Derek King Named Hershey Bears Head Coach

The Hershey Bears have named Derek King, 58, as their 29th head coach, succeeding Todd Nelson, who led the team to consecutive Calder Cup championships before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins as an assistant coach. King brings extensive experience as a former NHL player and coach, most recently serving as assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, and previously as interim head coach for the Blackhawks and head coach of the AHL's Rockford IceHogs. King expressed enthusiasm for joining Hershey and aims to maintain the team's successful culture. The Bears' management cited King's strong communication and player development skills as key factors in his hire. The remainder of the Bears' coaching staff will stay on to support the transition. King is set to make his debut as head coach in the season opener on October 11 against the Syracuse Crunch.