Justin Hryckowian Bio
Justin Hryckowian (born February 23, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and left winger for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 180 centimetres tall and weighing about 90 kilograms, he signed a two-year entry-level contract with Dallas in March 2024 and has split time between the NHL club and its American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Texas Stars. An undrafted free agent who rose through the U.S. college and junior ranks, Hryckowian earned national recognition as the top rookie in the AHL during the 2024–25 season.
Early Life and Background
Justin Hryckowian was born on February 23, 2001, in L’Île-Bizard, Quebec, Canada. He is the son of Wojtek Hryckowian and Tina Dandurand, and grew up alongside his brother Dylan, with whom he shared a love of hockey from an early age.
He began playing organized ice hockey at the age of two, often practising outdoors with Dylan on neighbourhood rinks. His formative years in the greater Montreal area exposed him to a strong hockey culture that helped shape his two-way style of play.
As a teenager, Hryckowian suited up for the Lac St-Louis Lions of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League. During the 2017–18 season he produced 34 goals and 75 points in 40 games, earning the Outstanding Player Award, the Sylvain Turgeon/CCM Award as the league’s leading scorer, and the Patrice Bergeron Trophy, given to the most gentlemanly player. These honours marked him as one of the top amateur prospects in the province.
Path to Hockey
Rather than following the traditional route through the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Hryckowian chose to continue his development in the United States. He enrolled at the Salisbury School in Connecticut to refine his game and strengthen his academic standing before joining the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League (USHL), one of the country’s premier junior circuits.
The 2020 Midwest derecho, a powerful storm that August, caused severe damage to ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids and disrupted the RoughRiders’ schedule. Hryckowian was reassigned to the Sioux City Musketeers for the 2020–21 USHL season, where he was named captain and produced a breakout campaign of 17 goals and 38 points in 44 games. That leadership role and offensive production convinced Northeastern University that he was ready for college hockey.
Hryckowian joined the Northeastern Huskies for the 2021–22 NCAA season, where he would quickly establish himself as one of Hockey East’s most reliable two-way forwards. The college route, combined with his junior success, positioned him for a future professional contract despite going undrafted by NHL teams.
Justin Hryckowian Career
Early Career (2021–2023)
In his rookie season at Northeastern, Hryckowian led all Huskies freshmen with six goals and 20 points across 24 games, earning a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. His debut college goal came on October 26, 2021, against the UConn Huskies.
The 2022–23 campaign marked a major step forward. On November 4, he recorded his first career hat-trick, scoring three goals and four points in a 6–2 win over the New Hampshire Wildcats, and was later named Hockey East Player of the Month for November after accumulating six goals and 13 points in seven games. He finished the year with 14 goals and 29 points, earning Hockey East Best Defensive Forward honours and a place on the All-Hockey East Second Team, while also drawing a nomination for the 2023 Hobey Baker Award.
Northeastern Captaincy and Senior Year (2023–2024)
Named captain of the Huskies ahead of the 2023–24 season, Hryckowian embraced a leadership role that emphasised defensive responsibility and offensive consistency. On February 12, he was named Hockey East Player of the Week following a three-point outing against the Harvard Crimson in the Beanpot semifinals.
He recorded his 100th career collegiate point with an assist on a goal by his brother Dylan during the Hockey East quarterfinals on March 16, although Northeastern fell 4–2 to the Boston University Terriers. Hryckowian wrapped up his college career with 13 goals and 42 points in 32 games, repeating as Hockey East Best Defensive Forward and earning Third Team All-Star recognition. In three seasons, he totaled 35 goals and 101 points across 94 games for Northeastern.
Dallas Stars Organization Era (2024–Present)
On March 20, 2024, the Dallas Stars signed Hryckowian to a two-year entry-level contract beginning in 2024–25. He finished that college campaign with the Texas Stars, Dallas’s AHL affiliate, on an amateur tryout and posted one goal and three points in 12 regular-season games, adding two goals and four points in seven postseason contests.
Hryckowian opened 2024–25 with Texas and led all AHL rookies with 26 points in his first 27 games, including 12 goals. With Mason Marchment on injured reserve, he was recalled to Dallas and made his NHL debut on December 30, 2024, skating on the fourth line with Colin Blackwell and Sam Steel in a 5–1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He went on to appear in five NHL games, registering his first NHL point on January 20, 2025, with an assist on a goal by Matěj Blümel.
Spending most of the season in the AHL, Hryckowian finished as the league’s top rookie scorer with 60 points in 67 games. His season was capped by the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as AHL Rookie of the Year and a selection to the 2024–25 AHL All-Rookie Team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hryckowian is widely regarded as a dependable two-way centre who blends faceoff reliability, defensive awareness, and offensive touch. His willingness to play a physical, low-event style earned repeated Hockey East Best Defensive Forward recognition, while his point totals through college and the AHL confirm that the same player can drive offence from a checking role.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of Hryckowian’s climb include his first collegiate hat-trick against New Hampshire, his captaincy at Northeastern, the recording of his 100th college point on a brotherly assist, his NHL debut against Chicago, and his first NHL point assisting Matěj Blümel in January 2025.
Justin Hryckowian Career Wins
While individual game-winning tallies are numerous, Hryckowian’s primary on-ice victories have come through awards and statistical achievements rather than single-event wins. Across junior, college, and the professional ranks, he has consistently delivered results that place him among the top performers of his draft class.
USHL Highlights
In the USHL, Hryckowian served as captain of the Sioux City Musketeers during 2020–21, posting 17 goals and 38 points in 44 games after a 17-game stint with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. His leadership helped stabilize a roster affected by the August 2020 derecho.
NCAA and AHL Highlights
At Northeastern, Hryckowian was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2021–22 and later served as team captain. His AHL rookie campaign with Texas featured 60 points in 67 games and a league-leading 12 goals among rookies, earning the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA (Hockey East) | N/A | 3 All-Star selections | N/A |
| AHL (Texas Stars) | N/A | AHL Rookie of the Year | N/A |
Justin Hryckowian Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hryckowian comes from a tight-knit family rooted in Quebec. He is the son of Wojtek Hryckowian and Tina Dandurand, and his brother Dylan has been a regular presence in his hockey journey, including scoring a goal assisted by Justin during his 100th career collegiate point.
Personal Life
Born and raised in the Montreal borough of L’Île-Bizard, Hryckowian remains closely tied to his family. Outside of his professional schedule with the Dallas Stars organization, he has kept his personal life private.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 calendar year, Hryckowian had already made his NHL debut with Dallas on December 30, 2024, and continued to shuttle between the NHL club and the Texas Stars. He registered his first NHL point on January 20, 2025, assisting Matěj Blümel, a small but significant milestone for the undrafted centre.
Most of his 2024–25 production came in the AHL, where he finished with 60 points in 67 games, leading all league rookies in scoring. That consistency underpinned his selection as the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award winner as AHL Rookie of the Year and a place on the 2024–25 AHL All-Rookie Team.
Heading into the 2025–26 NHL season, Hryckowian’s trajectory suggests he remains firmly in the Dallas Stars’ plans as a bottom-six centre capable of contributing on both special teams units. With another year remaining on his entry-level contract, his development in Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Boston, and Austin has set the stage for a larger NHL role.