Nicolas Aubé-Kubel’s hockey path has taken a sharp turn from NHL grinder to KHL newcomer, but the broad strokes of his career still tell the story of a player who climbed all the way to the top. At 30, the forward from Slave Lake, Alberta, is now with Dinamo Minsk in the Kontinental Hockey League, and he’s making the move with his young family.
That’s a different reality from the one he was living not long ago in Colorado, where he hit his peak in 2021-22. Aubé-Kubel appeared in 67 regular-season games for the Avalanche that year, scored 11 goals, and won the Stanley Cup. For a player who had spent years working his way through the minors and trying to stick in the NHL, that season was the payoff.
The Philadelphia Flyers had drafted him in the second round of the 2014 NHL Draft, and his route through the league was anything but linear. He went from the Val-d’Or Foreurs to the Flyers, Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers, and Minnesota Wild, with plenty of AHL time mixed in along the way. He never settled into a long-term NHL role, even after showing he could help a contender.
His stint with the Maple Leafs was especially short. He signed a one-year deal before the 2022-23 season to bring some physical edge to the fourth line, but he played only six games, put up no points, and was then claimed off waivers by the Capitals.
Last season, Aubé-Kubel was back on the NHL fringe again. He played six games for the Wild and recorded two assists, while doing much more damage offensively in the AHL with Iowa, where he put up 37 points in 62 games.
Now he’s in Minsk on a one-year contract with Dinamo Minsk for the 2026-27 season, and the early returns have been solid: four goals and two assists in his first seven games, according to available statistics.
What makes this move stand out is the life around it. His wife’s Instagram account, Aubé Abroad, has offered a look at the family’s transition to Minsk, giving the story a personal layer that goes beyond a simple roster move.
With two young children in tow, this isn’t just about finding a new team. It’s about adjusting to a new country, a new home, and a different day-to-day life.
Aubé-Kubel’s career is a reminder that not every pro hockey story ends with a permanent NHL job. He’s already won the Stanley Cup, already played on the sport’s biggest stage, and now he’s carving out the next chapter in a different league with his family alongside him.
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For fans, the appeal is obvious: more places to catch the Wild, whether the game lands on KSTP, KSTC 45 or ESPN. The wrinkle is the same one that has shadowed FuboTV for a while, since TNT is still not part of its channel lineup, which leaves a handful of upcoming Wild broadcasts out of reach for subscribers who rely on that service. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Put Carson Lambos Back In The Spotlight Before Tonights Game
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Drafted by Minnesota in the first round in 2021, Lambos has logged four games with Iowa this season and already has a taste of the NHL after making his debut in December 2025. Now he gets another chance to re-enter the picture, and with the Wild choosing to bring him up before tonights game, the spotlight is back on a prospect the team has invested in for years. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Hartman Is Becoming A Bigger Wild Problem Than Expected
Ryan Hartmans start to the season has only added to the sense that the Wild have a real issue brewing down the middle. The veteran center has just one point in his first seven games, a sharp drop from the level hes usually provided, and his ice time and defensive numbers have both trended the wrong way as Minnesota tries to settle its lineup.
The concern is bigger than a slow October, though, because Hartman is entering the final year of his contract while trade chatter keeps circling. The Red Wings have come up in that conversation, but any move would have to navigate his 10-team no-trade clause, which gives him real leverage as the Wild weigh whether to ride it out or explore a change before the season gets any further along. [Read more 🡒]