We all know how much roster shuffling and line-juggling has been required of the Washington Capitals in the wake of overwhelming injuries, and how the handful of callups to the big club have affected the Hershey Bears, who just keep on rolling despite the recalls, and their own injuries.

From the Lebanon Daily News today, a great story about the guy Hershey picked up on Thanksgiving evening, in a parking lot along the Interstate, on the team’s way to Albany.  Defenseman Patrick Wellar, a former 2002 draft pick of the Caps, was one of the emergency fill-ins for Hershey, necessitated by the organizational tumult:

Since the Bears were now down to just five healthy defensemen, including Sasha Pokulok, who had been recalled Wednesday, they needed some help in a hurry. So they turned to the Reading Royals, and to Wellar. And the best option, the Bears decided, was to arrange to pick Wellar up while they were on their way to Albany for Friday’s game. Which is what they did.

“It happened pretty fast,” said Wellar. “I woke up around 11:30, and I had two missed calls. I was playing a little phone tag with coach. I had to get back to the rink in Reading, drive all the way back, pack, and I had like 25 minutes to meet them at the side of the road. It was probably that much of a drive, too, so it was a scramble, but I’m happy to be here.”

All things considered, Wellar could appreciate the humor in the situation, especially in light of the fact that he had to figure out how to get to where he was meeting the team bus.

“He said meet me on (Interstate) 78, and I had to grab a map because I had no idea where I was going.”

Wellar finished the game in Albany even, a 3-2 Hershey win.  The next night in Chocolate Town, in the 9-0 rout of the Phantoms, Wellar notched 2 shots, a fighting major, and was a +2.  He finished up the weekend a +1 on Sunday. 

Not bad for a parking lot pickup.