Active NHL players by nationality
- Thread starter Eye of Ra
- Start date
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
- 28,508
- 25,706
Czechs have as many as Slovakia, Switzerland and Germany combined.
We need at least 45 to make it good again. Slovakia could hit 20 within the next 3 years. Germany is on the decline. I think Belarus will rise a lot.
We need at least 45 to make it good again. Slovakia could hit 20 within the next 3 years. Germany is on the decline. I think Belarus will rise a lot.
- Jan 22, 2010
- 10,594
- 5,935
That's 1045 players
For context, ~800 skaters play 200+ minutes per year.
I'd be curious to see the breakdown for those considered "NHL regulars".
For context, ~800 skaters play 200+ minutes per year.
I'd be curious to see the breakdown for those considered "NHL regulars".
MrazeksVengeance
VENGEANCE
- Feb 27, 2018
- 7,629
- 28,660
Hey, where is Kopitar?
Also think Daniel Sprong (Netherlands) is missing?
JabbaJabba
Registered User
Based on what? In the past 20 years they have always had less than 10 players in the NHL. They have remained steady and now they have a bunch of exciting young players in the league. Player quality wise I don't know if Germany has ever been this good.
RKBoy
Registered User
- Feb 23, 2024
- 101
- 134
RKBoy
Registered User
- Feb 23, 2024
- 101
- 134
20 in next 3 years is probably too optimistic but we are on good way to have around 12-15 players by the end of 26/27 season.
we have to also consider the fact Tatar by then is not going to be in the league anymore and no one knows if players like Regenda, Koch, Kelemen, Okuliar, Hlavaj (players with two way contracts) would get another one.
i can see Dvorský and Honzek making debuts this season with multiple games, Mešár probably too.
Mišiak just signed entry level contract and with current state of Blackhawks theres big chance for him.
Demek and Sýkora with solid chances for atleast 1 or 2 games.
Swedens numbers I feel are the most crazy. 20 years ago there was roughly same amount of Europeans in NHL. Sweden had then 52. Well few other countries has increased their NHLers. But mainly all the slots has been filled by Swedes. Quite invasive. 
kudla
Registered User
Yozhik v tumane
Registered User
- Jan 2, 2019
- 2,050
- 2,195
At least 20 GP, 5 min avg TOI:
Canada 306
USA 222
Sweden 63
Russia 39
Finland 31
Czech Republic 19
Switzerland 9
Germany 7
Slovakia 7
Denmark 4
Latvia 3
Belarus 2
France 2
Norway 2
Australia 1
Austria 1
Netherlands 1
Slovenia 1
Of course this isn’t a flawless method. Is Matt Rempe an NHL regular? He didn’t meet the GP threshold and barely cleared 5 min avg TOI this season. Is Nicklas Bäckström a regular or a broken down mess on the brink of retirement? He only played 8 games but averaged 14+ minutes doing so. Both are missing under this method, as is Viktor Arvidsson who only played 18 games following back surgery.
But let’s say you have to have played at least every other game this season to be considered a regular, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a benchwarming plug as long as you’re available for an odd shift half the season: you’ve definitely made it (My condolences to Dougie Hamilton and Mikhail Sergachev: you’re out of the league).
At least 41 GP:
Canada 256
USA 183
Sweden 56
Russia 34
Finland 28
Czech Republic 14
Switzerland 9
Slovakia 7
Germany 6
Denmark 3
Belarus 2
Latvia 2
Australia 1
Austria 1
France 1
Netherlands 1
Norway 1
Slovenia 1
Edit: These numbers are skaters only, too much of a hassle to add goaltenders using nhl.com.
Yozhik v tumane
Registered User
- Jan 2, 2019
- 2,050
- 2,195
Anyhoo, looking at these numbers…
Some of the more ridiculous Swedish blowhards like to bring up THE HUNDREDS OF SWEDISH NHL REGULARS, which is beyond misleading. While my methods remove some players who are bona fide NHLers when healthy, I think it’s fair to say that most guys dropped are fringe injury replacements, prospects who may or may not have NHL careers, and the occasional veteran grinding it out in the AHL for a sniff at an NHL roster. It seems to me that more Swedes in particular are taking the AHL route and for longer than before, which will result in fringe guys getting thrown an NHL bone here and there. That doesn’t make them “NHL regulars”.
Can’t necessarily back it up, but from what I’ve heard, the AHL has become more lucrative and thus valid a career option not the least for European players, who in the past would have given up their NHL aspirations sooner than they necessarily would today.
That being said, Sweden remains pretty comfortably the third biggest nationality in the NHL even when trying to account for the noise in the totals.
There are some other things that stick out for me, however.
When I remove the low GP fringe guys from the numbers, Russia doesn’t take quite the hit that Sweden does from their totals. Of course, many if not most Russians will arrive in North America later than other European prospects. NHL teams can’t call their teenaged Russian prospects over to play in the AHL as freely as they might with Swedish ones, thus more Russians are arriving “NHL ready”.
Other than that, not too much to say. I think 18 countries have NHLers every which way you slice it. Czech Republic and Slovakia doesn’t look as strong when I remove “fringe players”, but I would think that comes with the territory of their hockey programs having been reinvigorated quite recently: they are developing NHL prospects again, they will feature more prominently in years to come, but for now, many of them are too fresh to take regular roster spots just now. Sweden never had a lull in prospect development like they did after their respective golden generations.
Some of the more ridiculous Swedish blowhards like to bring up THE HUNDREDS OF SWEDISH NHL REGULARS, which is beyond misleading. While my methods remove some players who are bona fide NHLers when healthy, I think it’s fair to say that most guys dropped are fringe injury replacements, prospects who may or may not have NHL careers, and the occasional veteran grinding it out in the AHL for a sniff at an NHL roster. It seems to me that more Swedes in particular are taking the AHL route and for longer than before, which will result in fringe guys getting thrown an NHL bone here and there. That doesn’t make them “NHL regulars”.
Can’t necessarily back it up, but from what I’ve heard, the AHL has become more lucrative and thus valid a career option not the least for European players, who in the past would have given up their NHL aspirations sooner than they necessarily would today.
That being said, Sweden remains pretty comfortably the third biggest nationality in the NHL even when trying to account for the noise in the totals.
There are some other things that stick out for me, however.
When I remove the low GP fringe guys from the numbers, Russia doesn’t take quite the hit that Sweden does from their totals. Of course, many if not most Russians will arrive in North America later than other European prospects. NHL teams can’t call their teenaged Russian prospects over to play in the AHL as freely as they might with Swedish ones, thus more Russians are arriving “NHL ready”.
Other than that, not too much to say. I think 18 countries have NHLers every which way you slice it. Czech Republic and Slovakia doesn’t look as strong when I remove “fringe players”, but I would think that comes with the territory of their hockey programs having been reinvigorated quite recently: they are developing NHL prospects again, they will feature more prominently in years to come, but for now, many of them are too fresh to take regular roster spots just now. Sweden never had a lull in prospect development like they did after their respective golden generations.
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One thing I noticed about Swiss players: if they are not confident they will play full time in the NHL they prefer to stay in Switzerland where they still get nice salaries with a higher quality of life. Other European leagues, apart from the KHL, don’t pay as well.
Exactly.
The Swiss NHL draftees are also more likely to actually play in the NHL when compared to other nations. The causality is similar to the one you mentioned, as teams are less likely to draft future role players from Switzerland since they would not actually agree on coming over and grinding their way through AHL or ECHL.
Slovakian players on the other hand would give their brother, mother and their left hand in return for having the chance to play a single NHL game, which is why there's so many of them in the league. They're mostly not NHL regulars and most of the regulars are role players.
To compare Switzerland and Slovakia.
Switzerland: 9 players / 689 GP / 439 points scored
Slovakia: 11 players / 479 GP / 160 points scored
Which is a great example of how little sense it makes to just compare the number of players each nation has without any added context.
The same goes for the number of NHL draftees. A 7th round pick is almost worthless when compared to a 1st round pick, etc.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
- 28,508
- 25,706
I don't see any new ones coming.. don't see many getting drafted and junior results have been poor. I think they may have been relegated at a level too.
But yes.. drai, Seider and Stutz are unbelievable.
Terrier
Registered User
NHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 2023‑2024 Stats
NHL Totals by Nationality - 2023-2024 Regular Season Stats
www.quanthockey.com
NHL Totals by Birth State - 2023‑2024 Stats
NHL Totals by Birth State - 2023-2024 Regular Season Stats.
www.quanthockey.com
- Aug 24, 2011
- 28,944
- 14,051
Played in 2023-24:
Alexandre Texier (Columbus, 78 GP)
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (Seattle, 40 GP)
Pierrick Dubé (Washington, 3 GP)
WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
- 32,093
- 21,467
On man GP played percentage basis (source: QuantHockey)
Canada - 42.4 %
United States - 28.8 %
Sweden - 9.4 %
Russia - 6.2 %
Finland - 4.9 %
Czech Republic - 2.7 %
Switzerland - 1.4. %
Germany - 1.0 %
Slovakia - 0.9 %
Denmark - 0.6 %
Latvia - 0.4 %
Belarus - 0.3 %
France - 0.2 % [3 players - 121 GP]
Norway - 0.2 % [2 players - 106 GP]
Austria - 0.2 % [1 player - 82 GP]
Slovenia - 0.2 % [1 player - 81 GP]
Netherland - 0.2 % [1 player - 76 GP]
Australia - 0.1 % [1 player - 45 GP]
Canada - 42.4 %
United States - 28.8 %
Sweden - 9.4 %
Russia - 6.2 %
Finland - 4.9 %
Czech Republic - 2.7 %
Switzerland - 1.4. %
Germany - 1.0 %
Slovakia - 0.9 %
Denmark - 0.6 %
Latvia - 0.4 %
Belarus - 0.3 %
France - 0.2 % [3 players - 121 GP]
Norway - 0.2 % [2 players - 106 GP]
Austria - 0.2 % [1 player - 82 GP]
Slovenia - 0.2 % [1 player - 81 GP]
Netherland - 0.2 % [1 player - 76 GP]
Australia - 0.1 % [1 player - 45 GP]
hangman005
It's my first day.
New Zealand could have one, if a team trying to tank would sign me as a goalie... you know you want to.
Where did you get that data on the eliteprospect website? Below is what it shows for me.
