Where NHLers come from: Ontario and Quebec

by James Mirtle on Dec 2, 2008 9:00 AM CST in Statistics Comment 8 comments

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There was a time, way, way back in the beginning, that the NHL wasn't just a Canadian-dominated league — it was an Ontario-led one. Seventy per cent of the games in the first 11 years of professional hockey were played by players from the province, with Quebec coming a distant second in terms of regional representation.

Ontario fell off as more and more prairie boys entered the league leading up to and during the First World War, but even as late as 1979, the NHL was made up of 42 per cent of players born in Canada's largest province.

This season, Ontario makes up an all-time low of just 19.5 per cent of NHL players' birthplaces, while Quebec fell behind Alberta beginning in 2004. Quebec-born players peaked at 26.6 per cent in 1962; this season they make up only 7.8% of the NHL.

Together, Ontario and Quebec still make up more of the NHL than the United States or all European countries combined. The provinces have a total population of roughly 20 million people.

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You should also have a chart for Western Canada – Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC.

Don't be afraid to take a few steps back, but you better keep moving forward.

by wlittle on Dec 2, 2008 9:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

the west has interesting trends. Manitoba was up at 20% of games played (and I think in 1945, 50% of NHL players were from Winnipeg), but Alberta and BC took off in the 60s.

by Hawerchuk on Dec 2, 2008 1:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s coming guys.

by James Mirtle on Dec 2, 2008 2:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I believe

that Saskatchewan still has the most players per capita.

by penaltyshots on Dec 2, 2008 10:06 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

USA! USA!

Sorry, that’s just easier to chant than Saskatchewan! Saskatchewan!

But it would be nice to know how many hail from our fair province.

by ShaneG on Dec 2, 2008 11:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nunavut has to be right up there.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Dec 2, 2008 1:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting, and hardly a coincidence, that Ontario plunged from the 70% mark at the same time the PCHA and WCHL folded. Most of Canada’s western talent stayed west until there was no choice other than the NHL.

by Resolute on Dec 2, 2008 10:36 AM CST reply actions 0 recs