Jewish Stars Shine in Our NHL Preview
With the hockey season upon us, we wanted to showcase all of the incredible Jewish athletes making an impact in the National Hockey League. Featuring 16 players and staff from across the league, hockey boasts many Jewish superstars to look up to, as these incredible professionals continue to grow the game, year-on-year, led by the guidance of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who we inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, and helped induct broadcasting legend Stan Fischler, during last year’s induction ceremony.
Jack Hughes – New Jersey Devils, Center
Jack Hughes enters 2026-27 as the New Jersey Devils’ top forward and one of the faces of the NHL. The former first-overall pick has long been the engine of New Jersey’s attack, but his biggest recent moment came on the international stage when Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime against Canada to win the 2026 Olympic gold-medal game for Team USA, ending a 46-year wait for another U.S. men’s hockey Olympic gold. Hughes is Jewish through his mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes. He has spoken about having a bar mitzvah and growing up observing Passover. That background, combined with the success of brothers Quinn and Luke, has made the Hughes family one of the most dominant families in hockey history.
Quinn Hughes – Minnesota Wild, Defenseman
Quinn Hughes begins the 2026-27 season as the best defenseman in the league, playing the Minnesota Wild after spending the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks. A 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, Hughes remains among the league’s most productive point scorers and recently helped Team USA win Olympic gold in 2026. He played a major role throughout the tournament, including scoring the overtime winner against Sweden in the quarterfinal and recording an assist in the gold-medal game. Like brothers Jack and Luke, Quinn comes from a Jewish family on his mother’s side, placing him at the center of the sport’s increasingly prominent Hughes Jewish hockey legacy.
Luke Hughes – New Jersey Devils, Defenseman
Luke Hughes starts 2026-27 as a key young defenseman for the New Jersey Devils, joining older brother Jack as part of the organization’s core. The youngest Hughes brother is known for his smooth skating, offensive instincts, and his power play playmaking, following a decorated college career at Michigan that included NCAA recognition and major tournament experience. While his brothers have collected the recent Olympic headlines, Luke’s continued development into a top-pair-caliber NHL defenseman remains one of New Jersey’s most important storylines. He shares the Hughes family’s Jewish heritage through his mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, who was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
Zach Hyman – Edmonton Oilers, Left Wing
Zach Hyman enters 2026-27 as a prominent left winger and one of the Edmonton Oilers’ most reliable finishers alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. His defining recent season came in 2023-24, when he scored 54 regular-season goals, the first Jewish player in NHL history to reach the 50-goal mark. He also led the entire 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 16 goals as Edmonton reached Game 7 of the Final. Hyman is openly Jewish, attended the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, wears No. 18, and is the grandson of Holocaust survivors. His elite scoring and visible connection to his heritage have made him one of the most recognizable Jewish athletes in the league.
Adam Fox – New York Rangers, Defenseman
Adam Fox starts 2026-27 as a cornerstone defenseman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers, continuing to set the standard for intelligence, poise, and playmaking from the blue line. Fox’s signature career achievement remains his 2021 Norris Trophy win, when he became the NHL’s top defenseman in only his second season, an accomplishment that placed him in rare historical company. A Long Island native, Fox is proudly Jewish and had a hockey-themed bar mitzvah at Jericho Jewish Center. His sustained production and two-way game have made him not only an elite Ranger, but also a central figure in the current era of NHL stars.
Jeremy Swayman – Boston Bruins, Goaltender
Jeremy Swayman enters the 2026-27 season as the Boston Bruins’ starting goaltender and one of the league’s most important shot-stoppers. He recently represented the United States at the 2026 Olympics, joining the Hughes brothers on the roster that captured gold, and he has also been a Vezina Trophy finalist during his rise with Boston. In 2025-26, Swayman posted 31 wins, a 2.71 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage in 55 regular-season appearances, reinforcing his value as the Bruins’ foundational player in net. Swayman has shared memories of his Bar Mitzvah in Anchorage, Alaska, providing a personal connection to his Jewish background.
Zeev Buium – Vancouver Canucks, Defenseman
Zeev Buium begins 2026-27 as a young, highly skilled defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks and one of the most exciting Jewish prospects to establish himself in the NHL. Before turning pro, Buium helped the University of Denver win the 2024 NCAA national championship and was selected 12th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Draft, illustrating just how highly NHL teams valued his offensive upside. He has since moved to Vancouver, after being traded for Quinn Hughes, and hopes to lead as a mobile defenseman growing into a major role, under 1st year head coach and former NHL veteran, Manny Malhotra. Buium’s parents and extended family are Israeli, with his mother meeting his father after moving to Israel to play professional basketball. His older brother, Shai, is also an exciting prospect for the Detroit Red Wings. His emergence has added a particularly meaningful new voice to the league’s Jewish hockey community.
Jakob Chychrun – Washington Capitals, Defenseman
Jakob Chychrun is a standout NHL defenseman with Jewish heritage. He has built a reputation as a dependable team-player and a major offensive contributor on defense. Born in Boca Raton, Florida, to a Jewish mother, Chychrun grew up celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas and has spoken about maintaining those family traditions. The former 16th-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft has developed into a key player for the Washington Capitals after earlier stints with the Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators
Jake Walman – Edmonton Oilers, Defenseman
Jake Walman begins 2026-27 as an Edmonton Oilers defenseman after joining the club ahead of the 2025 trade deadline and earning a seven-year contract extension that begins this season. The lefty made an immediate postseason contribution in Edmonton, producing two goals and eight assists across 22 playoff games following the trade, then signed a deal worth an average of $7 million annually. Walman’s best recent full-season offensive performance came in 2024-25, when he posted career highs of 33 assists and 40 points while averaging more than 22 minutes a game with San Jose. Born in Toronto, Walman is Jewish and gives Edmonton a second Jewish player alongside Hyman.
Jason Zucker – Buffalo Sabres, Left Wing
Jason Zucker enters 2026-27 as an experienced left wing for the Buffalo Sabres, bringing speed, scoring touch, and veteran leadership to Buffalo’s forward group. One of the most memorable achievements of his career came in 2018-19, when he received the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy for humanitarian leadership after raising $1 million for a Minnesota children’s hospital. More recently, he demonstrated his offensive value with a 27-goal, 48-point bounce-back season for Pittsburgh in 2022-23. Zucker has a Hebrew tattoo on his left forearm and has discussed celebrating Jewish holidays with his family, including virtual menorah lightings while away from home during his junior and college years.
André Burakovsky – Ottawa Senators, Left Wing
André Burakovsky starts 2026-27 as a skilled left wing whose recent career has been defined by postseason success and an ability to contribute to winning teams. Born in Austria and a Swedish international, Burakovsky has won two Stanley Cups, first with Washington in 2018 and again with Colorado in 2022. His 2021-22 season with the Avalanche was particularly notable, as he recorded a career-best 61 points en route to the championship. Burakovsky is of Russian-Jewish descent, adding an international dimension to the Jewish representation in the NHL. His combination of championship experience, offensive skill, and versatility makes him a valuable veteran presence wherever he lines up in 2026-27.
Max Sasson – Vancouver Canucks, Center
Max Sasson enters 2026–27 as an emerging center with the opportunity to establish himself more firmly at the NHL level. Sasson’s path stands out because he has worked his way through the ranks in Vancouver, becoming a regular player through steady growth, a strong work ethic, and productive stretches in college and the minor leagues before playing consistently in the NHL last season. His versatility and the ability to play a responsible, two-way game down the middle, gives him a chance to earn a dependable role as he enters the season. Sasson enters the season as the 2nd Jewish player in Vancouver, alongside Buium.
Jordan Harris, Boston Bruins, Defenseman
Jordan Harris begins 2026–27 as a defenseman for the Boston Bruins, providing mobility, intelligence, and a steady puck-moving element from the back. Harris made his NHL breakthrough after a standout college career at Northeastern University, where he developed into one of the program’s most dependable defensemen and served as captain. His ongoing challenge is turning that composure and skating ability into a consistently larger NHL role, but he remains a valuable young defenseman capable of contributing on both sides of the puck. Harris is Jewish and joins Swayman in giving Boston notable Jewish representation on its roster.
Devon Levi – Edmonton Oilers, Goaltender
Devon Levi begins 2026-27 as a Edmonton Oilers goaltender following an offseason trade with the Buffalo Sabres. Levi first gained widespread attention during his standout college career at Northeastern University, where his spectacular play made him one of the most celebrated young goaltenders in the sport before he transitioned to the professional ranks. The Canadian netminder’s quickness, technical discipline, and calm presence have kept him on the radar as a potential long-term NHL starter.
Andrew Cristall – Washington Capitals, Left Wing
Andrew Cristall enters 2026-27 as a top NHL prospect, with the potential to break out at the NHL level. The left wing built his reputation as a prolific scorer in junior hockey, where his hands, vision, and ability to generate chances made him a high-profile prospect. As he moves into a new season, the key storyline is whether he can translate that offensive flair into a consistent NHL role and become a meaningful contributor for his organization.
Ozzy Wiesblatt – Nashville Predators, Right Wing
Ozzy Wiesblatt enters 2026–27 as an energetic, hard-working right wing looking to build on the persistence that carried him to the NHL. His journey has been especially meaningful because he became the first Jewish hockey player from British Columbia to reach the NHL, a milestone that made his debut important well beyond the box score. Wiesblatt’s game is built around pace, competitiveness, forechecking, and a willingness to play with an edge, traits that can make him useful in a bottom-six or complementary scoring role. Wiesblatt’ journey to the NHL has been inspiring, as he was raised within the deaf community, and has fought his way to the NHL, despite his family’s hardships.
Ryan Warsofsky – San Jose Sharks, Head Coach
Ryan Warsofsky enters the 2026-27 season as head coach of the San Jose Sharks and the NHL’s youngest active head coach, leading a rebuilding club that made major progress in his second season behind the bench. Under Warsofsky, San Jose improved from 20 wins and 52 points in 2024-25 to 39 wins and 86 points in 2025-26, which is an increase of 19 victories and 34 points that left the Sharks only four points outside a Western Conference playoff position. His young core of bonafide superstars like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Collin Graf have made San Jose one of the most interesting franchises in the league to watch. That turnaround prompted the organization to sign him to a multiyear extension in September 2026. Warsofsky’s résumé also includes a 2022 Calder Cup championship as coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and a 2025 IIHF World Championship gold medal as Team USA’s head coach. He is Jewish through his father’s side of the family and became the NHL’s first Jewish head coach in more than three decades when San Jose promoted him in 2024; his family celebrated Hanukkah with his grandparents while he was growing up in Massachusetts.
Other notable stars with partial Jewish ancestry include 4-time All Star Artemi Panarin, Kiefer Sherwood, and lockdown Defenseman Brett Pesce, each of whom has made a significant impact in the NHL.
