Hershey set to become affiliated with Capitals

The Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League are expected to announce today that they will become a Washington Capitals affiliate.

Rumors of the affiliation have been circulating since mid-March, but as late as yesterday neither the Bears nor the Caps would confirm a deal. The proposed hookup was first reported in The Washington Times on March 26.

The move would be the first of several changes involving AHL teams. The Caps will end their affiliation with Portland, Maine; the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are expected to shift from Cincinnati to Portland; the IceCats of Worcester, Mass., are moving to Peoria, Ill.; and a new team will set up shop in Omaha, Neb., with other franchise relocations rumored.

It would mark the second time the Caps have been affiliated with the Pennsylvania city. Washington used Hershey as its top farm team and training camp base from 1977 through the 1983-84 season. At times during that span, the Caps shared the spot with Buffalo and Boston.

That the Caps are leaving Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland is hardly a secret. The Pirates’ season ended April 17, and a few days later equipment owned by the Caps was loaded onto a rental truck and whisked out of town.

The Portland franchise is owned by local businessmen, but the majority of the equipment is property of the Caps. Under most arrangements between NHL clubs and minor league teams, the big league team supplies players and staff and pays both. The local franchise owner pays the rent or lease on the arena and travel expenses. In some cases, when an AHL team’s revenue reaches a certain point, a portion of any additional revenue is kicked back to the NHL club.

The AHL operations in Hershey and Rochester, N.Y., are different. Those teams are owned and operated by large local companies that own their own buildings, have a staff and own the rights to some of the players. That usually provides the home management a stronger voice in the operation of the club and leads to stability.

It also provides the team supplying players a substantial savings up front. In the case of the Caps and Portland, Washington provided and paid for all players, usually at least 23, on the roster. Hershey or Rochester, however, already own some players outright, cutting down on the number of individuals the affiliating team must provide and pay.

But it also can work against the incoming team. If the Caps have 25 players they must find spots for but Hershey only has 14 vacancies, 11 openings must be found elsewhere.

The NHL lockout is more than 71/2 months old, and many of the players Washington had in Portland this season might have been playing with the Caps but for the labor dispute. The NHL has vowed, with reservations, to begin playing a season in October. If there is a season, the Caps may have to scramble to fill manpower commitments to Hershey. If the season is postponed, the Caps may be scrambling to find spots for their personnel.