Hockey

Eleven Jewish hockey players to watch in the NHL this season

A handful of players with reported Jewish heritage either practice another religion or have unconfirmed Jewish status, with a number of Jewish players also beginning the season in the AHL.

|ByJACOB GURVIS/JTA
A detail of the NHL logo is seen on a referee's jersey during the game between the Seattle Kraken and the Anaheim Ducks at Climate Pledge Arena on January 23, 2026 in Seattle, Washington; Illustrative.
(L-R, clockwise): Deni Avdija, Oscar Gloukh, Zach Hyman, Matt Turner, and Daniel Peretz

No. 50: Deni Avdija, Matt Turner, Zach Hyman, Oscar Gloukh, and Daniel Peretz

Five athletes carrying Jewish and Israeli pride onto the world stage.

|ByURIEL STURM
Jerusalem's capitals and Ashdod's Dolphins played a close game, keeping us on the edge of our seats all night.

A trip to the 'boy aquarium': Discovering Israel's thriving hockey scene

I’ll admit, this was the first time I’ve ever watched a sports game of any kind in my adult life, and I could not believe how much fun it was.

|BySHIR PERETS
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) raises the the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena, June 14, 2026.

Carolina Hurricanes beat Golden Knights to win hockey's 2026 Stanley Cup, Staal named playoff MVP

"It's amazing, this is something I've been going after since we got the first one," said Staal, who was traded to Carolina in June 2012.

|ByREUTERS

Hockey in Holon: Ice sport takes over Holy Land despite heat

Walk into Ice Peaks in Holon for a game and you’ll find players with tzitzit flying, skating around, playing against their Israeli peers or even foreign professionals. 

AUGUST 26, 2021ByBEN BARUCH
Holon Vipers forward Yan Raskin protects the puck from Bat Yam Dolphins defenseman Jake Nowry

Son of Israeli immigrants, hockey player Shai Buium to be drafted to NHL

18-year-old hockey star Shai Buium has recently been drafted to the Detroit Red Wings.

JULY 29, 2021ByJORDAN PIKE
May 8, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; A view of the official NHL puck on the ice during a face-off between a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings in the third period at Nationwide Arena.

These 3 hockey-playing Jewish brothers just made NHL history

Luke Hughes has become the third brother in his hockey-playing Jewish family to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft.

JULY 27, 2021ByEVELYN FRICK/JTA
(Illustrative) New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod (20) celebrates his goal with the bench of the New Jersey Devils against the New York Islanders during the second period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 2021.

Jewish Montrealer Devon Levi represents Canada in WJC as starting goalie

Often acting as an important platform for a career in the NHL, success in the World Juniors has helped launch the careers of many hockey greats.

JANUARY 5, 2021ByCODY LEVINE
Team Canada winning the Gold Medal at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship

This inspiring NHL draft pick isn’t Jewish, but he has a Yiddish name

One former Flyer says Wisdom’s story has the potential to make him an instant fan favorite.

OCTOBER 9, 2020ByGABE FRIEDMAN/JTA
Jun 21, 2019; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Jack Hughes puts on a team jersey after being selected as the number one overall pick to the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena.

Israel's hockey team captain to play with the Polish Auschwitz team

Eliezer Sherbatov, 28, signed last week to the local team in Oswiecim, the Polish name for Auschwitz.

AUGUST 10, 2020ByPHILISSA CRAMER/JTA
Hockey Canada Israel

Award-winning hockey documentary ‘The Russian Five’ set for Israel premiere

A in-depth look at Stanley Cup-winning Detroit Red Wings Russian line of Fetisov, Fedorov, Konstantinov, Larionov and Kozlov

NOVEMBER 29, 2019ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
A 1996 file photo shows the Detroit Red Wings Russian line of (from left) Slava Fetisov, Sergei Fedorov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Igor Larionov and Vyacheslav Kozlov. The so-called ‘Russian Five’ are the subject of the hit documentary of the same name that will be premiering in Israel next week.

First Jewish player to be drafted No. 1 overall by the NHL

Jack Hughes, even at 18, is no stranger to making history. And now he’s done it again.

JUNE 26, 2019ByMARC BRODTSKY/JTA
Jun 21, 2019; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Jack Hughes puts on a team jersey after being selected as the number one overall pick to the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena.