"It was cool": Capitals' Ethan Bear doesn't regret his time spent with Oilers
Edmonton Oilers fans will see a familiar face at Rogers Place when the Washington Capitals hit the ice tomorrow night.
Defenceman Ethan Bear, who spent three seasons and played 132 games as an Oiler, will return to the place where he started his NHL career back in 2017. He has bounced around the league a fair bit since, spending time with the Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, and now the Washington Capitals.
Bear is coming off a major shoulder injury that caused him to miss the first half of the season. Once healthy, he signed a two-year deal with Washington. He admitted that things have been slow to get going for him in the US capital.
“It’s a little slow to start, to be honest,” Bear told Daily Hive. “That was kind of what I expected, not being able to train like I normally do in an offseason but, at the end of the day, it’s been good.”
Bear's first goal as a Cap comes in the final minute of the first! pic.twitter.com/aIkMAtF0KY
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 17, 2024
A former fifth-round draft pick of the Oilers back in 2015, Bear overcame the odds to make it to the NHL. Growing up in Saskatchewan, being close to family as part of the Oilers seemed like it was a match made in heaven. But it wasn’t always pretty.
Though Bear definitely had a passionate group of supporters while with the Oilers, he was also a lightning rod for criticism from some. After a poor playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in 2021, the team decided to trade him to the Hurricanes that summer in a deal for Warren Foegele.
Despite that rocky end to his Oilers tenure, Bear says he has nothing but love and warmth for his time spent in the Alberta capital.
“It’s always cool to be back… I have a lot of friends in this area,” said Bear. “I did love my time here, it was cool being an Oiler and seeing the way the city just really cares about the team so much, and the fans, and everything.
“It was a fun experience when I played here. I’m glad I got the chance to play here.”
Though lots of Oilers fans will be happy to see him back in the NHL, don’t be surprised if you see more #74 Capitals jerseys around the Rogers Place crowd during the game.
“I have a lot of family and a lot of friends I think are coming in,” Bear told Daily Hive. “I’m from Saskatchewan and Edmonton is still 10 hours away, so whoever can make it can make it.”
Tomorrow’s game between the Oilers and Capitals is set for 8 pm MT on Sportsnet West.
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