Percentage of Canadian NHL players drops to 45%

[bert]

Don Cherry noted the imminent rise of American hockey long before there's was reasonable evidence to assert the case. He's been proven right. The percentage of American hockey players is a testament to the great work done by USA Hockey.

And Gary Bettman.

 

[razor ray]

Canadians still dominate NHL, but not for much longer

 

[Newsworthy]

Canadians still dominate NHL, but not for much longer

America has hockey fever?

 

[Midnight Judges]

America has hockey fever?

It stands to reason.

The NFL is glam, overly commercialized, players get concussed way too much, games take too long and are 30% commercial breaks, the players are not good role models, and the owners are mostly greedy douchebags who mistreat their fanbases.

Here in DC the NHL is definitely filling the void in a big way.

 

[WaW]

If you look at some of the comments here during the World Juniors, many Americans will tell you that the US has already surpassed Canada as by far the dominant hockey superpower and that it isn't and never again will be close.

The sad thing is I'm only exaggerating a little bit.

 

[razor ray]

If you look at some of the comments here during the World Juniors, many Americans will tell you that the US has already surpassed Canada as by far the dominant hockey superpower and that it isn't and never again will be close.

The sad thing is I'm only exaggerating a little bit.

I’m an American and I think people are just excited the game is growing. I’m 42 and I doubt in my lifetime the US will pass Canada and not sure the US ever will. Canada would need to go football, baseball, soccer, or basketball crazy for it to happen.

 

[morehockeystats]

If you look at some of the comments here during the World Juniors, many Americans will tell you that the US has already surpassed Canada as by far the dominant hockey superpower and that it isn't and never again will be close.

The sad thing is I'm only exaggerating a little bit.

If you take a look at the Junior World Chess Championships between 1951 (inception) through 1969, you would never guess what nation dominated the chess world between 1950 and 1990.

 

[End on a Hinote]

Canadians still dominate NHL, but not for much longer

Depressing read.

 

[Jets4Life]

If you look at some of the comments here during the World Juniors, many Americans will tell you that the US has already surpassed Canada as by far the dominant hockey superpower and that it isn't and never again will be close.

The sad thing is I'm only exaggerating a little bit.

I don't believe that.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Good.

 

[Peiskos]

If you look at some of the comments here during the World Juniors, many Americans will tell you that the US has already surpassed Canada as by far the dominant hockey superpower and that it isn't and never again will be close.

The sad thing is I'm only exaggerating a little bit.

Those Americans are delusional though, the US has one of the most embarrassing records in international hockey, this is a fact that for some reason appears to be swept under the carpet on this site, the only major hockey playing country to not win a gold medal at the mens level in this current century for example is the US. The last US gold at the mens level was a staggering 23 years ago in 1996. Every single major country has won in the 21st century with the exception of the US. The Finns, Czechs, Canadians, Russians, Swedes..even the Slovakians have taken golds at the mens level in the 21st century.

Last Olympic gold was in 1980, last IIHF WC was in 1933.

When we look at the World Juniors its always something to talk about because what ever happened to the 2004, 2010, 2013 US World Junior champions? it never resulted in anything at the most important level (The mens level) Canada also still has more WJ gold in the past 5 years than the US does.

Often times the World Juniors are taken too much into consideration, the reality is success at the World Juniors doesn't correlate to the mens level...its simply a kids tournament full of high emotions and undisciplined teenagers.

The US still has a long way to go and by all measurements they are still behind the likes of Finland and Sweden, never mind Canada who at this point is a country mile ahead.

We can look at this current season, Canada's young top players are still better than the US's and we have a lot more of them doing well in the NHL.

For starts we know for sure already that...

McDavid > Matthews
MacKinnon > Eichel
Marner > Larkin
Point = Gaudreau
Monahan > Tkachuk

But then it seems to fall off for the US while Canada continues to have quality producing young players. depth factor that gives Canada the eventual edge, Skinner, Barzal, Reinhart, Scheifele,Domi, Huberdeau, Stone, Couturier, RNH etc.

On the defensive side for example the US has no answer for 22 year old Thomas Chabot and 24 year old Morgan Rielly at this moment in time.

Americans can be proud but sometimes they just need to look at the facts.

 

[Stephen]

Looking at the high end of recent drafts, the number of Canadian prospects taken in the top 5 since 2015 has been pretty underwhelming. If you take away McDavid, Strome and Marner from 2015, you're left with:

Pierre Luc Dubois
Nolan Patrick
Cale Makar
Barrett Hayton

Expand this to the top 10 and you have

Tyson Jost
Cody Glass
Owen Tippett
Evan Bouchard

That's basically the end of the empire right there.

 

[Stephen]

But then it seems to fall off for the US while Canada continues to have quality producing young players. depth factor that gives Canada the eventual edge, Skinner, Barzal, Reinhart, Scheifele,Domi, Huberdeau, Stone, Couturier, RNH etc.

On the defensive side for example the US has no answer for 22 year old Thomas Chabot and 24 year old Morgan Rielly at this moment in time.

Americans can be proud but sometimes they just need to look at the facts.

I disagree. When you're reaching back to reference Jeff Skinner, Mark Stone, Couturier and RNH, you're grasping at straws to demonstrate how deep Canada is for the next generation. There's better examples like D. Strome, Point, Drouin, Monahan etc, but it's not that overwhelming.

Beyond the cream of the crop at the surface, the USA also has Tkachuk and Hughes Brothers, Gaudreau, DeBrincat, Keller, Boeser, Connor. When you're referencing Chabot and Morgan Rielly, the US has Werenski, Jones, Hanifin, McAvoy,

 

[Peiskos]

I disagree. When you're reaching back to reference Jeff Skinner, Mark Stone, Couturier and RNH, you're grasping at straws to demonstrate how deep Canada is for the next generation. There's better examples like D. Strome, Point, Drouin, Monahan etc, but it's not that overwhelming.

Beyond the cream of the crop at the surface, the USA also has Tkachuk and Hughes Brothers, Gaudreau, DeBrincat, Keller, Boeser, Connor. When you're referencing Chabot and Morgan Rielly, the US has Werenski, Jones, Hanifin, McAvoy,

My underlying point with Chabot and Rielly is that they are overwhelmingly better than any young defender the US currently has. I'm sorry but If the US had a 20 year old like Dubois who had 54 points in 64 games you'd be referring to him as a future superstar...but Dubois is Canadian so he doesn't deserve the same respect or something??? I'm confused, how is a player like that "not that overwhelming"????

HOW is 21 year old Barzal who has 52 points in 64 games NOT overwhelming? if Barzal was American you'd all be jumping up and down too, hypocrisy. Same thing for 23 year old Drouin with 50 points in 65 games.

The reality is you are exhibiting classic behaviour of undermining Canadian talent and for some reason clearly don't look at the stats table or have the fairness to mention Canada's young defenders/forwards too. Canada also has Parayko, Nurse, Pulock, Morrissey who for example currently have more points than Hanifin, Salvin etc.

You mention Werenski, okay he has 34 points but 24 year old Canadian Damon Severson has 33...what's your point?

20 year old D Samuel Girard on the Avalanche has 20 points....21 year old McAvoy has 19 points..

Sanheim has 28 points..how is the different from Hanifin with 29?

Just go ahead and look at this site, it has the flags next to their names so its easy to see quickly, you can filter it by age too, Canada is well ahead - 2018‑2019 NHL Defensemen Scoring Leaders

Also how is me mentioning a 26 year old Skinner..who is going to have a 40 goal season "grasping at straws"?

The reality is Canada IS loaded for years to come, if this list doesn't do it for you nothing ever will. This group of young players is currently better than what any other country can come up with.

McDavid - 21
MacKinnon - 23
Point - 22
Marner - 21
Dubois - 20
Chabot - 22
Rielly - 24
Barzal - 21
Drouin - 23
Scheifele - 25
Monahan - 24
Huberdeau - 25
Parayko - 25
Pulock - 24
Morrissey - 23
Rielly - 24
Domi - 23
Reinhart - 23
Horvat - 23
Strome - 21
Nurse - 24

 

[Newsworthy]

I’m an American and I think people are just excited the game is growing. I’m 42 and I doubt in my lifetime the US will pass Canada and not sure the US ever will. Canada would need to go football, baseball, soccer, or basketball crazy for it to happen.

Yeah. I totally agree with you. USA will continue to grow and develop talent but no way do I see them surpassing Canada. If that happens in my lifetime I'd be shocked.
But stranger things have happened.

 

[Slimmy]

Bottom line, Canada is still dominating every other individual nation as far as stocking NHL talent. After over 100 years, Canada is STILL number one, despite having a fraction of the population of the USA and Russia.

Hey, if one country supplies all (or almost all) of the talent, you can never call that sport truly "international".

Not very impressive considering it is the NHL, the league for the North American audience. That Europe has such a high percentage of players in the NHL is impressive, however.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Not very impressive considering it is the NHL, the league for the North American audience. That Europe has such a high percentage of players in the NHL is impressive, however.

It's the best league - period. The most money, the best players, the elite of the elite. It has actually nothing to do with North American audiences. It is extremely impressive. As far as Europeans go, if they're not good enough to play in the NHL, they're in other leagues.

 

[Slimmy]

It's the best league - period. The most money, the best players, the elite of the elite. It has actually nothing to do with North American audiences. It is extremely impressive. As far as Europeans go, if they're not good enough to play in the NHL, they're in other leagues.

It's absolutely not as clear cut as you make it sound. I know of examples where Swedish players could have had a bottom line role on an NHL team but chose to go back home. Family and friends were more important to them and besides, in Sweden they are king. In Russia that number of players are many times more because of the KHL. There's also a cultural difference that plays a part.

 

[DannyGallivan]

It's absolutely not as clear cut as you make it sound. I know of examples where Swedish players could have had a bottom line role on an NHL team but chose to go back home. Family and friends were more important to them and besides, in Sweden they are king. In Russia that number of players are many times more because of the KHL. There's also a cultural difference that plays a part.

Yeah, there may be some better players in the KHL than some of the bottom-feeders in the NHL. My point is... Canada still supplies way more top end hockey talent than any other single country in the world. Now, we can go off on a off-shoot of that point and discuss how many KHL players would be first line or fourth line players in the NHL if you want.

The NHL is and always has been THE game. The best players play in the NHL... fourth line to first line, every team. Any exceptions wouldn't be statistically relevant enough to make a blip on any chart.

 

[Slimmy]

Yeah, there may be some better players in the KHL than some of the bottom-feeders in the NHL. My point is... Canada still supplies way more top end hockey talent than any other single country in the world. Now, we can go off on a off-shoot of that point and discuss how many KHL players would be first line or fourth line players in the NHL if you want.

The NHL is and always has been THE game. The best players play in the NHL... fourth line to first line, every team. Any exceptions wouldn't be statistically relevant enough to make a blip on any chart.

I don't believe so. I believe that there are plenty of European players who could be slotted into lesser roles on NHL hockey teams and do a great job. It's simply naturally skewed to favor NA players, as it should be. It's an NA league after all.

 

[DannyGallivan]

I don't believe so. I believe that there are plenty of European players who could be slotted into lesser roles on NHL hockey teams and do a great job. It's simply naturally skewed to favor NA players, as it should be. It's an NA league after all.

Change "plenty" to "some" and change "great job" to "fit it" and I'll agree with you.

 

[Canadiens1958]

I don't believe so. I believe that there are plenty of European players who could be slotted into lesser roles on NHL hockey teams and do a great job. It's simply naturally skewed to favor NA players, as it should be. It's an NA league after all.

2019 Active Canadian playersin the KHL:

Active Canadian KHL Players ‑ All-Time Stats

greater than Russian/Soviet born in the NHL.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

None of this is surprising. Hockey is less popular among Canadian kids. More boys are enrolling in other winter activities like basketball and soccer. As indoor soccer facilities improve, I expect enrollment will continue to increase. Hockey is too expensive and very elitist which turns off a lot of parents.
Small town Canada is still hockey driven, but in the major urban centres, not so much.

 

[OKOptimistic]

Still don't expect Canada not be dominating 30 years from now

 

[Slimmy]

2019 Active Canadian playersin the KHL:

Active Canadian KHL Players ‑ All-Time Stats

greater than Russian/Soviet born in the NHL.

There are Canadians and Americans who are skilled, filling first line roles in the SHL as well. But they're not good enough to be slotted into those roles in the NHL. Doesn't mean they are suited for 3'rd or 4'th line roles in the NHL.