The Hershey Bears announced on Wednesday they have recalled defenseman Benton Maass from ECHL South Carolina.

FROM THE HERSHEY BEARS

Hershey, PA– March 1, 2023)- The Hershey Bears announced today that defenseman Benton Maass has been recalled from the club’s ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays.

Maass, 24, has registered nine points (4g, 5a) in 45 games this season with the Stingrays, posting 40 penalty minutes and a team-best plus/minus of 13. He scored his first professional goal on Dec. 14, 2022 at Atlanta.

The native of Elk River, Minn. played his lone AHL game in the 2022-23 regular season finale for Hershey, skating in Hershey’s loss to Syracuse on Apr. 24, 2022.

Maass was selected by the Capitals in the 6th round of the 2017 NHL Draft. After four years at the University of New Hampshire, Maass transferred to Minnesota State University for the 2021-22 season, helping the Mavericks to the NCAA Tournament title game.

In February Maass nearly equaled the season point total he had coming into the month. He entered February with five points and recorded four points in the month. The native of Elk River, Minnesota compiled three helpers in February, one more than he had in the season’s first four months.

One of those assists came on Kevin O’Neil’s game-winning goal in Worcester on February 5. He also picked up his first power play assist of the season against Atlanta on February 25. Maass netted his fourth goal of the season in the third period of a 3-2 loss to Jacksonville on February 18. The rookie blue liner has a plus 13 rating on the season, the best among South Carolina defensemen.

It’s unclear if the move is purely to address needs at the AHL level, or if the call-up is to address a potential upcoming call-up by the Capitals. We should know more tonight when the Bears host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Giant Center. Puck drop at 7PM.

By Jon Sorensen