Six Current ECHL Players with NHL Connections

From father-son-duos to brothers on ice, The Hockey News names six current ECHL players with family connections in the National Hockey League.

The sport of hockey is smaller than we might think.

Athleticism and the drive to compete tend to run in the family. No surprise then to find that a love and passion for the game can carry down generations, and pass from sibling to sibling in a given household.

From the Sedin twins to the Stastny family and Foligno clan, there is a long list of what we call 'hockey families', whose name is synonymous with the sport. 

The Hockey News runs through the ranks of the ECHL and finds connections between current players in the league and family connections either currently playing or having already left an indelible mark, in the National Hockey League. 

D.J. King - NHL Connection: Derek King

Rising 22-year-old defenseman D.J. King recently signed a new deal with the Norfolk Admirals.

He began the 2022-23 season with the Fort Wayne Komets, suiting up in four games, before being traded to Norfolk on November 4th, finishing the season with seven assists in 55 games.

King was a U.S. National Development Team member from 2016-18, going on to play three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Hamilton Bulldogs and Saginaw Spirit.

King's father, Derek King, played over 800 games in the NHL before transitioning to coaching. King Sr. scored 612 points in 830 games for the New York Islanders, Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St. Loius Blues before his move behind the bench. 

He spent time coaching in the AHL and OHL level before joining the Chicago Blackhawks organization, where he's stepped up as an interim head coach, and currently serves as the club's assistant coach. 

Adam Samuelsson - NHL Connection: Ulf Samuelsson

Newly signed Atlanta Gladiators defenseman Adam Samuelsson, like King, has a father who spent significant time at the NHL level.

Samuelsson, 23, played one year of junior hockey with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL in 2019-20, amassing 17 points (3g-14a) and a +3 rating in 43 games. Following two seasons in Sweden, he'd begin his ECHL career in 2022-23 with the Tulsa Oilers, recording three points in 21 games with the club before being traded to the Fort Wayne Komets, then to the Newfoundland Growlers. 

Adam's father, Ulf, was an at-times controversial agitator who nevertheless found success at the highest level in the game.

Amassing 332 points across 1080 games with a whopping 2453 penalty minutes in his NHL career, Samuelsson played for the Whalers, Red Wings, Penguins, Rangers, and Flyers across 19 seasons. He'd win back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992.

He would transition to coaching, serving behind the bench in various North American and Swedish leagues. He most recently served as an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers. 

Matt Vernon - NHL Connection: Mike Vernon

Soon-to-be Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Vernon had a sparkling 20-year career as a goaltender in the NHL. His son, Matt, has also taken up the pads and mask.

Matt Vernon, 25, recently signed with the Jacksonville Icemen after beginning his professional career last season with the Reading Royals. He went 0-1-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a 0.904 save percentage in his two outings with the Royals.

Prior to the transition to the pros, Vernon played at Colorado College where he tallied 19 wins, with five shutouts, a 3.02 goals-against average, and a .901 save percentage. He played two seasons with the North American Hockey League’s Aberdeen Wings where he collected 57 wins, including a 40-win season with seven shutouts during the 2018-19 year.

His father Mike Vernon, was a fixture between the pipes for two decades. Vernon first won a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and again with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, where he was also named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Vernon played for the Flames, Red Wings, Sharks, and Panthers across 700 NHL games.

He will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this November.

Matthew Barnaby - NHL Connection: Matthew Barnaby Sr. 

Does the scrappy apple fall far from the tree?

Matthew Barnaby (Jr.) joins his father Matthew Barnaby (Sr.) in life as a pro hockey player. 

The young Barnaby, 25, recently joined the defending Kelly Cup Champion Florida Everblades after suiting up for division rivals Orlando Solar Bears, last season. The native of Buffalo, New York appeared in 42 games for Orlando in 2022-23, scoring five goals and seven assists. 

He's entering his third ECHL season after debuting with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2021 and spending 2021-22 with the Fort Wayne Komets. He sports 10 goals and 12 assists across 76 ECHL games.

He began his pro career in the SPHL, starting in 2019 with the Evansville Thunderbolts and finishing 2021 with the Huntsville Havoc, compiling 27 goals and 32 assists in 67 games

Barnaby’s father, Matthew Sr., was a known commodity and pesky presence who played 834 NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, and Dallas Stars. He earned 113 goals and 300 points across his big league career (including 22 points through 62 playoff games), with a whopping 2,562 penalty minutes.

Kenny Johnson - NHL Connection: Jack Johnson

Brothers who play together stay together. The first of our pair of brother duos with ECHL-NHL connections is none other than Kenny and Jack Johnson.

Kenny Johnson, fresh off a new contract with the Orlando Solar Bears, appeared in seven ECHL games last season, five of which came for Orlando after he was claimed off waivers on April 7. He recorded his first professional point on a goal against the Savannah Ghost Pirates late in the 2022-23 season.

The 25-year-old played his collegiate hockey at Penn State University from 2019-23, appearing in 40 games and scoring five points (1g-4a). During his junior season, Johnson was named 2021-22 Academic All-Big Ten Honoree.

Big brother Jack has played in over 1,000 NHL games. 

Drafted third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Johnson has gone to work putting up over 300 points in 1,107 NHL games across stints with the Kings, Blue Jackets, Ranges, Blackhawks, Penguins, and twice with his current club the Colorado Avalanche, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2022.

Cole Ceci - NHL Connection: Cody Ceci 

The Ceci brothers may have both gone down the path together to pro hockey, but their roles in the game are vastly different.

Cole Ceci, newly signed to the Maine Mariners as a goaltender, spent the last three seasons at York University, compiling a record of 15-23-1 with a 3.57 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage. 

Prior to college, he competed in the OHL, the 25-year-old played for the Hamilton Bulldogs, Guelph Storm, Oshawa Generals, and Erie Otters.

His brother, Cody Ceci, a defenseman, has been a mainstay in the NHL since 2013, appearing in over 700 games with the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and most recently the Edmonton Oilers. 

He won gold alongside Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championships in Russia.

_{What are some current ECHL-NHL connections we may have missed? Let us know on Twitter at @HockeyNewsECHL}