hershey bears captain Aaron Ness Announced retirement.
Nese has played 818 games in 15 NHL seasons with Hershey (2015-19, 2022-26), Providence (2021-22), Tucson (2019-20) and Bridgeport (2011-15), ranking 40th all-time and 16th among defensemen. He scored a total of 61 goals, provided 278 assists and scored 339 points. He was selected to the AHL All-Star Second Team in the 2018-19 season and participated in the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic.
Ness served as captain for three seasons, one in Bridgeport and the last two in Hershey. He was also a member of the Bruins’ Calder Cup championship teams in 2023 and 2024 and totaled 19 points in 81 career AHL playoff games.
Born in Roseau, Minnesota, Ness was drafted by the New York Islanders in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft and played 72 games in the NHL with the Islanders, Washington Capitals and Arizona Coyotes. He also competed for Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
