Ethen Frank's Standout Rookie Campaign Earns Himself NHL Contract

HERSHEY, Pa. - It has certainly been an exciting past few weeks for Hershey Bears rookie phenom, Ethen Frank.

First, Franky, as he is often called, participated in the All-Star Competition in Laval. While there, he not only competed in the Skills Competition, but he set a new record in the Fastest Skater Competition.

If you think nothing could possibly top that, you'd be wrong as Frank inked his first NHL contract last week. It's safe to say that 2022-2023 has been a banner year for Frank.

"It was a lot of fun," Frank told InsideAHLHockey.com over the weekend, recalling AHL All-Star weekend, "It went better than I expected, but it was a good time. I saw some old friends and met some new people, and it's good because you make some friends around the league. It was just a really cool experience with my family there, and it was just a good time overall.”

Frank traveled to Laval with teammate Mike Vecchione, who previously told InsideAHLHockey.com that he was Franky's biggest cheerleader at the event, hyping him up to other teammates and the crowd ahead of the Fastest Skater Competition, something Frank didn't know about until after his trip around the ice.

"He did tell me after I got done with my lap; He did tell me what he was talking about,” Frank said, adding, "I love Veccs. He's got a ton of support for me, and I have the same for him."

In addition to having a teammate and linemate in attendance in Laval, so was head coach Todd Nelson, which Frank admitted helped as well.

"[Nelson] being there definitely helped me feel more comfortable and not as nervous because I was shaking in my boots going in. I didn't really know what to expect, like I said, but it was a lot of fun,” Frank said.

As it turns out, Frank didn’t really have anything to be nervous about as he skated a 12.915 - becoming the first AHL or NHL player to break 13 seconds in the CCM Fastest Skater event at the AHL All-Star Skills Competition, something the humble 25-year-old who calls Nebraska home noted he wasn't even aware he had done until after everyone on the bench told him.

"I was going pretty quick, obviously, and especially around the last turn, I almost kind of lost an edge. It got a little louder than I thought it was going to be, and then I looked back and saw it said 12.9. I had no clue what times were or what the record was, so I just went through the line, and when I got back to the bench everybody's like, 'Yeah, you just broke the record,' and that was kind of cool."

Of course, his family, his support system every step of the way, was in attendance as well.

Previously, Frank told InsideAHLHockey.com that his dad "bought a roller rink" and moved the family from Denver to Nebraska when he was around 10. Now it's the family's turn to follow him around.

"I had my family and my girlfriend there," Frank said. "It was cool for them to be able to experience that with me."

As it turns out, they might just be following him about a hundred miles south soon as the Capitals finally delivered on the undrafted speedster's first NHL contract.

"You know, it's been a long journey, and I've been wanting it for quite some time now," reflected Frank. "I used to think that it wasn't even close to being achievable, but throughout the years, you just kind of realize that you can play at a high level if you keep your head on straight and you make the right choices and work hard. Thankfully, I have the support staff I do with teammates, friends and family for sure, and it means a lot."

Of course, Frank has earned that contract, just like he earned the AHL contract Hershey awarded him a year ago after he led the NCAA in scoring.

So far this season in 47 games, Frank has scored 24 times and has 17 assists. He became the first rookie to score more than 40 points in a season since Riley Barber and Travis Boyd during the 2015-2016 season. He is currently tied for fourth in scoring among the league’s rookies and is tied for first with Sammy Walker for most goals scored this season by a rookie. He also became just the fourth Bear to be named the AHL’s Rookie of the Month.

"For sure it was a great honor, and like it's an individual award; it is (also) kind of tip your hat to the rest of the team because it's a team sport, obviously, and not one guy is gonna walk through all five unless your name is Connor McDavid," Frank quipped. "So, it's cool to be able to experience this and go through this with my teammates."

And as Frank chases 50 points as a rookie, he notes the contributions that Vecchione and Mike Sgarbossa, two of Hershey's veterans whose line he's been on most of the season as impacting his play.

Veccs and Sgarbs have helped "a lot, really, because they see the game from a different perspective than I do," admitted Frank. "They've been around in the pro game for a little bit and have some experience and definitely helped open my eyes to help progress I guess and move my game forward as well.

But Frank is not one to dwell on himself and his accomplishments.

"There's a ton of history in this franchise, and it means a lot to be mentioned with some of the other big names that have come through Hershey," Frank said. "I feel really honored, but you can't think about it too much. You're still playing games, and you still gotta go for playoffs and the rest of the season, so you just kind of got to keep your focus in line and not get distracted with it."

As for the future, he and the team are not really looking too far down the road even though they would love nothing more than to bring home a 12th Calder Cup to Hershey.

"We just have to play a team game and stick to our systems. We know when we're playing at our highest level with our highest intensity, we're running through our systems extremely well and rolling through all four lines and all the D pairings, so I just think sticking to the game plan and not getting sidetracked and trying to do it individually will help a lot because we can we can run through a lot of teams when we're playing as a group of five," Frank concluded.

It's easy to see why the Capitals signed the humble, talented, and speedy winger. The only questions that remain are just how far up the charts Frank will fly this season in Hershey and just when that first NHL game will come. Without a doubt, Frank is leaving his mark in Hershey and will undoubtedly do the same in Washington when that opportunity comes.

You can bet his family and friends as well as coaches, teammates, and fans in Hershey will all be watching and cheering him on.

How could you not with such a modest kid who takes nothing for granted?