnichenko would total just over $2.5M in cap hits for the 2024-25 season — well below Washington's current limit without Backstrom and Oshie on LTIR — leaving room for additional call-ups or acquisitions.

They also have plenty of young defensemen to choose from in Hershey to fill out their bottom-six pairings — a cost-effective band-aid for now.

Turning to their youngsters could offer Washington fans a glimpse at what the post-Alexander Ovechkin era would look like and after what the last two seasons in Hershey have wrought, it looks pretty bright.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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