List of countries with their first National Hockey League player

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

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

Former countries

Country Name Debut Year
 Czechoslovakia Anton Stastny
Peter Stastny
1980–81
 East Germany Udo Kiessling 1981–82
 Newfoundland Alex Faulkner 1961–62
 Russian Empire Charlie Cotch 1924–25
 Slovak Republic (1939–1945) Stan Mikita 1958–59
 Soviet Union John Miszuk 1963–64
 West Germany Willie Huber 1978–79
 Yugoslavia, Kingdom of Stan Smrke 1956–57
 Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Ivan Boldirev 1970–71

This page was last updated at 2024-03-26 18:36 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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