Todd Nelson is moving back up to the NHL after departing the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Friday.
Nelson, one of the greatest head coaches in AHL history, has been named an assistant coach on Dan Muse’s staff with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The former Washington Capitals and Penguins defenseman joins the Pens after three years and two Calder Cup championships as head coach of the Bears.
“With over two decades of coaching experience, Todd brings a championship pedigree and a winning history that speaks for itself,” Muse stated in a press release. “He has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to get the most out of his players, most recently in Hershey, and his leadership qualities and wealth of experience will be a tremendous asset to our team as we continue to build a culture of excellence.”
Nelson’s return to the NHL has been rumored for the past couple of offseasons, following his immediate and tremendous success in the AHL with the Bears. Last month, Nelson was linked to the Vancouver Canucks’s vacant head-coaching position, a role eventually filled by Adam Foote.
After the end of Hershey’s 2024-25 campaign, which ended in an Atlantic Division Finals matchup with the Charlotte Checkers, Nelson admitted he wasn’t sure about his future.
“There’s been rumblings and that, but I haven’t heard anything,” Nelson said. “My phone, I haven’t answered my phone since [Wednesday] night (when we were eliminated). I have it on mute. I see there’s a lot of text messages there, but I don’t want to be interrupted with the exit meetings that we’re going through. I don’t know what’s going to happen. As of right now, I’m head coach of the Hershey Bears.”
Before arriving in Hershey, Nelson spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the NHL’s Dallas Stars and was part of Rick Bowness’s staff when the Stars made the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. Nelson’s lone experience as an NHL head coach came in an interim position with the Edmonton Oilers, which began on December 15, 2014. The club posted a 17-22-7 record in the season’s final 46 games. He has also been an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers (2008-10).
Nelson is a strong advocate for creating a family-like culture within the dressing rooms of the teams he coaches, and that was no different with the Bears. He hosted team cookouts and maintained a light atmosphere around the club while also instilling winning behaviors in his players.
During his first three seasons as Bears’ head coach, Nelson led Hershey to 9 straight playoff series wins — an AHL record — before being swept and eliminated by the Checkers this spring. He departs after bringing the franchise its 12th and 13th Calder Cups, the second and third of his career as a coach in the league.
“It was an absolute pleasure to be the head coach of the Hershey Bears and leaving my post with this organization was an extremely difficult decision,” Nelson said, per the Bears. “What we accomplished over the past three years was truly special, and being part of this historic franchise was the honor of a lifetime. I want to thank the Washington Capitals, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, and everyone involved with the Bears organization – from the players, to the staff, to the outstanding fans – for making my time in Hershey so memorable. I’m excited to join the Penguins and take the next step in my career, but Hershey will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Nelson’s 450 regular-season wings rank fifth all-time in AHL history. His 73 playoff victories are the third most, two behind Frederick “Bun” Cook (75) for second and nine victories behind John Paddock (82) for first. He was also awarded the 2024 Louis AR Pieri Memorial Award, presented to the AHL Coach of the Year.
Overall with the Bears, Nelson finishes with a 141-53-22 record, securing a .704 points percentage. The Bears and Capitals will now begin the search for Hershey’s next head coach.
