Same Name, Different Game: Matthew Barnaby Jr. Forges His Own Path

Growing up in the shadow of a dad who played more than 13 seasons in the NHL can feel like having massive skates to fill. However, that isn't the case for 28-year-old Matthew Barnaby Jr., who is carving out his own path in professional hockey.

His father, Matthew Barnaby Sr., made a career out of stirring the pot and getting under opponents' skin, but Junior isn't a carbon copy of his dad.

"I try to play a more skilled game than my dad, although I do think my dad was a great player in his own right," Barnaby Jr. said.

It's an assessment his father agrees with.

"I always say I'm the tougher player. He's the more skilled player. He's got better hands. He's got a better shot," Barnaby Sr. said.

While their playing styles are polar opposites, hockey has always been common ground between the two. For Junior, growing up around NHL rinks and dressing rooms was the norm. It wasn't until he was around seven years old that he began realizing his dad wasn't like everybody else's dad.

That realization became clearer when Barnaby Sr. was playing for the Dallas Stars, as Junior began to fully understand his father's role in the NHL.

"You just kind of begin to understand that your dad does something different than some other people's dads," Barnaby Jr. said. "He plays a game for a living."

While Junior was beginning to understand his father's career, Senior was juggling parental responsibilities with the demanding schedule of an NHL player.

Barnaby Sr. credits his ex-wife, Christine, for holding down the fort and helping raise Junior and his sister, Taylor, while he was away playing hockey.

"I have to thank my ex-wife. She's a tremendous mom and I think she gave me the opportunity just to play hockey," Barnaby Sr. said. "She was at home with the kids for 80 percent of the time."

Barnaby Sr. acknowledged that when he returned home from road trips, he was able to enjoy simply being a dad.

"When I came home, it was just to be the fun dad," Barnaby Sr. said.

However, the father-son duo's shared passion for hockey helped fuel their relationship.

Senior recalled a time when Junior was attending Saint Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo. Despite the blistering Buffalo temperatures, the two would head to an outdoor rink before sunrise to get some extra ice time.

"I'd pull up the car at 5 o'clock in the morning on an outdoor rink and flash the lights and we'd go out and skate for an hour before school and he'd throw his suit and throw his tie on and he'd go to school," Barnaby Sr. said.

Those early morning skating sessions weren't just about improving Junior as a hockey player. They were also about instilling a work ethic that would follow him throughout his career, a trait that both Barnabys still preach and practice today.

"Our entire relationship growing up was all work ethic at the rink. That was the only thing he cared about. And, if I tried my best, he was happy with any result," Barnaby Jr. said.

That message was something Barnaby Sr. emphasized throughout his son's development, believing success wasn't simply about natural talent but also about being willing to outwork the competition.

The message still rings clear today.

"You better work twice as hard as the next person," Barnaby Sr. said.

Outworking the person ahead of or beside him has become a part of Junior's identity on the ice as he navigates his way through professional hockey in the ECHL with the Norfolk Admirals.

While hard work has played an important role in his development, Junior understands that confidence is just as important when competing against other talented players.

"Playing with confidence is the best attribute that you can have, especially playing here," Barnaby Jr. said. "There's so many good players. So, you have to think that you belong here."

While Junior continues to gain confidence and make a name for himself in professional hockey, his father is experiencing the game from a different perspective.

After spending more than a decade throwing hands and accumulating over 2,000 penalty minutes in the NHL, Barnaby Sr. now finds himself watching his son navigate the challenges of professional hockey.

The tables have turned, and it's now Senior's turn to cheer on his son as Junior's career progresses.

The father-son duo talks almost daily, whether it's about hockey or simply life in general.

"I talk to my dad almost every day. But it's not all hockey. We obviously have a strong bond with that, but it's more than that," Barnaby Jr. said.

Barnaby Sr. echoed his son's comments, explaining that despite the demands of professional hockey, the two remain in constant communication.

"We FaceTime every single day after practice or, before a game and after a game," Barnaby Sr. said.

While hockey continues to be a common bond between the two, both understand that their relationship extends far beyond the rink. Whether Junior is playing professionally or pursuing another path in life, their bond as father and son remains unchanged.

"If he never picked up a stick, it wouldn't matter," Barnaby Sr. said.

"At the end of the day, he's my son."

For Senior, watching his son pursue his own professional hockey career is something he can take pride in. However, the lessons learned during those early morning skating sessions in Buffalo have helped mold more than just Junior's career on the ice.

From the outdoor rinks of Buffalo to the professional ranks of the ECHL, the two have shared a journey built on hard work, dedication and a love for the game.

Despite growing up in the shadow of a father who spent more than a decade in the NHL, Junior has never felt the need to follow in his footsteps.

Instead, he's focused on making a name for himself.