Three-time Calder Cup champion recounts 'electric' experience – Winnipeg Free Press
This is one trick Dylan McIlrath won't soon forget.
The Winnipegger recently captained the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League, which gave him three Calder Cups in his resume – including back-to-back titles with the Washington Capitals.
“It was pretty good, to be honest. It hasn't completely sunk in yet. Being back with the Bears, it's only been two years,” McIlrath said in a recent interview. “A lot of hockey. But it's been good. Really fun times.”
Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears
Scott Howson, president of the American Hockey League, presented Dylan McIlrath with the Calder Cup.
Happy times indeed.
Every tournament tends to have a few bumps in the road, but the playoffs this spring have been especially exciting for the offensive lineman.
During the Eastern Conference finals, the Bears took a 3-0 series lead over the Cleveland Monsters, only to see the top farm team of the Columbus Blue Jackets roar back to tie things up and force a seventh and deciding game.
In Game 7, the Bears had another third-period lead before the Monsters forced overtime, leaving Hershey one shot away from being on the wrong side of history.
Instead, Garrett Roe delivered the OT winner to advance the Bears to the Calder Cup.
“That was probably the biggest challenge of the playoffs,” said McIlrath, who also won the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017. “That Game 6 was a roller coaster. We thought we were going to win, we went up 2-1 with about a minute left. They tied it (before winning in overtime). It really tested our mental toughness. Going to bed that night, it was one of the worst feelings I've ever had. in hockey. Just knowing we had a chance to close it out (and we didn't).
“Then it was the Game 7 overtime winner to win the series. If we sweep Cleveland, I don't know how the playoffs go, if we don't go through that adversity.”
That win meant the Bears were set to face a familiar opponent, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the home team of the Seattle Kraken.
The same Firebirds pushed Hershey to the 2023 Calder Cup final.
“We had a feeling all season. “It seems like we're destined for a rematch,” said McIrath. “We only had one day to get together and get ready for this series. We were so caught up in the whole feeling of the deadline and didn't have much time to think, just go out and play and it's obvious. It was a really big rivalry, I beat them last year. It was a little experiment.
That helped us, in a way, emotionally. It's just that all the boys come back, they know what we're going to face and how they want to get revenge. It was a good back-and-forth series.”
Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears Dylan McIlrath, 32, now has three Calder Cup wins under his belt.
That back-and-forth saw the Firebirds win Games 1 and 3 to take a 2-1 series advantage before the Bears broke away to win three straight to close out the campaign — including an overtime thriller in Game 6 on home ice at the Giant Center.
“It was electric to win at home in that situation,” McIlrath said. “With an OT win, it doesn't get much more exciting than that as a hockey fan. It is something I will definitely never forget; to lift that trophy in front of the home building is something very special.”
It was a tumultuous end to a special season for McIlrath, who also found himself playing regular minutes for the Capitals in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the New York Rangers – the team that originally selected him 10th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. .
“It was another unexpected call,” said McIlrath, who averaged 11:33 of ice time in four playoff games with the Capitals. “When I joined the list, they trusted me and I didn't lose anything. I played with confidence and they relied on me to play important minutes. If you would have asked me in the middle of the season if I was going to play in the playoffs with the Rangers, I wouldn't have believed it. It was just another thing you were trying to get into at the moment.
“Anytime you're in the NHL and you've been in my position, you never know when the last (NHL) game is going to be.”
With 75 NHL games on his resume, McIlrath sees the type of game that makes him successful and thrives in a mentor role in the AHL while proving he can be counted on when called upon.
“I've never been a captain before coming to Hershey and it definitely comes with a lot of expectations,” McIlrath said. “At this stage of my career, especially playing for young players, this is what I'm looking for — the chance to compete and win titles at this level. It was a great decision coming to the Washington organization. It probably wouldn't be any better than it has been over the last three years.”
McIrath, 32, is another prime example that the path to developing a high draft pick isn't always straightforward.
“I've really come to terms with how my path and journey is different than some of the top-10 picks,” said McIlrath, who has one season left on his two-way contract with the Capitals. “Usually they get a long time in the NHL and mine hasn't been that long. But I have always held my own and I can contribute when called upon.”
McIrath was also selected as one of the playing captains for the AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose in February during a showcase usually reserved for young prospects.
Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears Dylan McIlrath celebrates a recent win with his family.
“I never thought I would be a part of the All-Star Game, just the way I played,” said McIlrath, who produces more penalty minutes than points but has flourished in a closing role. “Being part of the AHL and rewarding me for the difficult distance I had in this league, it was a really good celebration. I take great pride in what I do and it's nice to be recognized for that. It was a great experience. I was probably ten years older than half the people there.
“Being in that role, I was able to enjoy myself a lot because I know that this is the only chance I will get to be in the All-Star Game.”
Winnipeg Free Press | Newspaper
Bryan Helmer, the Bears' director of operations, is one of many people in the organization who appreciate what McIlrath brings to the table.
“His presence,” said Helmer, a former Manitoba Moose defenseman. “He went through a lot in his career, a lot of good and bad. He has grown up a lot on the ice and the boys respect him.
“He plays the game hard and plays it the right way.”
X: @WiebesWorld
Ken Wiebe
Sports reporter
Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 Winnipeg Sun, Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer student at Free Press in 1999 and returned to Free Press to full-time employment in September of 2023. Read more about Ken.
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