Andrew Gordon and Andrew Joudrey joined the Hershey Bears at the same time, and now the Nova Scotia natives are leaving together.

A day after Joudrey signed as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets, free-agent winger

signed with the Anaheim Ducks.

The two-time AHL all-star, a member of Hershey Calder Cup teams in 2008-09 and 2009-10, got a two-way deal for 2011-12 worth $525,000 on the NHL end and $250,000 on the AHL end, rds.ca reported.

Update:

Anaheim announced it was a two-year deal.

“It’s foreign, to be honest,” said Gordon, who joined Hershey at the end of 2006-07 when his college career at St. Cloud State concluded and made his formal pro debut in 2007-08. “It’s obviously a very exciting time. At the same time, it’s tough to leave the only organization I’ve ever known. At the moment, I’m really in shock about what’s happened.”

An NHL opportunity provided a strong lure for Gordon to sign with Anaheim.

“I felt like right away, they were the best option for me,” Gordon said. “Anaheim was speaking very highly of me and where I fit in the system and where I fit in the future.

“I’m going to try to go in there and earn things like anybody else does.”

The 25-year-old, who scored 37 goals in 2009-10 and followed with 28 during an injury-shortened 2010-11, has played 12 career NHL games for the forward-rich Washington Capitals.

“He came into the organization at a time where Washington had a lot of depth up front, a lot of skill,” Bears head coach Mark French said. “It’s nice to see him get that [NHL] chance.

“We’ll miss him. Andrew is a guy who’s done a great deal for the Hershey franchise in terms of winning championships. He’s a guy who epitomized professionalism in everything he did. He’ll be hard to replace.”

Former Hershey head coach Mike Foligno is an Anaheim assistant coach.

“We’ll have something to talk about,” Gordon said.

Gordon would play for the Syracuse Crunch if assigned to the AHL.

“Hopefully, I won’t end up back there [in Hershey] as an opponent,” Gordon said. “But if I do, I hope they welcome me back like Minker [Graham Mink] and Deano [Dean Arsene] and guys like that. I loved it there. Between the people and my experiences, it’s all been very good. I don’t even know where to begin. Hershey’s been home. It’s always felt like home, almost since I went there as a black ace.

“You never know. Just because Washington hasn’t signed me back now, it doesn’t mean it’s over with. I wouldn’t be surprised if down the road I don’t come back and look for an opportunity in Hershey.”