Fukufuji, and other non traditional hockey countries...

[LeafErikson]

Just curious how many NHLers, or players on the cusp of the NHL, are close to making it, that are from non traditional hockey countries. Are there anymore Japanese, maybe Chinese, or Korean players on the verge of being good players at the pro level. Just asking, because you guys obviously know your own teams system better than me.

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[Spetzky]

Anze Kopitar, KINGS, Slovenia
Dagauvins, SENS, Latvia
... not many i guess

 

[ComradeFlyer]

If i'm not mistaken Fukufuji is the only Asian born player who is nearing the top level, but for potential future players looking into Asian League Ice Hockey. Development has taken a major step forward in Asia, but is still well below Europe and North American development.

For "Asian" players you are better off look at Asian-Canadian and Asian-American players.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

There is an Asian who has his name on the Cup. South Korea born Jim Paek.

 

[Form and Substance]

There is an Asian who has his name on the Cup. South Korea born Jim Paek.

Yeah but he played in Canada throughout his life.

 

[haelwho]

Jannik Hansen from Denmark could be the best Dutch player in history. Same could be said for Luca i from Switzerland and Patrick Thoreson from Norway.

From the Kings, Kopitar is already the best Slovenian ever, Pushkarev (from Kazakhstan) could be very good for them, and Danny Taylor is from Great Britain but at this point him making it to the NHL is a long shot.

 

[boredmale]

Steve Thomas from England

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Jannik Hansen from Denmark could be the best Dutch player in history. Same could be said for Luca i from Switzerland and Patrick Thoreson from Norway.

From the Kings, Kopitar is already the best Slovenian ever, Pushkarev (from Kazakhstan) could be very good for them, and Danny Taylor is from Great Britain but at this point him making it to the NHL is a long shot.

thats frightning to think Pushkarev might be the best player from Kazakhstan.

 

[Heat McManus]

How much of Slava Trukhno's life was spent in Denmark? (If any)

 

[Stephen]

There's also Cristobal Huet, who is established as a quality player now. He was developed in the French leagues. Didn't even know they had a league. Then there's Espen Knutsen from Norway.

But in terms of Asian hockey players, you'd probably have better luck finding those guys in North American programs. There have been Asians like Jim Paek, Richard Park, Peter Ing, the Kariya brothers, Jamie Storr, David Tanabe, Devon Setoguchi playing at high levels of hockey, but I suppose there's nothing non traditional about them aside from heritage.

 

[EbencoyE]

Most Asian League players are about ECHL level. So they have a way to go to produce solid NHL caliber players. They should send some of their promising young talent to North America to play against better competition.

Vanek = Austria
Huet = France
Kopitar = Slovenia
Wolski = Poland

There's a couple guys from Norway that cracked the NHL this year, isn't there?

And I forget the name of the Danish guy on the Islanders.

 

[EbencoyE]

How much of Slava Trukhno's life was spent in Denmark? (If any)

Most of it I believe. He played most of his hockey there. But the Danish government took too long to grant him citizenship and therefore plays for Russia.

 

[Hedberg]

Jannik Hansen from Denmark could be the best Dutch player in history.

Danish, not Dutch.

When will there be a good Dutch player?

 

[montreal]

As a guess, I assume the Habs were the first team to have two Belarus natives play in the nhl in Kostitsyn and Grabovski since it's very rare to have one player from Belarus let alone two. They also might be the only team with two Swiss players on the same team in Aebischer and Streit.

 

[EbencoyE]

Danish, not Dutch.

When will there be a good Dutch player?

Probably never unless they send some of their young players to NA like the British have done. All of the young talented British players have been developed over here because their national leagues aren't competitive enough to develop their skills. The Dutch leagues are in a similar state and getting worse.

 

[Tb0ne]

-Norway
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (NHL Columbus), Patrick Thoresen (NHL Edmonton)

-Denmark
Jannik Hansen (AHL Vancouver), Kim Staal (AHL Nashville), Frans Nielsen (AHL NY Islanders).
Morton Madsen (QMJHL Minnesota), Kiril Starkov (WHL Columbus)
Peter Regin (SEL? Ottawa)
A fewl of other 2007 draft prospects in the U-20 Sweden, Lars Eller, Mads Bodker, etc.

-Austria
Vanek (NHL Buffalo), Pock (NHL New York)
Grabner (WHL Vancouver), Nodl (NCAA Philly)

-Slovenia
Anze Kopitar (NHL LA)
Jan Mursak (OHL Detroit)
Gasper Kopitar (Slovenia)

Latvia
Sandis Ozolins (NHL - Defense - Rangers), Karlis Skrastins (NHL - Defense - Colorado)
Janis Sprukts (NHL - AHL - Centre - Florida)
Martins Karsums (QMJHL - RW - Boston), Oskars Bartulis (QMJHL - Defense - Philly)
Herbert Vasiljevs (DEL - NHL - AHL)

Lithuania
Dainius Zubrus (NHL - Forward - Washington)

Belarus
Ruslan Salei (FLO NHL)
Andrei Kostitsyn (Montreal AHL)
Sergei Kostitsyn (OHL Undrafted?)
Konstantin Koltsov (PIT NHL-RSL)

Ukraine
Ruslan Fedotenko (Tampa Bay NHL), Alexei Ponikarovsky (Toronto NHL).

Kazakstan
Nik Antropov (NHL - TOR)
Vitaly Kolesnik (NHL - AHL - RSL, Played for Colorado last year as a goalie)

Japan
Yutaka Fukufuji (ECHL - AHL - NHL - LA - Goalie)

 

[Stephen]

Wolski = Poland

He's Canadian raised though, so his hockey development has nothing to do with Poland.

 

[dao256]

Roman Ndur was from Nigeria...

 

[CH Wizard]

-
Belarus
Sergei Kostitsyn (OHL Undrafted?)

He was drafted by Montreal, in the 7th round of the 2005 draft.

 

[AgentNaslund*]

the first Chinese blood player, well, hes chinese Canadian, but Drafted by Colorado, Gordon Yip.

 

[Stephen]

the first Chinese blood player, well, hes chinese Canadian, but Drafted by Colorado, Gordon Yip.

Isn't there another Chinese Canadian playing somewhere in the WHL?

 

[tiz]

Jannik Hansen from Denmark could be the best Dutch player in history. Same could be said for Luca i from Switzerland and Patrick Thoreson from Norway.

From the Kings, Kopitar is already the best Slovenian ever, Pushkarev (from Kazakhstan) could be very good for them, and Danny Taylor is from Great Britain but at this point him making it to the NHL is a long shot.

Isn't Espen Knutsen from Norway?

 

[Tb0ne]

Isn't Espen Knutsen from Norway?

Yea but he hasn't been in the NHL in 2-3 years.

 

[montreal]

-Belarus
Ruslan Salei (FLO NHL)
Andrei Kostitsyn (Montreal AHL)
Sergei Kostitsyn (OHL Undrafted?)
Konstantin Koltsov (PIT NHL-RSL)

Mikhail Grabovski (Montreal/Hamilton) He played 2 games with the Habs this year.

I'd be interested in the list of Swiss players in the nhl/drafted

 

[EbencoyE]

He's Canadian raised though, so his hockey development has nothing to do with Poland.

He's still eligible to play for Poland though. (Unless he played for Team Canada once and I missed it)

Don't forget about Huet, Tb0ne.