(Craig Nykyforuk/ Supplied)

By Ian Gustafson

Family Ties

Living with the Nuge: Former Rebels billet family cheering on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in Stanley Cup Final

Jun 9, 2025 | 7:00 AM

Craig Nykyforuk still fondly remembers the first time he met Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Prior to the 2009-10 season, Rebels assistant coach Dallas Gaume, who lived nearby the Nykyforuk family, asked them to take in a new kid the team had drafted from Burnaby, B.C.

Not knowing much about him, other than that he was expected to be an exceptional player, he obliged.

Next thing he knew, a skinny, quiet kid came walking up his driveway to introduce himself. At first, Nykyforuk had thought he was one of Gaume’s sons friends.

“He looked like the paper boy,” Nykyforuk said.

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Little did he know, that kid, who couldn’t have weighed more than 160 pounds at the time, would go on to become one of the best players to ever suit up for the Red Deer Rebels and one day compete for a Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.

The Nykyforuk family had just finished billeting for Landon Ferraro, who also went on to a career in the NHL.

They welcomed Nugent-Hopkins with open arms and it didn’t take them long to realize he was a fantastic person and a special player.

“We went on to watch some games including the black and white game and I was sitting with his father Roger and I said, ‘he’s so small he’s going to get killed out there.’ His father then said, ‘Oh no, he’s been small most of his minor hockey career, he’s pretty slippery.’ Sure enough, he had a great game and training camp and stayed with the Rebels,” Nykyforuk said.

Drafted first overall in the 2008 WHL Prospects Draft by the Rebels, he went on to win Rookie of the Year and spent two full seasons in Red Deer playing in 141 regular season games where he notched 57 goals and 120 assists for 177 points. He added 13 points in 13 playoff games.

He had a ton of expectations entering the league as one of the games top prospects. He was expected to perform at a high level and Nykyforuk said the youngster handled it like a professional.

“He wasn’t pouty and he didn’t go off into the corner. I’m sure the pressure affected him but I think that was the good thing about coming back to our house. He could be a kid again and him and Scott would head to the movie room and play video games. They would just be teenage kids and not the players that we see.”

And just like in junior, he was selected first overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft to the Edmonton Oilers where he remains today as the longest tenured player on the roster.

The 32-year-old has suited up for the orange and blue for 14 seasons losing in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers in seven games in 2024.

This time around, the Oilers hope to end Canada’s 32-year Stanley Cup drought.

“Last year was heartbreaking as a fan and we felt bad for Ryan. He’s been plugging along with that team for forever and then they were off two goals in Game 7,” he added.

“At the same point, we’re pretty proud of everything he does. He doesn’t get the accolades that McDavid and Draisaitl get but he’s a key component and the hockey people know that.”

Nugent-Hopkins has been on one of the teams top playoff performers during this years run to the finals. He’s been reliable on the defensive end, in the faceoff circle, and offensively with 18 points in 18 games. It’s the most he’s had in the playoffs since last year when he recorded 22 points in 25 games.

He also reached the 100-point marker for the first time just two years ago.

“He’s having a phenomenal year,” Nykyforuk said. “You can tell he’s a veteran player because he just has that confidence. He knows his capability and makes the right play… He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now.”

Nykyforuk grew up an Oilers fans after growing up in a small town east of the city. His parents have also been Oilers season ticket holders since 1981.

To see Ryan get drafted by his favourite team was a thrill for the whole family.

“We went to the prospects camp in Penticton and did really well. He then got called up by the Oilers so he’s playing in the preseason and the regular season. I remember we were watching a game on our phone and he got a hat trick against [former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo]. I just looked at my wife and said, “he ain’t coming back [to Red Deer].”

(Craig Nykyforuk/ Supplied)

Nykyforuk, his wife Kim and two kids Scott and Brynn, billeted for the Rebels for 14 years and stopped following the 2015-16 season. The last player they had living with them was Haydn Fleury who is now a member of the Winnipeg Jets and has played in the NHL full-time since 2018.

They made a home for seven kids over that time.

To this day, the Nykyforuk family remain close with Nugent-Hopkins, and stay in touch with his parents Debbie and Roger.

They’re also extremely proud of not only the player Ryan has become, but the man.

“The City of Edmonton just loves him, he’s the adopted son of the community. I’m proud of him. He’s taken his career to that level and the only thing that’s missing now is a Stanley Cup.”