Nelson leaves Hershey with lasting legacy

Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author

Departing Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson made probably the most of his three seasons with the AHL’s senior-most franchise. Together with the pig roasts, team-bonding outings and memorable quips got here a variety of wins.

Nelson, who led the Bears to back-to-back Calder Cup championships, left Hershey on June 20 to turn out to be an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. After components of 11 seasons as an AHL head coach through which his 450 regular-season wins rank him fifth all-time, Nelson goes again to the NHL.

The 56-year-old Nelson, who had already received the Calder Cup 3 times – as soon as every as a participant, assistant coach and head coach – earlier than coming to Hershey in 2022, departs the Bears with a stack of spectacular achievements. He went 141-53-12-10 in 216 regular-season video games, his .704 level share the very best amongst any head coach in Hershey’s 88 seasons within the AHL.

The Bears received the 2023 Calder Cup in Nelson’s first season with the staff, a wild, back-and-forth seven-game battle with the Coachella Valley Firebirds that went to a Recreation 7 additional time end. As a follow-up, he took them to a 53-14-0-5 document in 2023-24 and received the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award because the AHL’s most excellent coach. The Bears once more defeated Coachella Valley within the Calder Cup Finals, this time in six video games. And whereas a bid fell quick to turn out to be the primary staff to win three consecutive Calder Cup championships since 1962, the Bears nonetheless received the Atlantic Division regular-season title this previous season. He represented the staff twice on the AHL All-Star Traditional as properly.

With that form of success got here loads of recognition and safety with Hershey. He additionally had indicated his desire to be a head coach a number of occasions previously. Alternatively, his work in Hershey attracted NHL curiosity. Then got here a cellphone name from Pittsburgh.

“I used to be actually torn about what to do,” Nelson acknowledged. “When Pittsburgh got here calling, I simply wished to speak to them. I used to be very intrigued about what they needed to say. I knew some folks in administration there, however I didn’t know (president of hockey operations and common supervisor) Kyle Dubas in any respect. I didn’t know (new head coach) Dan Muse, however each dialog I had, I began getting extra intrigued. I just like the route that Kyle has for the Penguins, and I simply began weighing issues out, and I feel it was simply time for a brand new chapter. I talked to lots of people about it. It was a troublesome determination, however it’s an excellent alternative for me.

“I’m trying ahead to it. Clearly I’m going to overlook Hershey. I’ll cherish Hershey endlessly.”

Nelson believes that his time in Hershey put him again in sturdy competition for NHL work. He had received the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017 after which went to the Dallas Stars as an assistant coach in 2018 for 4 seasons. However by the top of that tenure in Dallas, the staff had gone by way of a head-coaching change and had even missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020-21.

“I form of received in a state of affairs the place there’s a variety of motion with the teaching workers, and so my function wasn’t as large. My inventory form of went down,” Nelson stated.

“Coming into Hershey and having success put me again on the map. It was an important a part of my profession. Grand Rapids, that was nice and every little thing, however some folks could say that was a fluke or no matter. However if you win three as a head coach… there’s a motive why the identical folks win on a regular basis.”

Whereas Hershey itself could also be a small city, the Bears have a large following, together with attracting followers from Washington, D.C., the house of the dad or mum Capitals. Nelson got here to Hershey totally conscious of the staff’s significance to the world, and his three seasons solely intensified that perception.

“Folks drive an extended method to come watch the Hershey Bears play,” Nelson stated. “And the 2 playoff runs we had after we received the Cup, you simply have a look at the social media posts and folks from Australia, Nice Britain, in all places everywhere in the world are following the Hershey Bears… Folks count on you to win.”

To handle, meet, and exceed these expectations, Nelson relied on his easy-going, low-key, humorous character to handle his gamers. On the few events that did name for a extra confrontational really feel, he had constructed up sufficient credibility along with his gamers that they might take these stern phrases critically. Nelson has admitted that earlier in his teaching profession that he struggled to steadiness these contrasting approaches. Having honed his teaching type by way of the years, Nelson confused a team-first, family-like surroundings above all else. He usually pulled away from over-analyzing every win or loss through the common season, selecting to emphasise a longer-term view that prioritized his staff coming collectively, constructing sturdy habits, and getting ready themselves for postseason success.

“No person likes a yeller and a screamer each time,” Nelson stated. “Gamers simply block that out. I attempt to preserve it regular. The most important factor that I’ll all the time keep in mind is how we got here collectively as a staff. That’ll be the most important takeaway I’ll have… how a lot the gamers love one another, wish to play onerous for one another.

“That’s the place it will get emotional, since you see how a lot they care.”

With Nelson leaving – together with a number of gamers – the 2025-26 model of the Bears must discover its personal method. However the final three years offered loads of recollections for Bears followers to savor.

“I’ve received to say because of Washington and Hershey,” Nelson stated. “It was a improbable three years. It actually was. We had a variety of success, and it was a variety of enjoyable. I wish to say thanks to the followers as properly and administration and all of the workers. Hopefully Hershey continues their success.”

On the American Hockey League beat for twenty years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at the moment covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is an everyday contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.