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List of countries with their first National Hockey League player

April 10, 2024

The globalization of the National Hockey League has been occurring since its inception. The early years saw a largely Canadian league, with some Americans playing. As the league progressed it experienced an influx of European players, at first from Western European countries such as Sweden. After the fall of Communism, players from Eastern European countries, such as the former Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union, joined the league. The NHL eventually saw fewer European players, but more players from Canada and the United States. Today the NHL has players from five continents. The following is a list of countries and the first person born there that played in the National Hockey League. These players are not necessarily the first citizen of each respective country to play in the NHL, as nationality is determined under a nation's nationality law and may differ. Additionally, some countries have had citizens play in the NHL, but have never had a native-born player reach the league.

Most statistical sources in the sport follow the convention of the Hockey Hall of Fame in classifying players by the currently existing countries in which their birthplaces are located.

Current countries edit

Country of birth Name Debut year
  Australia Nathan Walker[1] 2017–18
  Austria Reinhard Divis[2] 2001–02[3]
  Bahamas Andre Deveaux[4] 2008–09[5]
  Belarus John Miszuk[note 1] 1963–64[6]
  Belgium Jan Benda[7] 1997–98[8]
  Bulgaria Alexandar Georgiev[note 2] 2017–18[9]
  Brazil Mike Greenlay 1989–90[10]
  Brunei Craig Adams[note 3] 2000–01[11]
  Canada Multiple: all but one participant of the first NHL game were Canadian born 1917–18[12]
  Croatia Goran Bezina[note 4] 2003–04[13]
  Czech Republic Jaroslav Jirik[note 5][14] 1969–70[15]
  Denmark Poul Popiel 1965–66[16]
  Estonia Leo Komarov[17][note 6] 2012–13[18]
  Finland Albert Pudas[19][note 7] 1926–27[20]
  France Andre Peloffy 1974–75[21]
  Germany Walt Tkaczuk[22][note 8] 1967–68[23]
  Haiti Claude Vilgrain[24] 1987–88[25]
  Indonesia Richie Regehr 2005–06[26]
  Ireland Jack Riley[note 9] 1932–33[27]
  Italy Nelson DeBenedet 1973–74[28]
  Jamaica Graeme Townshend[29] 1989–90[30]
  Japan Yutaka Fukufuji[31] 2006–07[32]
  Kazakhstan Konstantin Shafranov[note 10] 1996–97[33]
  Latvia Charlie Cotch[note 11] 1924–25[34]
  Lebanon Ed Hatoum[35] 1968–69[36]
  Lithuania Darius Kasparaitis[note 12] 1992–93[37]
  Netherlands Ed Kea 1973–74[38]
  Nigeria Rumun Ndur[39] 1996–97[40]
  Norway Bill Johansen 1949–50[41]
  Paraguay Willi Plett 1975–76[42]
  Poland Joe Jerwa[note 13] 1930–31[43]
  Republic of China (Taiwan) Rod Langway[44] 1978–79[45]
  Russia Sweeney Schriner[note 14][46] 1934–35[47]
  Serbia Stan Smrke[48][note 15] 1956–57[49]
  Slovakia Stan Mikita[note 16] 1958–59[50]
  Slovenia Anze Kopitar[51][note 17] 2006–07[52]
  South Africa Olaf Kolzig 1989–90[53]
  South Korea Jim Paek[54] 1990–91[55]
  Sweden Gus Forslund[56] 1932–33[57]
   Switzerland Mark Hardy 1979–80[58]
  Tanzania Chris Nielsen 2000–01[59]
  United Kingdom Joe Hall[60] 1917–18[61]
  United States George Geran 1917–18[62]
  Ukraine Vic Hoffinger[note 18] 1927–28[63]
  Venezuela Rick Chartraw[64] 1974–75[65]
  Uzbekistan Arthur Kaliyev[66] 2020–21

Former countries edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Miszuk was born in the Byelorussian SSR of the former USSR, which became the country of Belarus in 1991.
  2. ^ Georgiev was born in Bulgaria, but represented Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
  3. ^ Adams was born in Brunei prior to its independence from the UK, while it was still a protectorate
  4. ^ Bezina was born in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in the territory now known as Croatia.
  5. ^ Jirik was born in the former area of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia which was part of Nazi Germany. It occupied most of the territory now known as the Czech Republic.
  6. ^ Komarov was born in the Estonian SSR of the former USSR, which became the country of Estonia in 1991. However, he represents Finland.
  7. ^ Pudas was born in the former area of the Grand Duchy of Finland which was part of the Russian Empire. It occupied the territory now known as Finland.
  8. ^ Tkaczuk was born in the Bizone, the combination of the American and British occupation zones of Germany following the defeat of the Nazi regime in World War II.
  9. ^ Riley was born in Ireland while it was a constituent country of the United Kingdom.
  10. ^ Shafranov was born in the Kazakh SSR of the former USSR, which became the country of Kazakhstan in 1991.
  11. ^ Cotch was born in the Russian Empire, in territory now known as Latvia.
  12. ^ Kasparaitis was born in the Lithuanian SSR of the former USSR, which became the country of Lithuania in 1990.
  13. ^ Jerwa was born in the former country of the Russian Empire, in territory that is now known as Poland.
  14. ^ Schriner was born in the former country of the Russian Empire, in territory that is now Russia.
  15. ^ Smrke was born in the [[Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes]], in territory that is now known as Serbia.
  16. ^ Mikita was born in the Slovak Republic (1939-1945), a puppet state of Nazi Germany which occupied most of the territory now known as Slovakia.
  17. ^ Kopitar was born in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in territory that is now Slovenia.
  18. ^ Hoffinger was born in the Russian Empire, in territory now known as Ukraine
  19. ^ Not to be confused with the modern day Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
  20. ^ Not to be confused with modern day Russia.
  21. ^ Not to be confused with modern day Slovakia.
  22. ^ Not to be confused with either the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
  23. ^ Not to be confused with either the Kingdom of Yugoslavia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

References edit

  1. ^ NHL goes mad for 'Thunder from Down Under' Nathan Walker after Aussie scores first goal for St Louis Blues
  2. ^ The 2011 Invitees: Part One in a Two-Part Epic
  3. ^ Reinhard Divis
  4. ^ Andre Deveaux
  5. ^ Andre Deveaux
  6. ^ a b John Miszuk
  7. ^ SIHR – Global Hockey Facts: Belgium 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Jan Benda
  9. ^ https://www.newsday.com/amp/news/region-state/niemi-canadiens-defeat-rangers-3-1-to-snap-6-game-skid-1.16918700
  10. ^ Mike Greenlay
  11. ^ Craig Adams
  12. ^ Rosters of First NHL game
  13. ^ Goran Bezina
  14. ^ "First Czech NHL player dies in plane crash". Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  15. ^ Jaroslav Jirik
  16. ^ Poul Popiel
  17. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
  18. ^ Leo Komarov
  19. ^ Albert Pudas
  20. ^ Albert Pudas
  21. ^ Andre Peloffy
  22. ^ LA Kings News Clips 12–23–10
  23. ^ Walt Tkaczuk
  24. ^ Earthquake hits home for Vilgrain
  25. ^ Claude Vilgrain
  26. ^ Richie Regehr
  27. ^ "Jack Riley Stats".
  28. ^ Nelson DeBenedet
  29. ^ Harris, Cecil (2005). Breaking the Ice: The Black Experience in Professional Hockey. Toronto: Insomniac Press. p. 153. ISBN 1894663802.
  30. ^ Graeme Townshend
  31. ^ Yutaka Fukufuji
  32. ^ Yutaka Fukufuji
  33. ^ Konstantin Shafranov
  34. ^ a b Charlie Cotch
  35. ^ Ed Hatoum
  36. ^ Ed Hatoum
  37. ^ Darius Kasparaitis
  38. ^ Ed Kea
  39. ^ Rumun Ndur
  40. ^ Rumun Ndur
  41. ^ Bill Johansen
  42. ^ Willi Plett
  43. ^ Joe Jerwa
  44. ^ Rod Langway
  45. ^ Rod Langway
  46. ^ Podnieks, Andrew (2003). Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL. Toronto: Doubleday Canada. p. 770. ISBN 0-385-25999-9.
  47. ^ Sweeney Schriner
  48. ^ Stan Smrke
  49. ^ a b Stan Smrke
  50. ^ a b Stan Mikita
  51. ^ Malkin not lock as NHL's no. 1 rookie
  52. ^ Anze Kopitar
  53. ^ Olaf Kolzig
  54. ^ Can I Play, Too?; Korean Athletes In U.S. Sports; Jim Paek, the First Korean to Hoist the Stanley Cup 2012-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
  55. ^ Jim Paek
  56. ^ Swedish Ice Hockey Year By Year 2012-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
  57. ^ Gus Forslund
  58. ^ Mark Hardy
  59. ^ Chris Nielsen
  60. ^ Joe Hall
  61. ^ Joe Hall
  62. ^ George Geran
  63. ^ Vic Hoffinger
  64. ^ Rick Chartraw
  65. ^ Rick Chartraw
  66. ^ https://thehockeynews.com/news/arthur-kaliyevs-unusual-road-to-hollywood
  67. ^ Anton Stastny
  68. ^ Peter Stastny
  69. ^ Udo Kiessling
  70. ^ Udo Kiessling
  71. ^ Alex Faulkner
  72. ^ NHL Great Stan Mikita Has Oral Cancer[permanent dead link]
  73. ^ Willie Huber
  74. ^ Stan Smrke
  75. ^ Ivan Boldirev
  76. ^ Ivan Boldirev

See also edit

April 10, 2024
list, countries, with, their, first, national, hockey, league, player, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, ci. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The globalization of the National Hockey League has been occurring since its inception The early years saw a largely Canadian league with some Americans playing As the league progressed it experienced an influx of European players at first from Western European countries such as Sweden After the fall of Communism players from Eastern European countries such as the former Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union joined the league The NHL eventually saw fewer European players but more players from Canada and the United States Today the NHL has players from five continents The following is a list of countries and the first person born there that played in the National Hockey League These players are not necessarily the first citizen of each respective country to play in the NHL as nationality is determined under a nation s nationality law and may differ Additionally some countries have had citizens play in the NHL but have never had a native born player reach the league Most statistical sources in the sport follow the convention of the Hockey Hall of Fame in classifying players by the currently existing countries in which their birthplaces are located Contents 1 Current countries 2 Former countries 3 Notes 4 References 5 See alsoCurrent countries editCountry of birth Name Debut year nbsp Australia Nathan Walker 1 2017 18 nbsp Austria Reinhard Divis 2 2001 02 3 nbsp Bahamas Andre Deveaux 4 2008 09 5 nbsp Belarus John Miszuk note 1 1963 64 6 nbsp Belgium Jan Benda 7 1997 98 8 nbsp Bulgaria Alexandar Georgiev note 2 2017 18 9 nbsp Brazil Mike Greenlay 1989 90 10 nbsp Brunei Craig Adams note 3 2000 01 11 nbsp Canada Multiple all but one participant of the first NHL game were Canadian born 1917 18 12 nbsp Croatia Goran Bezina note 4 2003 04 13 nbsp Czech Republic Jaroslav Jirik note 5 14 1969 70 15 nbsp Denmark Poul Popiel 1965 66 16 nbsp Estonia Leo Komarov 17 note 6 2012 13 18 nbsp Finland Albert Pudas 19 note 7 1926 27 20 nbsp France Andre Peloffy 1974 75 21 nbsp Germany Walt Tkaczuk 22 note 8 1967 68 23 nbsp Haiti Claude Vilgrain 24 1987 88 25 nbsp Indonesia Richie Regehr 2005 06 26 nbsp Ireland Jack Riley note 9 1932 33 27 nbsp Italy Nelson DeBenedet 1973 74 28 nbsp Jamaica Graeme Townshend 29 1989 90 30 nbsp Japan Yutaka Fukufuji 31 2006 07 32 nbsp Kazakhstan Konstantin Shafranov note 10 1996 97 33 nbsp Latvia Charlie Cotch note 11 1924 25 34 nbsp Lebanon Ed Hatoum 35 1968 69 36 nbsp Lithuania Darius Kasparaitis note 12 1992 93 37 nbsp Netherlands Ed Kea 1973 74 38 nbsp Nigeria Rumun Ndur 39 1996 97 40 nbsp Norway Bill Johansen 1949 50 41 nbsp Paraguay Willi Plett 1975 76 42 nbsp Poland Joe Jerwa note 13 1930 31 43 nbsp Republic of China Taiwan Rod Langway 44 1978 79 45 nbsp Russia Sweeney Schriner note 14 46 1934 35 47 nbsp Serbia Stan Smrke 48 note 15 1956 57 49 nbsp Slovakia Stan Mikita note 16 1958 59 50 nbsp Slovenia Anze Kopitar 51 note 17 2006 07 52 nbsp South Africa Olaf Kolzig 1989 90 53 nbsp South Korea Jim Paek 54 1990 91 55 nbsp Sweden Gus Forslund 56 1932 33 57 nbsp Switzerland Mark Hardy 1979 80 58 nbsp Tanzania Chris Nielsen 2000 01 59 nbsp United Kingdom Joe Hall 60 1917 18 61 nbsp United States George Geran 1917 18 62 nbsp Ukraine Vic Hoffinger note 18 1927 28 63 nbsp Venezuela Rick Chartraw 64 1974 75 65 nbsp Uzbekistan Arthur Kaliyev 66 2020 21Former countries editCountry Name Debut Year nbsp Czechoslovakia Anton StastnyPeter Stastny 1980 81 67 68 nbsp East Germany Udo Kiessling 69 1981 82 70 nbsp Newfoundland note 19 Alex Faulkner 1961 62 71 nbsp Russian Empire note 20 Charlie Cotch 1924 25 34 nbsp Slovak Republic 1939 1945 note 21 Stan Mikita 72 1958 59 50 nbsp Soviet Union John Miszuk 1963 64 6 nbsp West Germany Willie Huber 1978 79 73 nbsp Yugoslavia Kingdom of note 22 Stan Smrke 74 1956 57 49 nbsp Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of note 23 Ivan Boldirev 75 1970 71 76 Notes edit Miszuk was born in the Byelorussian SSR of the former USSR which became the country of Belarus in 1991 Georgiev was born in Bulgaria but represented Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Championship Adams was born in Brunei prior to its independence from the UK while it was still a protectorate Bezina was born in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the territory now known as Croatia Jirik was born in the former area of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia which was part of Nazi Germany It occupied most of the territory now known as the Czech Republic Komarov was born in the Estonian SSR of the former USSR which became the country of Estonia in 1991 However he represents Finland Pudas was born in the former area of the Grand Duchy of Finland which was part of the Russian Empire It occupied the territory now known as Finland Tkaczuk was born in the Bizone the combination of the American and British occupation zones of Germany following the defeat of the Nazi regime in World War II Riley was born in Ireland while it was a constituent country of the United Kingdom Shafranov was born in the Kazakh SSR of the former USSR which became the country of Kazakhstan in 1991 Cotch was born in the Russian Empire in territory now known as Latvia Kasparaitis was born in the Lithuanian SSR of the former USSR which became the country of Lithuania in 1990 Jerwa was born in the former country of the Russian Empire in territory that is now known as Poland Schriner was born in the former country of the Russian Empire in territory that is now Russia Smrke was born in the Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes in territory that is now known as Serbia Mikita was born in the Slovak Republic 1939 1945 a puppet state of Nazi Germany which occupied most of the territory now known as Slovakia Kopitar was born in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in territory that is now Slovenia Hoffinger was born in the Russian Empire in territory now known as Ukraine Not to be confused with the modern day Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador Not to be confused with modern day Russia Not to be confused with modern day Slovakia Not to be confused with either the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Not to be confused with either the Kingdom of Yugoslavia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia References edit NHL goes mad for Thunder from Down Under Nathan Walker after Aussie scores first goal for St Louis Blues The 2011 Invitees Part One in a Two Part Epic Reinhard Divis Andre Deveaux Andre Deveaux a b John Miszuk SIHR Global Hockey Facts Belgium Archived 2011 09 28 at the Wayback Machine Jan Benda https www newsday com amp news region state niemi canadiens defeat rangers 3 1 to snap 6 game skid 1 16918700 Mike Greenlay Craig Adams Rosters of First NHL game Goran Bezina First Czech NHL player dies in plane crash Archived from the original on 2012 07 19 Retrieved 2011 07 17 Jaroslav Jirik Poul Popiel Johnston on Leafs Holzer making most of chance Archived from the original on 2016 03 10 Retrieved 2013 02 17 Leo Komarov Albert Pudas Albert Pudas Andre Peloffy LA Kings News Clips 12 23 10 Walt Tkaczuk Earthquake hits home for Vilgrain Claude Vilgrain Richie Regehr Jack Riley Stats Nelson DeBenedet Harris Cecil 2005 Breaking the Ice The Black Experience in Professional Hockey Toronto Insomniac Press p 153 ISBN 1894663802 Graeme Townshend Yutaka Fukufuji Yutaka Fukufuji Konstantin Shafranov a b Charlie Cotch Ed Hatoum Ed Hatoum Darius Kasparaitis Ed Kea Rumun Ndur Rumun Ndur Bill Johansen Willi Plett Joe Jerwa Rod Langway Rod Langway Podnieks Andrew 2003 Players The ultimate A Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL Toronto Doubleday Canada p 770 ISBN 0 385 25999 9 Sweeney Schriner Stan Smrke a b Stan Smrke a b Stan Mikita Malkin not lock as NHL s no 1 rookie Anze Kopitar Olaf Kolzig Can I Play Too Korean Athletes In U S Sports Jim Paek the First Korean to Hoist the Stanley Cup Archived 2012 03 19 at the Wayback Machine Jim Paek Swedish Ice Hockey Year By Year Archived 2012 03 19 at the Wayback Machine Gus Forslund Mark Hardy Chris Nielsen Joe Hall Joe Hall George Geran Vic Hoffinger Rick Chartraw Rick Chartraw https thehockeynews com news arthur kaliyevs unusual road to hollywood Anton Stastny Peter Stastny Udo Kiessling Udo Kiessling Alex Faulkner NHL Great Stan Mikita Has Oral Cancer permanent dead link Willie Huber Stan Smrke Ivan Boldirev Ivan BoldirevSee also editList of NHL statistical leaders by country Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of countries with their first National Hockey League player amp oldid 1206037063, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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