Top 3 Nations Most Likely to Produce NHL Draftees
You might be taken aback to learn which country boasts the highest ratio of draft selections compared to its population.
Finland: 0.26% Chance
Finland leads the list, with an impressive 0.26% of its population making it to the NHL since 2012. Overall, 146 Finnish players have reached the league in this period, ranking fifth in total number of players by country. In Finland, approximately one in every 1,438,000 individuals has made it to the NHL based on trends observed since 2012.
Sweden: 0.24% Chance
Following Finland, Sweden ranks second with 0.24% of its population reaching the NHL since 2012, which translates to 253 players out of its 10.4 million residents participating at the highest level of hockey during that timeframe.
Canada: 0.21% Chance
While Canada continues to produce the most prospects overall, it stands third in terms of per capita chances of being drafted to the NHL, with 0.21% of its population making it to the National Hockey League in the last two decades. To put things into perspective, this equates to 817 Canadians drafted out of approximately 38 million residents.
Beyond this point, there’s a sharp decline in the already tiny percentages. Just 0.07% of the population from the Czech Republic manages to reach the heights of professional hockey, and merely 0.06% from Latvia has made it to the NHL since 2021. It’s clear that the odds are quite unfavorable.
Players Who Overcame the Odds to Be Drafted into the NHL
When analyzing draft prospects over the past decade and their countries of origin, it becomes clear who has managed to defy the odds and represent their nation. Nine countries have produced only one NHL prospect during this period.
Some notable players from that list include Daniel Sprong from the Netherlands, Jordan Spence from Australia, and Arthur Kaliyev from Uzbekistan. All three are currently competing in their respective teams during the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. This illustrates that talent can emerge from anywhere, and success often hinges on dedication rather than geographical advantage.
Methodology
To ascertain which country has produced the most NHL draftees and which nation’s residents stand the best chance of being drafted, we gathered data on the birthplace of every player selected from 2012 to 2021.
For every prospect, we collected information regarding the year and round of their draft, the team that selected them, their draft position, and their birthplace. We then aggregated the total number of prospects from each country and juxtaposed these figures with each country's total population.
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Author
Jim Tomlin is a seasoned editor and writer focused on sports and gambling, exploring the intersection of these fields. With over 30 years of experience in journalism, his work has appeared in platforms like the Tampa Bay Times and FanRag.
