| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Team: | Hershey Bears |
| League: | AHL |
| Leaguerank: | 1st |
| Conference: | Eastern |
| Conferencerank: | 1st |
| Division: | Atlantic |
| Divisionrank: | 1st |
| Record: | 53–14–0–5 (111 pts) |
| Homerecord: | 29–7–0-0 |
| Roadrecord: | 24–7–0-5 |
| Goalsfor: | 229 |
| Goalsagainst: | 151 |
| Generalmanager: | Bryan Helmer (de facto - VP of Hockey Operations) |
| Attendance: | 9,439 |
| Goalsleader: | Ethen Frank (29) |
| Assistsleader: | Joe Snively (45) |
| Pointsleader: | Joe Snively (59) |
| Pimleader: | Dylan McIlrath (100) |
| Winsleader: | Hunter Shepard (27) |
| Gaaleader: | Hunter Shepard (2.26) |
| Conferencewin: | yes |
| Divisionwin: | yes |
| Next Season: | 2024–25 |
The 2023–24 Hershey Bears season was the franchise's 86th season in the American Hockey League (AHL), starting on October 14, 2023, and ending during the Calder Cup playoffs. They play their home games at Giant Center.
On April 2, 2024, the Bears clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive season following a 1–0 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.[1] In that same game, they clinched their division.
The Bears finished the season as Atlantic Division champions, their second in franchise history, and Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners for the fourth time in franchise history, with a record-setting 111 points from 53 wins, 15 losses, and 5 shootout losses, their 53 wins also serving as a new AHL record under a 72 game season.[2]
The Bears would win the Calder Cup in back to back years, beating the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 6 games.[3]
indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y–Hershey Bears (WSH) | 72 | 53 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 111 | .771 | 229 | 151 | |
| x–Providence Bruins (BOS) | 72 | 42 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 93 | .646 | 239 | 208 | |
| x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 72 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 87 | .604 | 211 | 194 | |
| x–Charlotte Checkers (FLA) | 72 | 39 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 85 | .590 | 217 | 203 | |
| x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 72 | 34 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 78 | .542 | 204 | 219 | |
| x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) | 72 | 32 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 73 | .507 | 191 | 217 | |
| e–Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) | 72 | 30 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 65 | .451 | 226 | 244 | |
| e–Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) | 72 | 25 | 38 | 7 | 2 | 59 | .410 | 162 | 222 |
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y–Hershey Bears (WSH) | 72 | 53 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 111 | .771 | 229 | 151 | |
| x–Providence Bruins (BOS) | 72 | 42 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 93 | .646 | 239 | 208 | |
| y–Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) | 72 | 40 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 88 | .611 | 233 | 238 | |
| x–Rochester Americans (BUF) | 72 | 39 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 88 | .611 | 234 | 239 | |
| x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 72 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 87 | .604 | 211 | 194 | |
| x–Syracuse Crunch (TBL) | 72 | 39 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 87 | .604 | 220 | 203 | |
| x–Charlotte Checkers (FLA) | 72 | 39 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 85 | .590 | 217 | 203 | |
| x–Belleville Senators (OTT) | 72 | 38 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 82 | .569 | 209 | 211 | |
| x–Toronto Marlies (TOR) | 72 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 80 | .556 | 249 | 220 | |
| x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 72 | 34 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 78 | .542 | 204 | 219 | |
| e–Utica Comets (NJD) | 72 | 32 | 29 | 5 | 6 | 75 | .521 | 221 | 226 | |
| x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) | 72 | 32 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 73 | .507 | 191 | 217 | |
| e–Laval Rocket (MTL) | 72 | 33 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 74 | .514 | 235 | 242 | |
| e–Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) | 72 | 30 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 65 | .451 | 226 | 244 | |
| e–Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) | 72 | 25 | 38 | 7 | 2 | 59 | .410 | 162 | 222 |
Updated April 29, 2024.[4] [5]
|}
See main article: 2024 Calder Cup playoffs.
|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1 || May 1 || Lehigh Valley || 1–6 || Hershey || || Shepard || 8,038 || 1–0 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2 || May 4 || Lehigh Valley || 2–4 || Hershey || || Shepard || 10,520 || 2–0 || Recap|- style="background:#fcf;"| 3 || May 8 || Hershey || 0–2 || Lehigh Valley || || Shepard || 6,240 || 2–1 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4 || May 11 || Hershey || 5–3 || Lehigh Valley || || Shepard || 7,089 || 3–1 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1 || May 16 || Hartford || 1–6 || Hershey || || Shepard || 8,384 || 1–0 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2 || May 18 || Hartford || 2–4 || Hershey || || Shepard || 10,714 || 2–0 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3 || May 22 || Hershey || 4–1 || Hartford || || Shepard || 3,954 || 3–0 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1 || May 30 || Cleveland || 4–5 || Hershey || OT || Shepard || 9,229 || 0–1 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2 || June 1 || Cleveland || 2–3 || Hershey || OT || Shepard || 10,562 || 0–2 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3 || June 4 || Hershey || 6–2 || Cleveland || || Shepard || 14,675 || 0–3 || Recap|- style="background:#fcf;"| 4 || June 6 || Hershey || 2–3 || Cleveland || || Shepard || 12,814 || 3–1 || Recap |- style="background:#fcf;"| 5 || June 8 || Hershey || 1–5 || Cleveland || || Shepard || 13,159 || 3–2 || Recap|- style="background:#fcf;"| 6 || June 10 || Cleveland || 3–2 || Hershey || OT || Shepard || 9,511 || 3–3 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 7 || June 12 || Cleveland || 2–3 || Hershey || OT || Shepard || 10,520 || 4–3 || Recap|- style="background:#fcf;"| 1 || June 14 || Coachella Valley || 4–3 || Hershey || || Shepard || 10,154 || 0–1 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2 || June 16 || Coachella Valley || 2–5 || Hershey || || Shepard || 10,507 || 1–1 || Recap |- style="background:#fcf;"| 3 || June 18 || Hershey || 2-6 || Coachella Valley || || Shepard || 9.034 || 1-2 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4 || June 20 || Hershey || 3-2 || Coachella Valley || || Shepard || 10,087 || 2-2 || Recap|- style="background:#cfc;"| 5 || June 22 || Hershey || 3-2 || Coachella Valley || || Shepard || 10,087 || 3-2 || Recap |- style="background:#cfc;"| 6 || June 24 || Coachella Valley || 4-5 || Hershey || OT || Shepard || 11,013 || 4-2 || Recap | Legend: = Win = Loss