The Washington Capitals, the National Hockey League affiliate of the back-to-back Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears, announced today that they re-signed forward Riley Sutter to a one-year, two-way contract and defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell to a one-year, two-way contract. The announcement was made by Washington president and general manager Brian MacLellan.
Sutter, 24, established single-season career highs in goals (9), assists (14), points (23), shots (91), and plus-minus rating (+9) in 66 games with the Bears in 2023-24. He played a pivotal role in Hershey's penalty kill, which ranked first in the AHL at 87.7%.
The 6'4", 211-pound forward added one assist in 13 playoff games, helping Hershey capture its second-straight Calder Cup title. During the 2022-23 season, Sutter recorded 12 points (5g, 7a) in 69 regular-season games with Hershey and six points (2g, 4a) in 20 playoff games, including the game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals.
Sutter, who was drafted by the Capitals in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, has registered 56 points (17g, 39a) in 224 career AHL games with Hershey.
Häman Aktell, 25, recorded 11 points (2g, 9a) in 55 games with Hershey in 2023-24 in his first season in North America. During the Calder Cup Playoffs, Häman Aktell registered nine points (5g, 4a) in 17 games, ranking tied for first among AHL defensemen in goals (5).
The 6'3" defenseman also appeared in six games with the Capitals, making his NHL debut on Oct. 21, 2023 at Montreal. On Oct. 29, Häman Aktell recorded his first career NHL point and assist vs. San Jose.
The Hershey Bears are the 2024 Calder Cup Champions, winning the title for a league-best 13th time and for the second consecutive season! Championship merchandise is available online via HersheyBears.com. Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now, and fans are asked to stay tuned to HersheyBears.com as a schedule for the upcoming season will be released later this summer.
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