The 2015 NHL Draft in Sunrise, Florida, is remembered as the day Connor McDavid became an Edmonton Oiler and entered the NHL. It would have been poetic if he had been able to lead the Oilers to a Game 7 victory in Sunrise to win his first Stanley Cup, but it wasn’t meant to be.

When you draft a player of McDavid’s calibre, that class will be one to remember no matter what. However, McDavid isn’t the only reason that draft goes down as one of the best in the Oilers’ modern history.

Edmonton drafted Ethan Bear from the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League with the 124th overall pick in the fifth round. Bear headed into the draft after a strong sophomore year with the Thunderbirds, putting up nearly 40 points. Many highlighted Bear’s potential upside, praising his offensive skills and strong play. His shot from the point and ability to contribute to the power play were often mentioned. Some even noted that he could become the steal of the draft.

Bear lived up to those comments in the early days of his career. He entered the league in 2018, playing 18 games for Edmonton and scoring his first NHL goal against the Anaheim Ducks. The former Thunderbird became a full-time NHL player in the 2019-20 season, dressing in 71 games and solidifying himself as a top-four defenceman for Edmonton.

A year later, Edmonton traded Bear to the Carolina Hurricanes for Warren Foegele. The move was designed to balance the roster by adding a potential 20-goal middle-six forward in Foegele. The deal worked out well for the Oilers, who got three years of production from Foegele—45 goals and 55 assists—before he moved on to the Los Angeles Kings this summer.

As for Bear, the projection didn’t pan out as planned. Injuries started to affect his game, starting with a head injury in Edmonton, which played a factor in him getting traded. In his first year with the Hurricanes, he played in 58 games, missing time due to a lower-body injury. Carolina wasn’t getting his full potential, forcing them to move on from him early and complete a deal with the Vancouver Canucks.

Bear was one and done in Vancouver, too, and now plays for the Washington Capitals. In late December 2023, he signed with the Capitals on a two-year deal with a cap hit of $2.06 million. Bear played 24 games with the Capitals in 2023-24, registering one goal and three assists to go along with 10 PIMs and a -5 rating.

Off the ice, Bear has been actively involved in supporting and advocating for the Indigenous community. He has been vocal about the importance of diversity and inclusion in hockey. He uses his platform to raise awareness about issues faced by Indigenous communities and to promote greater understanding.

Unfortunately, injuries have become too familiar in Bear’s career, which has hindered his development. However, for a fifth-round pick to have close to 300 games is incredibly impressive and shows the character of Bear.

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