Kyler Kupka’s Hockey Journey: From Alberta to St. Cloud to the Stingrays

Falling in Love with Hockey in Hay Lakes

Stingrays forward Kyler Kupka grew up in Hay Lakes, Alberta, a small town of fewer than 500 people, where hockey quickly became his passion. With an outdoor rink just across the street from his home, Kupka's father, Randy, took care of the ice, creating the perfect environment for Kyler to start skating.

"My dad would flood the rink and take care of it," Kupka recalled. "That's where it all started when I was probably as little as two or three years old."

Kupka's older brother, Matt, sparked his interest in hockey by playing with him on the outdoor rink. Kupka began playing organized hockey in nearby New Sarepta at four years old. His dream, however, was to play for the Camrose Kodiaks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), a goal he accomplished years later.

"I always wanted to play for the Camrose Kodiaks," Kupka said. "Growing up, my friends and I went to every single home game—that was the thing to do in our town. To finally play for them was a dream come true."

St. Cloud State University: Building Lifelong Bonds

After his AJHL career, Kupka spent five memorable years (2019-2024) playing NCAA Division I hockey at St. Cloud State University. During his time there, the Huskies achieved several milestones, including their first national championship appearance in 2021 and an NCHC title in 2023.

Kupka knew St. Cloud was the right fit after just one visit.

"When they reached out to me, they were ranked number one in the country," he said. "I visited during my Christmas break, went to a game, and the atmosphere was unbelievable. I knew right away that St. Cloud was where I wanted to be."

In Kupka's time at St. Cloud, he forged strong bonds with Spencer Meier, Micah Miller, and Grant Cruikshank, three players he would later play with in South Carolina. 

Kupka, Miller, and Cruikshank spent most of the 2022-23 season playing on the same forward line. That season was Cruikshank's only season at St. Cloud State, but he got to know Kupka well, as the two were also roommates.

"I feel like both of us are kind of hockey nerds. Hockey is kind of all we think about," Cruikshank said. Whether we're watching other college games or other NHL games, we're trying to incorporate what we see in film or in other games into our own style of play. I think that's one thing that really worked well for us. We talked hockey all the time, and I think that really fed into our chemistry on the ice because we always felt like we knew where each other would be."

One thing that helped St. Cloud's team chemistry was their time together away from the rink. In 2022-23, Miller and Meier lived across the street from Kupka and Cruikshank. 

Miller recalled all the times Kupka would get competitive when they played video games. "We played a lot of NHL on the Xbox, and I would always destroy Spencer, but Kyler was alright. I'd beat him most of the time, though," Miller joked. "We were competitive with everything we did. On the ice, playing video games, whatever it was. We would get fired up sometimes, but it was all good fun."

According to Cruikshank, Kupka's competitiveness helped make him and Miller better when the three played together.

"When you see him working so hard, it only makes you want to push just as hard and try to keep up with him," Cruikshank said. "Playing on a line with Kyler and Micah, I felt like all three of us were essentially trying to keep up with each other's work ethic. Our emphasis was that we were going to outwork other teams. Kyler makes so many nice plays, and he definitely made our line better because he was so good around the net and good on the walls. He made a lot of plays that maybe the average fan wouldn't really recognize, but certainly, when you play on a line with him, you recognize it, and it made our line so much better."

St. Cloud State Assistant Coach RJ Enga, who coaches the forwards and worked with Kupka for three seasons, said Kupka, Miller, and Cruikshank complimented each other well.

"Micah provided a lot of speed and was excellent at getting in on forechecks, Grant could really shoot the puck, and Kyler could do a little bit of everything. His stick was so good, and his subtle puck touches—like those little five-foot passes—made him so effective. He makes lots of subtle plays that sometimes go unnoticed," Enga said.

Kupka cherished the opportunity to play alongside his close friends, especially during their NCHC championship-winning season in 2022-23. Kupka was especially happy for Meier, Miller, and Cruikshank because it was their fifth and final year of NCAA eligibility.

"It was special to win with the close group we had that year," Kupka said. "That was Spencer and Micah's fifth year at St. Cloud and Grant's fifth year playing college hockey. It was kind of like their last kick at the can. It was cool to win something and take something home for the guys leaving that year."

Joining the Stingrays

In 2023-24, Kupka had the best individual season of his college career and was a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award, which annually goes to college hockey's top player. Meanwhile, Meier, who had captained St. Cloud State for the previous three seasons, was playing his first professional season in South Carolina. After Kupka's season ended, Meier played a key role in recruiting Kupka to join the Stingrays in March 2024 for the end of their regular season.

"Spencer is honestly the biggest reason I came here last year," Kupka said. "He couldn't say enough good things about the organization, the coaching staff, and the guys. He went on and on forever about how much he loved playing here. He would tell me all the time."

Meier, one of Kupka's best friends, was thrilled when Kupka put pen to paper with the Stingrays.

"I was so pumped when he signed. I was excited for him because I knew he would love it," Meier said. "We had a great group of guys last year, and he was coming to a great organization. I knew he was a really good player. I was actually shocked that he didn't get an AHL deal. I thought we were getting a steal."

Kupka made an immediate impact in the seven games he played for the Stingrays at the end of the 2023-24 season, tallying four points (two goals, two assists). 

Thriving in Charleston

Stingrays Head Coach Jared Nightingale is in his first season with the team, but he watched recordings of Kupka's games with the team last season. Nightingale decided to bring Kupka back for the 2024-25 season. 

"Watching the few games he played here last year, right away you see his skating and talent," Nightingale said. "It's really important to have high-quality rookies in this league, and he has definitely surpassed my expectations. We're really happy to have him on board. I love his humility and his compete. He's a guy who I think deserves to play in the American Hockey League, hopefully soon."

Cruikshank and Miller signed AHL contracts with the Hershey Bears, and both players have spent time with the Stingrays this season. Meier initially signed with the Stingrays for the 2024-25 season but announced his retirement from hockey before the start of the season. 

Miller is currently with the Stingrays, and Cruikshank began the season in South Carolina before Hershey recalled him on November 19. Kupka has relished the opportunity to play with his former college linemates.

"It's fun to play with them because we have that comfortability. We push each other on the ice, which is something we take from our Husky days," Kupka said.

Miller has appreciated having a familiar face on the team this season.

"Having Kyler, who I've already played with for four years, it felt like I already had a good friend on the team, and it just made it easier to assimilate," Miller shared.

The Stingrays currently sit in second place in the South Division standings with 39 points, and Kupka is a significant reason for this. He has skated in all 30 of South Carolina's games this season, leading the Stingrays in goals (13), points (28), and +/- (+16) this season. His 13 goals are the second most among all ECHL rookies. 

It is early in the 6-0 185 lb forward's career, but one thing is clear: Kupka has loved his time in South Carolina and is excited about the rest of the season. 

"I've had a lot of fun this year. Nighty has been a great coach—one of the best coaches I've ever had. I love him, and he has a way of motivating our group every night.  I think he's a big reason why we're having success and I can't wait to see what this group can accomplish in the second half of the season," Kupka said.

Meier, meanwhile, has been proud of the growth he has seen from his former college teammate.

"What I love about St. Cloud is that everyone comes out of that program as a leader," Meier said. "They're not necessarily vocal or a 'rah-rah' guy, but they're all going to do the right things, and they're going to compete the right way, and people gravitate towards that. I think St. Cloud creates leaders and Kyler is going to be a leader. He's a great person, and he's going to continue to have success."