Ethen Frank gets his due in Capitals’ locker room after scoring first NHL goal: ‘What a f***ing weekend for this guy’

After years of toiling with the Hershey Bears, Ethen Frank finally got his NHL opportunity with the Washington Capitals on Friday and Saturday and delivered in both games.

Frank notched his first NHL point, a primary assist on a Lars Eller goal, after negating an icing and making a great individual play behind the net. He followed that up with his first NHL goal against the Nashville Predators, the game-winner in the Capitals’ 4-1 victory.

Inside the Capitals’ locker room at Bridgestone Arena, Frank was honored by head coach Spencer Carbery and his teammates, who finally, after 48 hours of travel and hockey, finally had a chance to celebrate the prospect’s accomplishments.

Full transcript

Per the Capitals’ locker room video posted to X:

Spencer Carbery post-game speech

Spencer Carbery: Just grinding our way through that. You guys stuck together, found a way to keep that game close, close, and in the third period, obviously our best period of the night.

(Team claps)

Spencer Carbery: That third goal shift from Dowder, Mange, Brandon Duhaime…

(Team claps)

Unidentified player: Didn’t know his name was Brandon.

Spencer Carbery: You didn’t know his first name is Brandon?? (Carbery laughs)

Spencer Carbery: Power play gets us on the f***ing board.

Unidentified player: Tom Wilson stays hot!

Spencer Carbery: So what a f***ing weekend for this guy. Plays his first NHL game, gets his first NHL point… (anticipation rises) and his FIRST NHL GOAL. (Team loudly cheers.)

(Ethen Frank gets up from his locker stall and is hugged by Spencer Carbery as he’s given his milestone goal puck)

(Players yell “speech”)

Ethen Frank: Appreciate it, boys, hanging in there, obviously don’t know the systems all that well, but we’ll continue to get better. Just going to enjoy it.

(Players yell “Yeah!!!” And loudly cheer)

Spencer Carbery: And how about this f***ing guy who dug in all night, gave us a chance.

(Players yell “speech” at winning goaltender Logan Thompson who absolutely does not want to give a speech.)

Logan Thompson: Thanks, guys. It’s a lot of fun winning in this dressing room. Franky, thanks for getting the game winner.

Gold chain presentation

Pierre-Luc Dubois: Franky!

(Players yell “speech” again as PLD and Ethen hug and Frank receives the gaudy gold chain)

Ethen Frank: Let’s have a safe flight home, enjoy the day off tomorrow!

Frank played 161 games in the AHL and scored 80 goals and 125 points during that time, helping lead the Bears to consecutive Calder Cups in 2023 and 2024. Now with Washington, Frank has realized his dream. After all the good feelings this weekend, now the question is can he stick? He seems like he has a lot of people in his corner hoping he can.