Ethen Frank

Sometimes, reinforcements come from unexpected places. After signing Ethen Frank to an AHL contract last spring, the Washington Capitals have now inked the undrafted forward to a one-year, two-way NHL contract for the 2023-24 season. The deal will carry an NHL salary of $775K, and an AHL salary of $205K.

Frank, 25, has taken the long route to get to this point but just never stopped improving. A five-year career at Western Michigan University culminated in an outstanding 2021-22 season where Frank led the nation in goals with 26 through 38 games.

Most attributed that to simply playing competition much younger than him, but the right-shot forward has proved his doubters wrong this year, acclimating to the AHL without issue. Through 45 games with the Hershey Bears, Frank has 24 goals to lead the team, to go along with the 41 points that put him third on the squad.

At this point, after succeeding at every lower level, the Capitals might as well give him a real tryout next training camp. Either he can continue to produce at the highest level, and becomes a great undrafted story, or he struggles to adapt to the speed of the NHL and doesn’t factor into their future plans.

A one-year deal poses very little risk to the club, and at the very least secures him as a featured contributor for the Bears again next year.

The most prolific goal scorer in all of college hockey has found a home to ply his trade next season, signing an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears. Ethen Frank will join the Bears on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season as well, after finishing his final season of eligibility with Western Michigan University.

Frank, 24, tickled the twine 26 times this season for the Broncos, edging past Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough for tops in the country. The undrafted forward leaves college with 70 goals over his 158-game career, an impressive accomplishment regardless of competition. He’ll now try to take that production to the professional level, joining one of the strongest programs in the entire AHL. The Bears, though not in a dominant position this season, are one of the most stable development outfits in the minor leagues and should give him a good opportunity to try and prove his worth.

It’s not an entry-level contract, but Frank will at least be in front of Washington Capitals evaluators on a regular basis. Perhaps he can parlay this AHL contract into an NHL deal down the road, with the Capitals or someone else. For now, the focus will have to be on finding the back of the net at the next level.