First National Hockey League Player by Country 2025
Country | Name↓ | Debut Season | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Japan | Yutaka Fukufuji | 2006–07 |
 | Paraguay | Willi Plett | 1975–76 |
 | Germany | Walt Tkaczuk | 1967–68 |
 | Ukraine | Vic Hoffinger | 1927–28 |
 | Russia | Sweeney Schriner | 1934–35 |
 | Serbia | Stan Smrke | 1956–57 |
 | Slovakia | Stan Mikita | 1958–59 |
 | Nigeria | Rumun Ndur | 1996–97 |
 | Taiwan | Rod Langway | 1978–79 |
 | Venezuela | Rick Chartraw | 1974–75 |
 | Indonesia | Richie Regehr | 2005–06 |
 | Austria | Reinhard Divis | 2001–02 |
 | Denmark | Poul Popiel | 1965–66 |
 | South Africa | Olaf Kolzig | 1989–90 |
 | Italy | Nelson DeBenedet | 1973–74 |
 | Australia | Nathan Walker | 2017–18 |
 | Canada | Multiple: all but one participant of the first NHL game were Canadian born | 1917–18 |
 | Brazil | Mike Greenlay | 1989–90 |
 | Switzerland | Mark Hardy | 1979–80 |
 | Estonia | Leo Komarov | 2012–13 |
 | Kazakhstan | Konstantin Shafranov | 1996–97 |
 | Belarus | John Miszuk | 1963–64 |
 | Poland | Joe Jerwa | 1930–31 |
 | United Kingdom | Joe Hall | 1917–18 |
 | South Korea | Jim Paek | 1990–91 |
 | Czechia | Jaroslav Jirik | 1969–70 |
 | Belgium | Jan Benda | 1997–98 |
 | Ireland | Jack Riley | 1932–33 |
 | Sweden | Gus Forslund | 1932–33 |
 | Jamaica | Graeme Townshend | 1989–90 |
 | Croatia | Goran Bezina | 2003–04 |
 | United States | George Geran | 1917–18 |
 | Netherlands | Ed Kea | 1973–74 |
 | Lebanon | Ed Hatoum | 1968–69 |
 | Lithuania | Darius Kasparaitis | 1992–93 |
 | Brunei | Craig Adams | 2000–01 |
 | Haiti | Claude Vilgrain | 1987–88 |
 | Tanzania | Chris Nielsen | 2000–01 |
 | Latvia | Charlie Cotch | 1924–25 |
 | Norway | Bill Johansen | 1949–50 |
 | Uzbekistan | Arthur Kaliyev | 2020–21 |
 | Slovenia | Anze Kopitar | 2006–07 |
 | France | Andre Peloffy | 1974–75 |
 | Bahamas | Andre Deveaux | 2008–09 |
 | Bulgaria | Alexandar Georgiev | 2017–18 |
 | Finland | Albert Pudas | 1926–27 |
- This list displayed the first player born in each country to play in the National Hockey League (NHL), whose teams are based in the United States and Canada.
- Players who were the first citizens of a given country to play in the NHL but who were not born in that country are not listed.
- Players born in a country that no longer exists will be listed with whatever country their birthplace is now located in.
The National Hockey League, also known as the NHL, is an organization of hockey teams. Teams on the NHL are based in Canada and the United States. The NHL was formed in 1917, and at that time was made up of four Canadian teams. The first US team to enter the NHL was the Boston Bruins, which was added in 1924. The NHL’s championship trophy is the Stanley Cup. The Stanley Cup represents world supremacy in ice hockey.
First National Hockey League Player by Country
The National Hockey League has had players from 46 different countries. The list below displays the first player born in each country to play in the National Hockey League, starting from the league’s beginnings in 1917. The only country not represented in this list includes Canada, because all but one participant in the first NHL game were born in Canada.
What Percentage of NHL Players Are Not American?
Over 75% of players for the National Hockey League (NHL) are non-American. Canadian players are represented the most in the NHL.
How Many Teams Compete in the NHL Today?
League membership started at 4 teams in 1917, rose to 10, and then dropped to six in 1942. These six teams remained the only six teams through 1967. Today, the NHL consists of 32 teams.
