List of National Hockey League players born in the United Kingdom
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, 51 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, 22 are from England, 21 from Scotland, 5 from Northern Ireland and 3 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. Currently there are no hockey players born in the UK playing in the NHL following Daniel Taylor's departure from the league in 2013.
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 administrated 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.[n 1][8]
The first Hall of Famer born in the UK was Charlie Gardiner, inducted in 1945.[9] Described as "one of the game's preeminent goaltenders during the 1920s and 1930s,"[9] 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.[9] It was the only time a goaltender had captained a Cup-winning side.[10] Just over two months after the Stanley Cup victory, Gardiner died of a brain hemorrhage.[9]
Players
- Key
- Pos – Position, G(Goaltender), D(Defenceman), LW(Left Wing), C(Centre), RW(Right Wing)
- RS – Number of regular season games played in the NHL
- PO – Number of playoff games played in the NHL
- – Player has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Name | City | Country | Pos | Debut team | Seasons active |
RS | PO | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Birthplace | Games played | |||||||
Aitkenhead, AndyAndy Aitkenhead | Glasgow | Scotland | G | New York Rangers | 1932–1935 | 106 | 10 | [12] |
Anderson, TomTom Anderson | Edinburgh | Scotland | LW | Detroit Red Wings | 1934–1942 | 319 | 16 | [13] |
Beattie, RedRed Beattie | Ibstock | England | LW | Boston Bruins | 1930–1939 | 334 | 24 | [14] |
Blair, ChuckChuck Blair | Edinburgh | Scotland | RW | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1948–1949 | 1 | 0 | [15] |
Brown, AdamAdam Brown | Johnstone | Scotland | LW | Detroit Red Wings | 1941–1952 | 391 | 26 | [16] |
Brown, KevinKevin Brown | Birmingham | England | RW | Los Angeles Kings | 1994–2000 | 64 | 1 | [17] |
Carey, GeorgeGeorge Carey | Glasgow | Scotland | RW | Quebec Bulldogs | 1919–1924 | 72 | 0 | [18] |
Clark, GordieGordie Clark | Glasgow | Scotland | RW | Boston Bruins | 1974–1976 | 8 | 1 | [19] |
Conacher, JimJim Conacher | Motherwell | Scotland | C | Detroit Red Wings | 1945–1953 | 328 | 19 | [20] |
Connors, BobbyBobby Connors | Glasgow | Scotland | LW | New York Americans | 1926–1930 | 78 | 2 | [21] |
Cude, WilfWilf Cude | Barry | Wales | G | Philadelphia Quakers | 1930–1941 | 282 | 19 | [22] |
Dafoe, ByronByron Dafoe | Worthing | England | G | Washington Capitals | 1992–2004 | 415 | 27 | [23] |
Evans, JackJack Evans | Morriston | Wales | D | New York Rangers | 1948–1963 | 752 | 56 | [24] |
Finney, SidSid Finney | Banbridge | Northern Ireland | C | Chicago Black Hawks | 1951–1954 | 59 | 7 | [25] |
Fitzpatrick, SandySandy Fitzpatrick | Paisley | Scotland | C | New York Rangers | 1964–1968 | 22 | 12 | [26] |
Frew, IrvIrv Frew | Kilsyth | Scotland | D | Montreal Maroons | 1933–1936 | 96 | 4 | [27] |
Gardiner, CharlieCharlie Gardiner | Edinburgh | Scotland | G | Chicago Black Hawks | 1927–1934 | 316 | 21 | [28] |
Gray, AlexAlex Gray | Glasgow | Scotland | RW | New York Rangers | 1927–1929 | 50 | 13 | [29] |
Grigor, GeorgeGeorge Grigor | Edinburgh | Scotland | C | Chicago Black Hawks | 1943–1944 | 2 | 1 | [30] |
Hall, JoeJoe Hall | Staffordshire | England | D | Montreal Canadiens | 1917–1919 | 38 | 7 | [31] |
Hepple, AlanAlan Hepple | Blaydon-on-Tyne | England | D | New Jersey Devils | 1983–1986 | 3 | 0 | [32] |
Hodge, KenKen Hodge | Birmingham | England | RW | Chicago Black Hawks | 1964–1978 | 881 | 97 | [33] |
Holmes, LouLou Holmes | Rushall | England | C | Chicago Black Hawks | 1931–1933 | 59 | 2 | [34] |
Jackson, WalterWalter Jackson | Ibstock | England | LW | New York Americans | 1932–1936 | 84 | 0 | [35] |
Kirk, BobbyBobby Kirk | Doagh | Northern Ireland | RW | New York Rangers | 1937–1938 | 39 | 0 | [36] |
Lee, PeterPeter Lee | Ellesmere | England | RW | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1977–1983 | 431 | 19 | [37] |
Mann, NormanNorman Mann | Bradford | England | RW | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1938–1941 | 31 | 2 | [38] |
McAdam, SamSam McAdam | Stirling | Scotland | C | New York Rangers | 1930–1931 | 5 | 0 | [39] |
McFadden, JimJim McFadden | Belfast | Northern Ireland | C | Detroit Red Wings | 1946–1954 | 412 | 49 | [40] |
McManus, SammySammy McManus | Belfast | Northern Ireland | LW | Montreal Maroons | 1934–1937 | 26 | 1 | [41] |
Messier, PaulPaul Messier | Nottingham | England | C | Colorado Rockies | 1978–1979 | 9 | 0 | [42] |
Munro, DuncDunc Munro | Moray | Scotland | D | Montreal Maroons | 1924–1932 | 239 | 21 | [43] |
Nolan, OwenOwen Nolan | Belfast | Northern Ireland | RW | Quebec Nordiques | 1990–2010 | 1,200 | 65 | [44] |
Perry, BrianBrian Perry | Aldershot | England | C | Oakland Seals | 1968–1971 | 96 | 8 | [45] |
Pettinger, EricEric Pettinger | Bradford | England | LW | Boston Bruins | 1928–1931 | 98 | 4 | [46] |
Pettinger, GordGord Pettinger | Harrogate | England | C | New York Rangers | 1932–1940 | 292 | 47 | [47] |
Pratt, JackJack Pratt | Edinburgh | Scotland | C | Boston Bruins | 1930–1932 | 37 | 4 | [48] |
Riley, JackJack Riley | Birchinlee | England | C | Detroit Red Wings | 1932–1936 | 104 | 4 | [49] |
Robertson, FredFred Robertson | Carlisle | England | D | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1931–1934 | 34 | 7 | [50] |
Ross, JimJim Ross | Edinburgh | Scotland | D | New York Rangers | 1951–1953 | 62 | 0 | [51] |
Smith, AlexAlex Smith | Liverpool | England | D | Ottawa Senators | 1924–1935 | 443 | 19 | [52] |
Smith, SteveSteve Smith | Glasgow | Scotland | D | Edmonton Oilers | 1984–2001 | 804 | 134 | [53] |
Taylor, DanielDaniel Taylor | Plymouth | England | G | Los Angeles Kings | 2007–2013 | 3 | 0 | [54] |
Thomas, CyCy Thomas | Dowlais | Wales | LW | Chicago Black Hawks | 1947–1948 | 14 | 0 | [55] |
Thomas, SteveSteve Thomas | Stockport | England | RW | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1984–2004 | 1,235 | 174 | [56] |
Thompson, KenKen Thompson | Oakengates | England | LW | Montreal Wanderers | 1917–1918 | 1 | 0 | [4] |
Thomson, BillBill Thomson | Troon | Scotland | C | Detroit Red Wings | 1938–1944 | 9 | 2 | [57] |
Tomson, JackJack Tomson | Uxbridge | England | D | New York Americans | 1939–1941 | 15 | 2 | [58] |
Whitelaw, BobBob Whitelaw | Motherwell | Scotland | D | Detroit Red Wings | 1940–1942 | 32 | 8 | [59] |
Wood, AlexAlex Wood | Falkirk | Scotland | G | New York Americans | 1936–1937 | 1 | 0 | [60] |
Worthy, ChrisChris Worthy | Bristol | England | G | Oakland Seals | 1968–1971 | 26 | 0 | [61] |
See also
Notes
References
- General
- "NHL Players Born in United Kingdom". Hockey-Reference. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- Specific
- ↑ Weiner, Evan (August 29, 2007). "London "Nuts" For The NHL". NHL.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- 1 2 3 "About Ice Hockey". Ice Hockey UK. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ Duplacey, James (1998). Total Hockey: The official encyclopedia of the National Hockey League. Total Sports. pp. 459–61, 501, 510. ISBN 0-8362-7114-9.
- 1 2 "NHL Profile: Ken Thompson". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "The Legends: Players: Place of Birth". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ↑ "The Legends: Players: Place of Birth: England". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ↑ "The Legends: Players: Place of Birth: Scotland". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ↑ "Players: Joe Hall: Biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 "Players: Chuck Gardiner: Biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ↑ Allen, Kevin; Duff, Bob; Bower, Johnny (2002). Without Fear: Hockey's 50 Greatest Goaltenders. Chicago: Triumph Books. pp. 199–201. ISBN 978-1-57243-484-4.
- ↑ "Owen Liam Nolan". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Andy Aitkenhead". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Tom Anderson". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Red Beattie". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Chuck Blair". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Adam Brown". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Kevin Brown". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: George Carey". National Hockey League. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Gordon Clark". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jimmy Conacher". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Bob Connors". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Wilf Cude". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Byron Dafoe". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jack Evans". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Sid Finney". National Hockey League. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Sandy Fitzpatrick". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Irv Frew". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Charlie Gardiner". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Alex Gray". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: George Grigor". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Joe Hall". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Alan Hepple". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Ken Hodge". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Lou Holmes". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Walter Jackson". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Bobby Kirk". National Hockey League. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Peter Lee". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Norm Mann". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Sam McAdam". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jim McFadden". National Hockey League. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Sammy McManus". National Hockey League. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Paul Messier". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Dunc Munro". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Owen Nolan". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Brian Perry". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Eric Pettinger". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Gord Pettinger". National Hockey League. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jack Pratt". National Hockey League. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jack Riley". National Hockey League. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Fred Robertson". National Hockey League. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jim Ross". National Hockey League. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Alex Smith". National Hockey League. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: James (Stephen) Smith". National Hockey League. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Daniel Taylor". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Cy Thomas". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Steve Thomas". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Bill Thomson". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Jack Tomson". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Bob Whitelaw". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Alex Wood". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "NHL Profile: Chris Worthy". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2011.