List of National Hockey League players born in the United Kingdom explained

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a major professional ice hockey league which operates in Canada and the United States. Since its inception in 1917–18, 53 players born within the current borders of the United Kingdom have taken part. None of them, however, were trained within the country.[1] Of these players 23 are from England, 21 from Scotland, 5 from Northern Ireland, and 4 from Wales. Steve Thomas and Owen Nolan played over 1,000 regular season games, while Thomas and Steve Smith are the only ones to have appeared in over 100 playoff games. All three players finished their careers in the 21st century. The only player born in the UK currently playing in the NHL is Nathan Walker of the St. Louis Blues.

The modern form of ice hockey is generally considered to have begun in the mid-19th century. One of the first games to use a puck was played by a group of Englishmen from the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment in Kingston, Ontario.[2] In the United Kingdom, a five team league was established in 1903, while Great Britain was one of the founding members of the International Ice Hockey Federation five years later. The game was first administered by the British Ice Hockey Association, from 1914 until 1999, when Ice Hockey UK took over. In the early part of the 20th century the Great Britain national team enjoyed some success: they won gold at the 1936 Olympics,[2] improving on their result of bronze twelve years earlier; won medals at three World Championships (bronze in 1935, and silver in 1937 and 1938), and won the first European Championships in 1910.[2] The British team's heavy reliance on Canadian-trained players during its 1936 Olympic run was especially controversial, and prompted a protest from Canadian hockey officials.[3]

Two players born in the United Kingdom participated in the first season of the NHL. Ken Thompson had played the previous season for the Montreal Wanderers in the National Hockey Association (NHA), and played one game in the NHL before the Wanderers disbanded shortly after their home rink burnt down.[4] Joe Hall had also played in the NHA prior to the NHL: he spent eight years playing for the Montreal Shamrocks and the Quebec Bulldogs, and won the Stanley Cup twice with the latter side. He joined the Montreal Canadiens for the first season of the NHL. Hall competed in the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals which were cancelled when most of his league champion Canadiens contracted Spanish influenza, and Hall died from flu-induced pneumonia shortly after. In 1961, he became the second player born in the United Kingdom to have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.[5]

The first Hall of Famer born in the UK was Charlie Gardiner, inducted in 1945. Described as "one of the game's preeminent goaltenders during the 1920s and 1930s,"[6] he played seven seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Black Hawks. He won the Vezina Trophy on two occasions, and was named team captain for the 1933–34 season, leading his team to win their first Stanley Cup.[6] It was the only time a goaltender had captained a Cup-winning side.[7] Just over two months after the Stanley Cup victory, Gardiner died of a brain hemorrhage.[6]

Players

Key
NameCityCountryPosDebut teamSeasons
active
RSPORef
BirthplaceGames played
England G 2021–2022 1 0 [8]
Scotland G 1932–1935 106 10[9]
Scotland LW 1934–1942 319 16 [10]
England LW 1930–1939 334 24 [11]
Scotland RW 1948–1949 1 0 [12]
Scotland LW 1941–1952 391 26 [13]
England RW 1994–2000 64 1 [14]
Scotland RW 1919–1924 72 0 [15]
Scotland RW 1974–1976 8 1 [16]
Scotland C 1945–1953 328 19 [17]
Scotland LW 1926–1930 78 2 [18]
Wales G 1930–1941 282 19 [19]
England G 1992–2004 415 27 [20]
Wales D 1948–1963 752 56 [21]
Northern IrelandC 1951–1954 59 7 [22]
Scotland C 1964–1968 22 12 [23]
Scotland D 1933–1936 964 [24]
Scotland G 1927–1934 316 21 [25]
Scotland RW 1927–1929 50 13 [26]
Scotland C 1943–1944 2 1 [27]
England D 1917–1919 38 7 [28]
EnglandD 1983–1986 3 0 [29]
EnglandRW 1964–1978 881 97 [30]
EnglandC 1931–1933 59 2 [31]
EnglandLW 1932–1936 84 0 [32]
Northern Ireland RW 1937–1938 39 0 [33]
EnglandRW 1977–1983 431 19 [34]
EnglandRW 1938–1941 31 2 [35]
Scotland C 1930–1931 5 0 [36]
Northern Ireland C 1946–1954 412 49 [37]
Northern Ireland LW 1934–1937 26 1 [38]
England C 1978–1979 9 0 [39]
Scotland D 1924–1932 239 21 [40]
Northern Ireland RW 1990–2010 1,200 65 [41]
England LW 2016–2022 239 0 [42]
England C 1968–1971 96 8 [43]
England LW 1928–1931 98 4 [44]
England C 1932–1940 292 47 [45]
Scotland C 1930–1932 37 4 [46]
England C 1932–1936 104 4 [47]
England D 1931–1934 34 7 [48]
Scotland D 1951–1953 62 0 [49]
England D 1924–1935 443 19 [50]
Scotland D 1984–2001 804 134 [51]
England G 2008–20184 0 [52]
Wales LW 1947–1948 14 0 [53]
England RW 1984–2004 1,235 174 [54]
England LW 1917–1918 1 0
Scotland C 1938–1944 9 2 [55]
England D 1939–1941 15 2 [56]
Wales C 2017–2021 25 1 [57]
Scotland D 1940–1942 32 8 [58]
Scotland G 1936–1937 1 0 [59]
England G 1968–1971 26 0 [60]

See also

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. News: NHL.com . August 29, 2007 . 17 May 2013 . Weiner, Evan . London "Nuts" For The NHL . dead . https://archive.today/20130629180627/http://www.manchestermonarchs.com/news.php?nid=2826 . 29 June 2013 .
  2. Web site: About Ice Hockey . . 27 December 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120214091604/http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/about-ice-hockey-s12744 . 14 February 2012 .
  3. Book: Duplacey, James . Total Hockey: The official encyclopedia of the National Hockey League . 1998 . Total Sports . 0-8362-7114-9 . 459–61, 501, 510 . registration .
  4. Web site: NHL Profile: Ken Thompson . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011 . 11 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121111132739/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449231&view=stats . live .
  5. Web site: Players: Joe Hall: Biography . . 27 December 2011 . 18 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140318080636/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196105&page=bio&list=ByName . live .
  6. Web site: Players: Chuck Gardiner: Biography . . 3 January 2012 . 16 January 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140116204949/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p194504&type=Player&page=bio&list=ByCountry&co=SCO . live .
  7. Book: Allen, Kevin. Duff. Bob. Bower. Johnny. 2002. Without Fear: Hockey's 50 Greatest Goaltenders. Triumph Books. Chicago. 978-1-57243-484-4. 199–201.
  8. Web site: NHL Profile: Thomas Hodges . National Hockey League . 29 April 2022 . 30 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220430031147/https://www.nhl.com/player/thomas-hodges-8480591 . live .
  9. Web site: NHL Profile: Andy Aitkenhead . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  10. Web site: NHL Profile: Tom Anderson . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 2 December 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101202110202/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8444931&view=stats . live .
  11. Web site: NHL Profile: Red Beattie . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  12. Web site: NHL Profile: Chuck Blair . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112211858/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8445095&view=stats . live .
  13. Web site: NHL Profile: Adam Brown . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 10 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120310130551/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8445180&view=stats . live .
  14. Web site: NHL Profile: Kevin Brown . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  15. Web site: NHL Profile: George Carey . National Hockey League . 15 January 2012 . 7 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121107211823/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8445326&view=stats . live .
  16. Web site: NHL Profile: Gordon Clark . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  17. Web site: NHL Profile: Jimmy Conacher . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  18. Web site: NHL Profile: Bob Connors . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  19. Web site: NHL Profile: Wilf Cude . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112134601/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449861&view=stats . live .
  20. Web site: NHL Profile: Byron Dafoe . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 3 December 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101203031255/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8455994&view=stats . live .
  21. Web site: NHL Profile: Jack Evans . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 18 January 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100118133831/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8446173&view=stats . live .
  22. Web site: NHL Profile: Sid Finney . National Hockey League . 4 January 2012 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112194837/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8446248&view=stats . live .
  23. Web site: NHL Profile: Sandy Fitzpatrick . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 19 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131019074118/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8446312&view=stats . live .
  24. Web site: NHL Profile: Irv Frew . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  25. Web site: NHL Profile: Charlie Gardiner . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 13 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141113035626/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449966&view=stats . live .
  26. Web site: NHL Profile: Alex Gray . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  27. Web site: NHL Profile: George Grigor . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  28. Web site: NHL Profile: Joe Hall . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112195130/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8446669&view=stats . live .
  29. Web site: NHL Profile: Alan Hepple . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  30. Web site: NHL Profile: Ken Hodge . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 2 December 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101202104319/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8447892&view=stats . live .
  31. Web site: NHL Profile: Lou Holmes . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 11 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121111150402/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8446901&view=stats . live .
  32. Web site: NHL Profile: Walter Jackson . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  33. Web site: NHL Profile: Bobby Kirk . National Hockey League . 31 August 2013 . 5 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140305220216/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8447199&view=stats . live .
  34. Web site: NHL Profile: Peter Lee . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 10 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100310142613/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8448741&view=stats . live .
  35. Web site: NHL Profile: Norm Mann . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  36. Web site: NHL Profile: Sam McAdam . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  37. Web site: NHL Profile: Jim McFadden . National Hockey League . 15 January 2012.
  38. Web site: NHL Profile: Sammy McManus . National Hockey League . 15 January 2012 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112194707/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8447809&view=stats . live .
  39. Web site: NHL Profile: Paul Messier . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 8 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140408212419/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449571&view=stats . live .
  40. Web site: NHL Profile: Dunc Munro . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  41. Web site: NHL Profile: Owen Nolan . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011 . 8 September 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110908105047/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449895&view=stats . live .
  42. Web site: NHL Profile: Brendan Perlini. National Hockey League. 27 January 2017. 19 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170119133315/https://www.nhl.com/player/brendan-perlini-8477943. live.
  43. Web site: NHL Profile: Brian Perry . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  44. Web site: NHL Profile: Eric Pettinger . National Hockey League . 24 December 2011.
  45. Web site: NHL Profile: Gord Pettinger . National Hockey League . 26 December 2011 . 3 December 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101203094807/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8448139&view=stats . live .
  46. Web site: NHL Profile: Jack Pratt . National Hockey League . 26 December 2011.
  47. Web site: NHL Profile: Jack Riley . National Hockey League . 31 August 2013 . 4 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140304180616/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8448331&view=stats . live .
  48. Web site: NHL Profile: Fred Robertson . National Hockey League . 26 December 2011.
  49. Web site: NHL Profile: Jim Ross . National Hockey League . 26 December 2011.
  50. Web site: NHL Profile: Alex Smith . National Hockey League . 26 December 2011 . 9 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100309062014/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449059&view=stats . live .
  51. Web site: NHL Profile: James (Stephen) Smith . National Hockey League . 26 December 2011.
  52. Web site: NHL Profile: Daniel Taylor . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112221259/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471433&view=stats . live .
  53. Web site: NHL Profile: Cy Thomas . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011.
  54. Web site: NHL Profile: Steve Thomas . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011 . 12 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112194924/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8451898&view=stats . live .
  55. Web site: NHL Profile: Bill Thomson . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011.
  56. Web site: NHL Profile: Jack Tomson . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011.
  57. Web site: NHL Profile: Nathan Walker . National Hockey League . 4 September 2018 . 4 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180904225853/https://www.nhl.com/player/nathan-walker-8477573%26view%3Dstats . live .
  58. Web site: NHL Profile: Bob Whitelaw . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011.
  59. Web site: NHL Profile: Alex Wood . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011 . 11 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121111015520/http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8450151&view=stats . live .
  60. Web site: NHL Profile: Chris Worthy . National Hockey League . 27 December 2011.