Who is the best player of each country all time?

[McCullogh]

I was asked to make a list of the best hockey players by this seven countries (all time) for a work assignment and some were easy pickings for me. But would like to get some more input.

Canada and Sweden I know I will not change my mind about as Gretzky and Lidström are locks.

This is my original list:

Canada: Gretzky
Sweden: Lidström
Czech rep: Jagr (Hasek?)
Finland: Kurri (Selänne?)
Russia: Feodorov (Mogily? Bure? Tretjak? Fetisov?)
Slovakia: Statsny
USA: Modano (Housley? Brett Hull?)

Been googling a bit but that will only get me so far. So I ask the expertize on the hfboards. Who would you pick as each of these countries all time best?

Thanks a lot!

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[SimplySensational]

USA: LaFontaine.

 

[Pizza the Hutt]

Poland: Mariusz Czerkawski
France: Cristobal Huet
Switzerland: Sven Baertschi
Japan: Yutaka Fukufuji
The country formerly known as Yugoslavia: Ivan Boldirev

 

[wunderpanda]

Austria: Vanek
Canada: Gretzky
Quebec: M. Richard
Czech: Jagr
Denmark: Nielson
Finland: Selanne
Germany: Krupp
Norway: Zuccarello
Latvia: Girgensons
Poland: Czerkawski
Russia: Kharlamov
Slovakia: Satan
Slovenia: Kopitar
Sweden: Peter Forsberg
Swiss: Streit
USA: Mike Ramsey



*edit* switched to forsberg, added some more countries

 

[mkoivu9*]

Austria: Vanek
Canada: Gretzky
Czech: Jagr
Finland: Selanne
Germany: Krupp
Poland: Czerkawski
Russia: Kharlamov
Slovakia: Satan
Sweden: Lidström
Swiss: Streit
USA: Mike Ramsey

Heatley

 

[TRG]

UK: Tony Hand

 

[frostyflo]

Easy choices are Vanek and Kopitar.
I agree on Can, Swe, Slo, Cze but would give Teemu the (very slight) edge over Kurri.
no clue who would be my choice for Russia!? so many great players....

and the homer in me takes Hull as the best American!

 

[BlueBeard]

Chelios for USA

 

[Swedish playmaker*]

I suppose Lidström was the best player, but I just have to say Forsberg anyway. He was at least more interesting to watch. He was something else, ohhh those were the days.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Heatley

Heatley is about as German as I am Scandinavian, and if you were going to go down the barely German route, I'd give it to Olaf Kolzig. In terms of actual Germans, I'd give it to the recently retired Marco Sturm, with an honourable mention to Jochen Hecht.

 

[Radiohead]

Heatley

Shouldn't really count. Germany didn't develop him as a hockey player.

 

[Radiohead]

Heatley is about as German as I am Scandinavian, and if you were going to go down the barely German route, I'd give it to Olaf Kolzig. In terms of actual Germans, I'd give it to the recently retired Marco Sturm, with an honourable mention to Jochen Hecht.

Seidenberg and Ehrhoff should get a mention.

 

[Gabranth]

Heatley

So Barkov is also Russian? Or do only Canadians who were born in a foreign country count? Heatley isn't even fluent in german....

 

[KarmaPolice]

Belarus: Andrei Kostitsyn
Brazil: Robyn Regehr (if that counts)
France: Paul MacLean
Denmak: this is a battle, but right now: Frans Nielsen (Eller or Boedker could change it in time)
Haiti: Claude Vilgrain
Ireland: Jim McFadden
Netherlands: Ed Kea
South Korea: Richard Park
Switzerland: Mark Streit (Roman Josi will be considered better, if he's not already)
U.K.: Steve Thomas
Norway: Patrick Thoresen (Knutsen played more NHL games (so far) but Thoresen is clearly the more skilled player)

What's with Norway and the lack of hockey players, anyway?

 

[ByeBye]

Germany: Erich Kühnhackl (father of Pittsburgh prospect Tom)


He was voted Germany's hockey player of the century (the last century, that is) but never played in the NHL.

If we're talking only players that played in the NHL, then I would say only players that are eligible for the national team qualify (and therefore, Heatley does not). In that case, I would probably pick Marco Sturm right now, but that might be more of a personal preference.

 

[ozo]

Austria: Vanek
Canada: Gretzky
Quebec: M. Richard
Czech: Jagr
Denmark: Nielson
Finland: Selanne
Germany: Krupp
Norway: Zuccarello
Latvia: Girgensons
Poland: Czerkawski
Russia: Kharlamov
Slovakia: Satan
Slovenia: Kopitar
Sweden: Peter Forsberg
Swiss: Streit
USA: Mike Ramsey

Started watching hockey only this month? Ever heard of Irbe, Ozolinsh and maybe Skrastins? And a lot of our less flash NHL players still are miles ahead of Girgensons now.

PS. sorry Zemgus, I still love you.

 

[Horvath Broncos]

Belarus: Andrei Kostitsyn
Brazil: Robyn Regehr (if that counts)
France: Paul MacLean
Denmak: this is a battle, but right now: Frans Nielsen (Eller or Boedker could change it in time)
Haiti: Claude Vilgrain
Ireland: Jim McFadden
Netherlands: Ed Kea
South Korea: Richard Park
Switzerland: Mark Streit (Roman Josi will be considered better, if he's not already)
U.K.: Steve Thomas
Norway: Patrick Thoresen (Knutsen played more NHL games (so far) but Thoresen is clearly the more skilled player)

What's with Norway and the lack of hockey players, anyway?

i would say Owen Nolan is best UK player.

and Belarus i'd say Ruslan Salei

 

[EagleBelfour]

UK: Tony Hand

Steve Thomas

 

[Coatsy79]

UK: Tony Hand

i would say Owen Nolan is best UK player.

and Belarus i'd say Ruslan Salei

Steve Thomas

I'd argue Tony Hand is the best uk born and trained hockey player, although you could make an argument for Colin Shields also

Think Nolan is the best British born player (admittedly only going on his draft position) but is really a Canadian

 

[SuburbanRhythm]

Brunei: Craig Adams
Nigeria: Rumun Ndur

 

[unknown33]

Canada: Gretzky
Czech Republic: Hasek, Jagr
Sweden: Lidström
Finland: Selanne
USA: Chelios
Russia: Fetisov
Slovakia: Peter Stastny

 

[Rexor]

Hašek vs. Jágr is pretty difficult for me. Though I'm sure 9 out of 10 Czechs would go with Jágr.

 

[Incognito]

Austria: Vanek
Canada: Gretzky
Quebec: M. Richard
Czech: Jagr
Denmark: Nielson
Finland: Selanne
Germany: Krupp
Norway: Zuccarello
Latvia: Girgensons
Poland: Czerkawski
Russia: Kharlamov
Slovakia: Satan
Slovenia: Kopitar
Sweden: Peter Forsberg
Swiss: Streit
USA: Mike Ramsey



*edit* switched to forsberg, added some more countries

Quebec is a province of Canada, not a country.

 

[dwanmaster*]

USA: Housley easily

 

[Johnny B Good]

Belarus: Andrei Kostitsyn
Brazil: Robyn Regehr (if that counts)
France: Paul MacLean
Denmak: this is a battle, but right now: Frans Nielsen (Eller or Boedker could change it in time)
Haiti: Claude Vilgrain
Ireland: Jim McFadden
Netherlands: Ed Kea
South Korea: Richard Park
Switzerland: Mark Streit (Roman Josi will be considered better, if he's not already)
U.K.: Steve Thomas
Norway: Patrick Thoresen (Knutsen played more NHL games (so far) but Thoresen is clearly the more skilled player)

What's with Norway and the lack of hockey players, anyway?

The best Norwegian player that has been in the NHL was Espen Knutsen.

And the reason Norway produces so few hockey players is because the sport is pretty small in Norway. Not enough rinks, no general interest.