A trio of Burnaby Winter Club alumni will be vying for the honour of raising the Stanley Cup this year as the 2025/26 NHL season gets underway. Former Bruins Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders), Dante Fabbro (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Edmonton Oilers) are all looking to make their mark with their respective clubs as they chase hockey’s ultimate prize.

Mathew Barzal
After injuries limited him to just 30 games last season, 26-year-old Barzal says he’s healthy and ready to compete following an intense summer of rehab and training. “I feel good. I feel like I’ve had a great summer,” Barzal told NewYorkIslanders.com. “It’s forced me to be extremely focused this summer and put every drop of energy into getting back.” Barzal tallied 20 points (6G, 14A) in those 30 games and will look to return to the form that saw him produce a point-per-game campaign in 2023/24 (23G, 57A, 80PTS), when he led the Islanders in both regular season and playoff scoring.

Dante Fabbro
After seven seasons with the Nashville Predators, 27-year-old defenceman Fabbro thrived following his move to Columbus, setting career highs in points (26), goals (9), and plus/minus (+23) in 62 games with the Blue Jackets. The team rewarded his breakout year with a four-year, $16.5-million contract extension this summer. “Dante was a great addition to our team last season and keeping him in Columbus was a priority,” said Blue Jackets president and general manager Don Waddell in June. “He is a smart, versatile defenseman who moves the puck very well and can play in all situations.”

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Veteran centre Nugent-Hopkins is entering his 15th NHL season with the Edmonton Oilers and remains a key piece of the team’s championship push after back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. He recorded 20 points (6G, 14A) in 22 playoff games last spring and is eager to take the next step. “After last year, there’s just more urgency,” Nugent-Hopkins told The Athletic. “We’re angry about it. It just adds to that hunger to go and put ourselves in that position again.” With Connor McDavid recently signing a two-year contract extension, the Oilers’ core remains intact—and expectations for another deep playoff run are sky-high.