Players who are surprisingly not from Europe

[HFpapi]

Right, the classic Latvian name Zeev Buium. If there's one thing anyone knows about Latvian names, surely it's that every name must end with an -s

You ok bro? I said "or something." I'm not an expert on Latvian names, so sorry.

 

[Buck Naked]

Michael Rasmussen should be from Sweeden.

Denmark. The E at the end of Rasmussen should be switched for an O if you want it to sound Swedish.

 

[Byron Bitz]

The reverse Brad Lambert

 

[Osakahaus]

I always thought that Nedeljovic was from Europe

 

[namttebih]

Denmark. The E at the end of Rasmussen should be switched for an O if you want it to sound Swedish.

I should know that. My grandfather’s last name was Gummerson.

Also, shouldn’t it be Mateo Zuccarello?

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Brady Skjei. Brady not very European but Skjei? Did not think he was American.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Vincent is a very european name.

Ever heard of Vincent Van Gogh?

Yeah but hockey players aren't coming from European countries where Vincent is a common name, how hard is that to understand?

 

[minibrodeur]

Was surprised when I found out Jaccob Slavin was American, I think the 2 cs in Jaccob threw me off, started reading it like Yakub.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Alex Galchenyuk, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Nick Bjugstad always threw me off. Though Bjugstad was swedish for sure.

 

[OKR]

Thus never lived in Germany for any meaningful period of time besides visiting relatives in Augsburg and playing a handful of games in Berlin late in his career during the lockout in 2005. Was going to play for Team Canada at the WJC in 1990 but only at that point it turned out that he wasn't eligible. Soon after he then met the German player Stefan Ustorf in Washington and told him about the situation, after which he was recruited by the Germans.

Received full German citizenship at birth, never applied for any other citizenship and always reffered to himself as German.

 

[Hierso]

Oliver Bjorkstrand.

While i know he's both danish and american it just sounds so super scandinavian to me.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Oliver Bjorkstrand.

While i know he's both danish and american it just sounds so super scandinavian to me.

Well Denmark is a Scandinavian country, so you're not wrong.

 

[Hierso]

Well Denmark is a Scandinavian country, so you're not wrong.

Yes, but what are the odds that his father (born and raised in the US) goes to go the gigantic hockey market that is Denmark and manages to have two sons that play hockey?

I expected full on bork, not half bork.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Occasionally still see people spell John Carlson’s name “Carlsson” implying they think he’s Swedish

 

[Albatros]

Received full German citizenship at birth, never applied for any other citizenship and always reffered to himself as German.

Which doesn't mean he's from Europe. Besides he did want to play for Canada, just didn't understand his citizenship situation correctly. Germany was never an option up until that point.

 

[super6646]

Brady Skjei. Brady not very European but Skjei? Did not think he was American.

He transcends borders

 

[Phil McKraken]

As a kid I used to think Eric Lindros was Swedish.

 

[Marlowe Syn]

Alex Galchenyuk

Anders Lee

I thought Cody Franson was Swedish at one point

Well Anders Lee is from Edina. They are like the French of the Twin Cities area

Zarley Zalapski wins this thread hands down.

Honorable mention to Anders Bjork.

Zarley Zalapski wins every thread hands down

Shame that Milwaukee is now part of Europe.

Yeah but if you can ever get over to Milwaukee, Catalonia it is so worth it. Great museums. Did you know for a while Salvador Dali worked exclusively in the medium of cheese?



I don't know if it counts as I think he was a military brat, but Dany Heatley was born in Germany.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Brady Skjei. Brady not very European but Skjei? Did not think he was American.

Most "American" names came from somewhere else first. Lots of them came from Europe.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Not an NHL'er, and maybe never will be, but there is a WHL player for the Red Deer Rebels (and formerly Calgary Hitmen) named Matteo Fabrizi. Very European name, but he's from St. Alberta, Alberta.

 

[OKR]

Which doesn't mean he's from Europe. Besides he did want to play for Canada, just didn't understand his citizenship situation correctly. Germany was never an option up until that point.

Him being German makes him European. You could want to be Marsian all you want, but that doesn’t make you one. Playing for Canada was never a option, period.

Besides, he also lived in Denmark before he ever even visited Canada…

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Zarley Zalapski wins this thread hands down.

Honorable mention to Anders Bjork.

til Zalapsky is spelled Zalapski and also that Zarley Zalapski was not boen a European.

 

[dalewood12]

There are a lot of players with Northern Europe ancestry who are from Minnesota.

Matt Niskanen
Steve Jensen
Paul Holmgren
Erik Rasmussen
Ryan Lindgren
Chris Dahlquist
Jack Carlson
Mike Lundin

 

[FrozenKing18]

Jakob Oettinger

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Most "American" names came from somewhere else first. Lots of them came from Europe.

Right? Do y’all solely associate with Smiths and Roberts? Y’all never had a friend Paul Globinowski or somethin? Again, the first name is more telling. Not always, but if the dude is Mike Tallinder, ok, that dude was likely born in NA. Henrik Tallinder? Better chance he was born in Europe.

Jakob Oettinger

Like that one, woulda never known because that’s not the common US spelling and a lot of NA people would just go by Jake.