Players with nationalities you didnt expect based on their name

[Czechboy]

You might want to czech your spelling.

Just proves what a good name I picked.lol Thank you...

There is a Czech Rutta and Finnish Ruutu's and Ruuttu's

I think I got it now... maybe

 

[Icejoker]

I always thought that Nicklas Bäckström was Finnish and Niklas Bäckström was Swedish.

Also used to think that Ralph Bäckström was American, turns out he was Canadian.

Have a question about Ralph , I read in a newspaper after he died he was born 1937 and his parents emigrated from Finland 1926 but in eliteprospects he in cousin to Daren Puppa born 1965 , how is that possible ?

 

[CSKA1974]

I thought Leo Komarov is russian lion.

He plays for Finnish Lions

 

[Pyrophorus]

The last name is pretty common, first name so much, more Patriks and Patricks in Sweden.

Niskanen, Lindros, Virtanen and some others mentioned have parents, grandparents or great-grandparents who emigrated from Finland and Sweden, just like Nylanders

Barkov fools many people thinking he is Russian, his father Alexander Barkov Sr. emigrated from Soviet Union to Finland to play hockey, he is a legend.

Why does Leo Komarov speak so many languages?
Born in Narva, Estonia, which is right across the river from Russia
Moved to Western Finland, where they speak Swedish (and Finland has a Swedish political party)
I actually don't know if he speaks Estonian though.

Seems as thought many people floated through the Baltics and Nordic countries.

 

[kingsholygrail]

John Tavares

 

[rotsbu]

Anders Bjork is from Wisconsin

Similarly, it took me years to realize Anders Lee is American

 

[Webster]

Many years ago, in the before time, he was known as Mats Zuccarello Aasen. That's when I first heard of him; I think it was on the prospects board. He became Zuccarello a bit before he was drafted.

Yeah his full name is Mats André Zuccarello Aasen. But it was too long on the back of his jersey, and Aasen in English sounds like something he didn't like

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Thought Rangers' Lindgren was Swedish

How many people from Sweden are named Ryan?

 

[abo9]

As a kid I expected Rod Brind'Amour to be from Quebec, or at least speak French.

Claude Giroux is from Ontario.

 

[6ix]

Pierre Engvall is somehow Swedish.

 

[CheerstoBeers]

Anders Bjork = Wisconsin
Jack Studnicka = Ontario

 

[Laveuglette]

As a kid I expected Rod Brind'Amour to be from Quebec, or at least speak French.

Claude Giroux is from Ontario.

There are a lot of francophones in Northern Ontario. In the town Giroux comes from about 95% of the population reports French being their mother tongue. Their ancestors were from Québec, as clercs colonized the region to work on the construction of a Railway that would create a link from Québec to Manitoba IIRC. Manitoba was still very franco/metis back then, too.

 

[Galactico]

There are a lot of francophones in Northern Ontario. In the town Giroux comes from about 95% of the population reports French being their mother tongue. Their ancestors were from Québec, as clercs colonized the region to work on the construction of a Railway that would create a link to Manitoba. Manitoba was still very franco/metis back then.

Yes and Giroux french accent is 100% quebecois. French speaking people in Ontario are basically Quebecois that live on the other side of the Quebec/Ontario border.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Galchenyuk AINEC

 

[Laveuglette]

Yes and Giroux french accent is 100% quebecois. French speaking people in Ontario are basically Quebecois that live on the other side of the Quebec/Ontario border.

After 100 years their accent have become a little bit different, but yes, they are essentially descendants of Québécois. They are not from a distinct french colony, unlike Acadians.

 

[DieselBoy]

I always thought Granlund was a Swede. But for the most part I confuse Americans and Canadians.

 

[Shakey Rustie]

Bob Hartley having a heavy French-Canadian accent always causes me to do a double take.

 

[Nunymare]

Yes and Giroux french accent is 100% quebecois. French speaking people in Ontario are basically Quebecois that live on the other side of the Quebec/Ontario border.

Bob Hartley too, he's from Hawkesbury (on Quebec/Ontario border) but has a pretty strong French accent.

 

[Future GOAT]

Bob Hartley having a heavy French-Canadian accent always causes me to do a double take.

Those French Ontarians, eh.

 

[Deadpool8812]

Niskanen

 

[Deadpool8812]

As a kid I expected Rod Brind'Amour to be from Quebec, or at least speak French.

Claude Giroux is from Ontario.

Giroux is from a French town in Ontario

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Milan Lucic. I for sure thought he was a Neanderthal, but nope, he's Canadian.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Leo Komarov, although he has both Russian and Finnish citizenship, is actually from Estonia.

How many people could find Estonia on a map?

I could. I'm from Latvia. Although I live in the UK now.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

I am tryng to be racist russian nationalist asshole

You doing good there.

 

[CascadiaPuck]

Probably just me but it throws me that Anders Lee is American. Mostly just his first name that makes me think he's from somewhere in Europe.

I honestly thought he might be Chinese when I saw his name (and before I saw him play). Very large Chinese population in Vancouver probably alters my personal experience a bit.