Nicolas Aubé-Kubel ( ; born May 10, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. The Flyers selected him in the second round, 48th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Aubé-Kubel was born in Slave Lake, Alberta, but moved to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec with his family at the age of two. He played minor ice hockey and speed skating with local teams. Aubé-Kubel's performance at the midget hockey level led to his being drafted seventh overall by the Val-d'Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in their 2012 draft. After his first two seasons with the Foreurs, during which he was drafted by the Flyers, Aubé-Kubel had a break-out season in 2014–15, scoring 80 points and taking the team to the playoffs. He continued his strong point production into the following season, serving as assistant captain for the Foreurs.
When the Foreurs' 2015–16 season came to a close, Aubé-Kubel was invited to join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, for their final six games of the season. His first full season of AHL hockey was offensively disappointing, as Aubé-Kubel was still learning the league, but the following year, he improved both on point-scoring and physicality. Aubé-Kubel made his NHL debut in 2018, but was sent back down to the Phantoms after only nine games. He did not become a staple in the Flyers' line-up until December 2019. As a fourth-line winger, Aubé-Kubel had a productive 2019–20 season, but fell victim to a sophomore slump in 2021, with a particularly high number of penalty minutes.
The Flyers placed him on waivers early in the 2021–22 season, and the Colorado Avalanche claimed him. Aubé-Kubel won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
Early life
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel was born in Slave Lake, Alberta on May 10, 1996, but moved to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec with his mother Annie at the age of two. Aubé-Kubel and his sister Alex-Anne began skating shortly after the move. Alex-Anne became a strong figure skater, participating in national and international competitions, while Aubé-Kubel practiced ice hockey and speed skating. He was cut from both his Pee-Wee and Midget minor ice hockey teams, but developed a strong offensive repertoire on the ice.
In 2011, the École secondaire Fernand-Lefebvre in Sorel-Tracy attempted to recruit Aubé-Kubel for their burgeoning junior ice hockey program, but he elected to play for the Collège Antoine-Girouard Gaulois of the Quebec AAA Midget Hockey League. The Gaulois posted the best record in the league during the 2011–12 season, bolstered by 11 goals and 13 assists from Aubé-Kubel, for a total of 24 regular-season points. In 11 playoff games, he scored an additional seven goals and nine assists.
Playing career
Amateur
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 during the 2012–13 season, Aubé-Kubel scored 27 points in 64 games, made up of 10 goals and 17 assists. His point production nearly doubled the following year, with 22 goals and 31 assists in 65 games during the 2013–14 season. Aubé-Kubel, who played on the second offensive line, spent the season honing his defensive skills and increasing his physical strength. The Foreurs won both the President's Cup and the QJMHL Championship title that season, but fell short of capturing the Memorial Cup.
After the 2013–14 season, Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL) selected Aubé-Kubel in the second round, 48th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He signed an entry-level contract with the team on October 2, 2014, after appearing in a preseason game with the Flyers.
