Credit: The Hershey Bears
To some, it might seem like a simple letter, but to those who wear it, the “C” is arguably the highest honor bestowed upon any hockey player. On Friday, the Hershey Bears named Louie Belpedio captain. His appointment marks the third consecutive season in which a defenseman will wear the “C” for the Bears, following Dylan McIlrath (2022-24) and Aaron Ness (2024-26).
“He [Louie] is a gamer,” coach Derek King said. “He competes and is great with the guys. I have a good relationship with him, so that made it easier when choosing him. You could have easily put the letter on Brodzinski, Holl or Dunne, but it comes down to the fact that I have had Belpedio here and have known him from before, and I truly think he’s the right fit for us. I think we made the right decision.”
Prior to arriving in Chocolatetown, Belpedio played three seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he served as an alternate captain.
“My leadership style is always to lead by example,” Belpedio said. “I am not really a rah-rah kind of guy, but I speak up when stuff needs to be said. Nobody listens to someone who does not do what they say, so I try to put my best foot forward every day, compete hard and hopefully drag everyone else into the fight with me. It takes zero talent to work hard, and that is what has made me successful in my career. It’s all about being a good person, having a good attitude and hoping everyone follows.”
As it currently stands, the Bears roster has an average age of 26 years, 15 days, making it the AHL’s 14th-youngest team.
“For me personally, age isn’t really a factor,” Belpedio said. “Our young guys don’t act like they are 18 or 19 years old — I feel like they are much more mature. Especially being such a young group last year, they got another year under their belt now, so it will just be a learning curve, and it will require the older guys to lead from the front and drag them into the fight — that’s the only way you’re going to get better and push each other every day.”
Belpedio is no stranger to championship culture. He played on the U.S. National Junior Team that won bronze in 2016 and the U.S. National Under-18 Team that captured gold in 2014.
“Obviously, tons of history here and tons of championships, and I feel like we push each other, and ultimately that’s how you are going to reach your goal,” Belpedio said. “Nothing is ever easy in life and hockey, so when we push each other hard in practice, it will translate to games.”
Credit: The Hershey Bears
Belpedio takes the next step toward 500 career AHL games Sunday (he currently has played 477) as the Bears look to rebound against the Charlotte Checkers after a 5-2 loss on opening night. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m., and players will wear Hersheypark Dark Nights-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off postgame.
