Capitals defenceman Ethan Bear enters NHL/NHLPA player assistance program

 

Ethan Bear, a defenceman with the Washington Capitals, will be out of the team's lineup indefinitely as he enters the NHL and NHL Players' Association joint assistance program.

In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the NHLPA and NHL stated that Bear will be qualified to resume on-ice competition following approval from the program administrators.


The 25-year-old, who signed a two-year, $4.125 million US contract in December, is in his first season with Washington. He is from Ochapowace First Nation, which is close to Regina.

After having surgery to treat a shoulder injury sustained while playing for Canada in the 2023 World Hockey Championship, he signed with the Capitals.

 Bear has played in 24 games for Washington this season, tallying three assists and one goal.

In 275 NHL games with Edmonton, Carolina, Vancouver, and Washington, he has 17 goals and 50 assists.

Bear joins Columbus' Patrik Laine, Colorado's Samuel Girard and Valeri Nichushkin, and former teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov as the fifth player this season to be named as a part of the program. After Kuznetsov was cleared to practice, the Capitals sent him to the minors, placed him on waivers, and traded him to Carolina.