8 Nova Scotians begin season with NHL teams

In Canada, the first week of the National Hockey League season is an exciting time for fans. It's their first chance to see how their favourite team looks in games that really matter.

For Nova Scotia hockey fans, it's also a time to see what homegrown talent is now playing in the league.

Here's a look at the eight Nova Scotians who are starting the season on NHL rosters.

Sidney Crosby

Cole Harbour's Crosby is no longer a kid as he starts his 19th NHL season at the age of 36.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion didn't show any signs of slowing down last year, but his Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs.

Crosby scored a goal in Pittsburgh's season opener this week in a loss against young star Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Nathan MacKinnon

Cole Harbour's Nathan MacKinnon, now 28, is in the prime of his career. His combination of speed, strength and skill make him one of the hardest players to defend against in the league.

The Colorado Avalanche are being predicted by many to win the Stanley Cup this year, a feat they pulled off two seasons ago.

There is an interesting twist for MacKinnon this season as he has been reunited with his former Halifax Mooseheads linemate Jonathan Drouin. The two were unstoppable when they led the Mooseheads to their only Memorial Cup title in 2013.

Brad Marchand

Brad Marchand of Hammonds Plains is wearing a C on his jersey this year. The Boston Bruins recently named the 35-year-old as their new captain. He replaces the retired Patrice Bergeron.

While he's been suspended numerous times throughout his career, Marchand's game has matured, one of the reasons he was named captain.

Not one to hold back on his comments, Marchand came out swinging this week and spoke out against the NHL's decision that bans players from using rainbow-coloured tape during warmups on Pride nights.

Drake Batherson

This just might be the year Drake Batherson breaks out with the Ottawa Senators.

With family roots in both the Annapolis Valley and Cape Breton, Batherson will be leaned on heavily in Ottawa this season as the young Senators look to make the playoffs for the first time since Batherson joined the team in 2019.

The 25-year-old scored a career high 22 goals last season, but a 30-goal season would surprise very few.

Ryan Graves

Ryan Graves of Yarmouth is getting a fresh start this season, joining Crosby in Pittsburgh.

The lanky 28-year-old defenceman was a late bloomer to the NHL, but is now entering his fifth full season after spending two seasons in Colorado and the last two with New Jersey.

Graves and Batherson both played for Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championships in Finland, where the team brought home silver after losing to the host Finns in overtime in the gold-medal game.

Morgan and Justin Barron

Halifax's Barron brothers made Nova Scotia hockey history last season when they became the first brothers from Nova Scotia to make the NHL.

Morgan, a 24-year-old forward with the Winnipeg Jets, played in 70 games last season. His brother Justin, 21, is a defenceman with the Montreal Canadiens.

He split last season between Montreal and their AHL team in Laval, but went on to win the gold medal with Canada at the world championship tournament.

While he starts the season on Montreal's roster, he did not play in the team's opener this week in Toronto.

The brothers took opposite routes to get to the NHL with Morgan playing college hockey at Cornell while Justin played major junior in Halifax.

Liam O'Brien

While most of his pro career has been played in the minors, Halifax's Liam O'Brien is beginning his third full season in the desert with the Arizona Coyotes.

Known as a rugged player, O'Brien amassed 220 penalty minutes in just 95 games over the last two seasons.

He made his NHL debut in 2014 with the Washington Capitals and got into a fight in his first game.