Robitaille has been preparing to return to the Bears for a long time TheAHL.com
Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
Louis RobitailleHershey Bears’ journey from fan favorite to newly hired Bears assistant coach spanned many continents, leagues and roles — and included learning more.
But 18 years after first leaving central Pennsylvania, Robitaille is back. Bhova named him the assistant coach last week and brought him back to the place where fans are singing about. He spent three seasons with the Bears, starting in the first season of their new partnership with the Washington Capitals in 2005-06. By the time he finished his run, he had played 200 regular season games, hoisted the Calder Cup, gone to another Calder Cup Finals and won over Bears fans with his raucous, public, and passionate style.
“I’m very excited,” Robitaille said of his return to Hershey. The family is happy. It has always been a special place. They always accepted me as a son there.
He went on to say that returning to Mabhele as a coach was a goal.
“I knew that when I retired I had to take the right steps.”
After ending his playing career in 2011 – a run that featured 382 AHL games and a 2006 Calder Cup championship – Robitaille quickly moved into coaching and managing back in his native Quebec. He spent 14 successful seasons in the minor QMJHL with stops in Drummondville, Val d’Or, Victoriaville, Gatineau and Cape Breton. His teams were playoff contenders, reaching the finals of two conferences. Robitaille went 310-193-42-21 (.603) as a head coach, and added international experience with Hockey Canada – including helping the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship team to a gold medal as an assistant coach.
Last year’s stand took him deep into the heart of Russia for a completely different assignment. Former NHL and AHL head coach Guy Boucher I had an opportunity within Avangard Omsk, one of the top clubs in the KHL. The organization wanted Robitaille to lead its main team, Omskie Krylia. Omsk is more than 1,300 miles east of Moscow, and the second-tier VHL includes the most demanding travel program for pro hockey. Robitaille’s team went 38-20-3-1.
When Nick Bootland left his role as Hershey’s assistant coach to become head coach of the Cleveland Monsters on June 30, Robitaille saw an opportunity to reunite with the Washington organization.
The call came from Washington’s director of minor league operations Jason Fitzsimmons.
“For me, of course [was] ‘Let’s make it happen,’” said Robitaille.
At Hershey, he will work closely with the head coach Derek King as well as an assistant coach Brent Thompson.
“Did I open up five years ago to get a job at Hershey?” Robitaille recounts. “Yes. Am I better suited today? Am I a better coach? Yes.
“I think it’s a good time for me to go back home.”
Robitaille is also a link to some of the franchise’s glory years. The Bears’ over-done — and under-done — roster went through its fair share of growing pains this past season. After finishing fifth in the Atlantic Division at 32-31-6-3, the Bears advanced to the first round before making it to the semifinals. Their two best players in 2025-26 are both rookies Ilya Protas again Andrew Cristall.
Expectations will certainly rise this fall, and Robitaille brings a winning mentality from both his playing days at Hershey and his coaching and managerial success.
“Louis understands our championship culture,” the Bears vice president of hockey Bryan Helmer said in a written statement announcing the hiring.
So Robitaille returns to Hershey now with some hard-earned experience. Going to Russia meant leaving far from what he was used to, including leaving his wife Amelia and their three children at home. But this position also had a strong developmental component, and was an important learning opportunity.
“I think that’s the most important thing when you’re a coach,” said Robitaille. “You want to surround yourself with good people and you need to learn, be open to training, open to different techniques. Guy (Boucher) has always been a mentor. I was able to see how he does things. He was able to challenge me in different areas, bring some things to my training where I am better.
“I became a better coach last year. It was a big sacrifice. But today I was rewarded. I’m going back to where I want to be.”
A fixture in the American Hockey League for more than two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his league-leading streak in 2015-16.
