The AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, the Hershey Bears, announced today that they have signed defenseman Aaron Ness to a two-year contract extension. Ness returned to the Bears for the 2022-23 season, spending the previous three years split between the Tuscon Roadrunners and Providence Bruins.
Drafted back in the 2008 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders, Ness has almost exclusively been an AHL player throughout his career. Throughout at least seven years he saw action in the NHL, Ness spent time with the Islanders, Capitals, and Arizona Coyotes. In 72 games played, Ness has one goal and six assists.
Throughout his AHL career, Ness has racked up 660 games, scoring 53 goals and 245 assists, becoming one of the most stable defensemen of the last decade. The most impressive season of his AHL career was back during his first stint with the Bears in 2019 when he scored five goals and 50 assists in 71 games played.
Although it is unlikely that Ness sees any NHL action under this contract, he will at least provide consistent play for one of the better teams in the AHL. In this year’s Calder Cup playoffs, the Bears find themselves up in their Division Final series against the Hartford Wolf Pack after one game.