Top-5 Ukrainians in NHL History – The Hockey Writers Hockey History Latest News, Analysis & More
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, the NHL has found player representation from many countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. 1994 saw the first Russian-born players win the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers, and they have won Cups ever since. Additionally, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Belorussians have found names for themselves in North American rinks over the seasons. There is one country though that we North Americans have at times wrongfully attributed or grouped its players as being Russian, when they are not. We are talking about the Ukrainians of the NHL.
The country with a population of close to 42.5 million people has generated NHL players since the early-1990s. Ukrainians have won Stanley Cups, played in NHL All-Star Games, and have been 30-goal scorers. While there have not been all that many to have played in the league, the ones that have done so have certainly made a difference.
