Nicolas Aubé-Kubel Bio
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on May 10, 1996, in Slave Lake, Alberta, he has built a career known for scoring touch and physical play across junior, American Hockey League (AHL), and NHL levels. The Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the second round, 48th overall, of the 2014 NHL entry draft, and he has since played for several organizations, including the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Early Life and Background
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel was born in Slave Lake, Alberta, on May 10, 1996, and moved with his mother, Annie, to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, at the age of two. After the move, he and his sister, Alex-Anne, began skating. While Alex-Anne developed as a figure skater who competed nationally and internationally, Nicolas focused on ice hockey and speed skating. He was initially cut from both his Pee-Wee and Midget minor hockey teams, but he continued to develop his offensive game on the ice.
In 2011, the École secondaire Fernand-Lefebvre in Sorel-Tracy attempted to recruit Aubé-Kubel for its junior hockey program, but he chose to play for the Collège Antoine-Girouard Gaulois of the Quebec AAA Midget Hockey League. During the 2011–12 season, the Gaulois posted the best record in the league, and Aubé-Kubel contributed 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 regular-season points, adding seven goals and nine assists in 11 playoff games.
Path to Professional Hockey
The Val-d’Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) selected Aubé-Kubel in the first round, seventh overall, of the 2012 QMJHL draft. As a 16-year-old rookie in 2012–13, he scored 27 points in 64 games, and his production nearly doubled the next season with 22 goals and 31 assists in 65 games. The Foreurs won both the President’s Cup and the QMJHL Championship that year but fell short of the Memorial Cup.
After the 2013–14 season, the Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the second round, 48th overall, of the 2014 NHL entry draft, and he signed an entry-level contract on October 2, 2014. His breakout major junior season came in 2014–15, when he posted 28 goals and 80 points, and the next year he served as an assistant captain, finishing with 38 goals, 46 assists, and 84 points in 61 games before joining the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL for their final six games of the 2015–16 season.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Aubé-Kubel’s first full professional season came in 2016–17 with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he posted nine goals and 18 points in 71 games. Flyers general manager Ron Hextall noted that Aubé-Kubel was still learning the higher level of the AHL compared to junior hockey. Returning for the 2017–18 season, he improved dramatically, finishing with the eighth-highest even-strength point totals in the AHL (43), although his 86 penalty minutes reflected ongoing struggles with discipline.
During the 2018 Calder Cup playoffs, Aubé-Kubel received a three-game suspension for an illegal head check in a division final game against the Charlotte Checkers. The Phantoms advanced past the Checkers but fell to the Toronto Marlies in the Eastern Conference finals. That same year, on October 30, 2018, he made his NHL debut on the fourth line with Scott Laughton and Jori Lehterä against the Anaheim Ducks, appearing in nine games before returning to the Phantoms for the remainder of the season.
Philadelphia Flyers Breakthrough (2019–2021)
On July 16, 2019, the Flyers signed Aubé-Kubel to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000. After a brief stint with the Phantoms, he was recalled to Philadelphia on December 15, 2019, and scored his first NHL goal on December 23 in a 5–1 victory over the New York Rangers. He finished the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season with seven goals and eight assists in 36 games and added two goals in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs bubble.
On September 17, 2020, the Flyers signed him to a two-year, $2.15 million extension. The 2020–21 season was a regression, as Aubé-Kubel finished with three goals, 12 points, and 44 penalty minutes in 50 games, ranking eighth in the NHL in penalty minutes at one point. Early in the 2021–22 season, the Flyers placed him on waivers, and on November 12, 2021, he was claimed by the Colorado Avalanche.
Colorado Avalanche Era (2021–2022)
Aubé-Kubel made his Avalanche debut on November 17, 2021, against the Vancouver Canucks, and scored his first goal with the team two days later against the Seattle Kraken. He settled into a fourth-line role alongside Tyson Jost and Darren Helm, contributing to the Avalanche’s reputation for scoring depth. He finished the regular season with career highs of 11 goals and 23 points in 73 games.
During the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, Aubé-Kubel recorded 19 hits in the first-round sweep of the Nashville Predators but saw limited playing time later in the postseason. The Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to capture their first Stanley Cup since 2001, and Aubé-Kubel won the championship despite not registering a point in 14 playoff games. After the celebration, he gained attention for dropping and denting the Stanley Cup while carrying it to the team photo.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals (2022–2024)
On July 13, 2022, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Aubé-Kubel to a one-year, $1 million contract. After going scoreless in six games, he was placed on waivers on November 4, 2022, and claimed by the Washington Capitals the next day. With the Capitals, he scored his first goal on January 5, 2023, against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and on March 3, 2023, signed a one-year extension worth $1.225 million. He appeared in 60 games during the 2023–24 season, posting 6 goals and 16 points.
Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers (2024–2025)
On July 1, 2024, Aubé-Kubel signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres. On March 7, 2025, the Sabres traded him to the New York Rangers in exchange for Erik Brännström, and he was initially assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL before being recalled by the Rangers on March 24, 2025.
Minnesota Wild Era (2025–Present)
On July 2, 2025, Aubé-Kubel signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with the Minnesota Wild for the 2025–26 NHL season. The move to a contender offered him an opportunity to compete for a depth forward role while contributing on the penalty kill and providing physicality on the wing.
Driving Style and Strengths
Aubé-Kubel is recognized for his strong eye–hand coordination, quick skating, and willingness to play a physical, forechecking brand of hockey. Coaches have praised his ability to play on energy lines while also producing offensively when given consistent ice time.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of Aubé-Kubel’s career include scoring his first NHL goal against the New York Rangers in 2019, winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, and the memorable moment when he dented the Stanley Cup during the celebration. His 2014–15 QMJHL breakout, in which he recorded 80 points, also stands out as a defining junior milestone.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel Career Wins
Aubé-Kubel’s most significant victory came when he won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. He also helped the Val-d’Or Foreurs capture the President’s Cup and QMJHL Championship in 2014 during his draft season.
QMJHL Highlights
During his QMJHL career with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, Aubé-Kubel recorded 116 goals and 174 assists in 251 regular-season games across four seasons. His 2015–16 campaign stood out, as he registered an 84-point season with 38 goals and served as an alternate captain.
Other Wins and Performances
In 2013, Aubé-Kubel represented Canada Quebec at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring four goals and eight points in six tournament games as Quebec finished fourth. His first full AHL season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms helped him develop the two-way game that eventually earned him an NHL role.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Aubé-Kubel’s mother, Annie, raised him and his sister, Alex-Anne, in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, after the family relocated from Alberta. His sister, Alex-Anne, became a competitive figure skater who participated in national and international events.
Personal Life
Aubé-Kubel’s cousins, T. J. Foster and Thomas Foster, also play professional ice hockey. T. J. Foster most recently appeared with the Guildford Flames of the Elite Ice Hockey League, while Thomas Foster skated with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season saw Aubé-Kubel begin with the Buffalo Sabres before being traded to the New York Rangers on March 7, 2025, in exchange for Erik Brännström. After a brief assignment to the Hartford Wolf Pack, he was recalled by the Rangers on March 24, 2025, where he provided bottom-six energy and physicality as New York pushed for a playoff position.
Following the season, Aubé-Kubel signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 2, 2025, beginning a new chapter in his career with a Stanley Cup contender. The Wild valued his speed, forechecking, and playoff experience as they prepared for the 2025–26 campaign.
Entering 2025–26, Aubé-Kubel is expected to compete for a depth forward role while contributing on the penalty kill and offering energy on the fourth line. His mix of playoff experience from the Avalanche’s 2022 Cup run and his physical style make him a useful bottom-six option for Minnesota’s roster.