Why does the NHL have so many more siblings than the other major sports leagues?

[Silencio]

Just off the top of my head, here is a list of families with at least two active brothers on NHL rosters:

-the Tkachuks
-the Staals
-the Reinharts
-the Subbans
-the Stromes
-the Benns
-the Stones
-the Folignos
-the Ritchies
-the Schenns
-the Hughes (as of 2019)


That's not including the list of historical NHL bros (Niedermayers, Sutters, Bures, Sedins, Richards, Koivus, and on and on).

As far as I can think of no other major sport has or has had nearly as many siblings playing professionally at the same time. So what is about hockey that makes it such a family affair?

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[LarKing]

I’m going to make a somewhat educated guess and say that hockey runs in families moreso than other sports. These are completely made up numbers but I think they’ll explain my point better:

Out of 10 North American families, 1 plays hockey. However all three of the kids play from each family.

Out of 10 North American families, 5 play basketball. However only one kid from each family plays.

Hockey is more grouped together because it’s far more expensive than most sports and tends to be more of a sport than runs in the family I’d say.

 

[Volica]

Wealthy to upper middle class Caucasian families are able to have multiple children in a sport that is cost restrictive to other families.
More at 11.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

Does football have a similar phenomenon? My educated guess would be that not all families can afford hockey so that's why.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I’m going to make a somewhat educated guess and say that hockey runs in families moreso than other sports. These are completely made up numbers but I think they’ll explain my point better:

Out of 10 North American families, 1 plays hockey. However all three of the kids play from each family.

Out of 10 North American families, 5 play basketball. However only one kid from each family plays.

Hockey is more grouped together because it’s far more expensive than most sports and tends to be more of a sport than runs in the family I’d say.

This is certainly true. From ages 5-12ish in other sports, you are playing a sport.

With the costs associated with hockey, once you start it's not just playing a sport. It's a family life style choice.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

to be fair, there are a lot of brothers in basketball

 

[Lays]

Just off the top of my head, here is a list of families with at least two active brothers on NHL rosters:

-the Tkachuks
-the Staals
-the Reinharts
-the Subbans
-the Stromes
-the Benns
-the Stones
-the Folignos
-the Ritchies
-the Schenns
-the Hughes (as of 2019)


That's not including the list of historical NHL bros (Niedermayers, Sutters, Bures, Sedins, Richards, Koivus, and on and on).

As far as I can think of no other major sport has or has had nearly as many siblings playing professionally at the same time. So what is about hockey that makes it such a family affair?

Don’t forgot the Smiths who everyone forgets are brothers (Reilly and Brendan)
Hayes (Kevin and Jimmy)
Howdens (Quinton and Brett)-yes I know Quinton isn’t in the NHL anymore but he was recently
Edit-also the Van Reimsdyk’s

 

[StoneHands]

Hockey is an incredibly expensive sport and the best way to improve is by being on the ice. There is a limited number of people who can afford hockey in general and the number of families who can afford to put their kid on the ice 7 days a week is much smaller. Hockey also seems to be a lifestyle sport too and has a culture that follows. If a dad played hockey as a kid and even as a adult there's a high probability that his children will play too. If a dad grew up playing baseball, basketball, football, and soccer I would bet the likelihood of his kids playing through high school is much lower.

 

[JPeeper]

You also got the Hamilton's, who HAVE to play on the same team it seems.

 

[Zamuz]

Just off the top of my head, here is a list of families with at least two active brothers on NHL rosters:

-the Tkachuks
-the Staals
-the Reinharts
-the Subbans
-the Stromes
-the Benns
-the Stones
-the Folignos
-the Ritchies
-the Schenns
-the Hughes (as of 2019)


That's not including the list of historical NHL bros (Niedermayers, Sutters, Bures, Sedins, Richards, Koivus, and on and on).

As far as I can think of no other major sport has or has had nearly as many siblings playing professionally at the same time. So what is about hockey that makes it such a family affair?

-the Granlunds
-the Tanevs

 

[Finnish your Czech]

-the Granlunds
-the Tanevs

The Nylanders

 

[FanCos]

Hockey is an incredibly expensive sport and the best way to improve is by being on the ice. There is a limited number of people who can afford hockey in general and the number of families who can afford to put their kid on the ice 7 days a week is much smaller. Hockey also seems to be a lifestyle sport too and has a culture that follows. If a dad played hockey as a kid and even as a adult there's a high probability that his children will play too. If a dad grew up playing baseball, basketball, football, and soccer I would bet the likelihood of his kids playing through high school is much lower.

In Europe, and my bet is also in Latin America, the likelihood that both father and kids play soccer is quite high. But the soccer is so much more highly competed sport that you do not necessarily don't see the kids make it to the pros, let alone to the topmost leagues.

 

[Mortivore]

And the Karlssons. Amidoinitright?

 

[idontusethisanymore]

The Schmaltzes (Jordan and Nick) as well

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

And the Karlssons. Amidoinitright?

Don't forget Olli and Jussi Jokinen

 

[Avelanche]

Does football have a similar phenomenon? My educated guess would be that not all families can afford hockey so that's why.

yes, a lot of brothers and father/sons. doesn't feel like as much as hockey.

 

[phillyb]

to be fair, there are a lot of brothers in basketball

 

[cgf]

Because you don't need to be as physically freaky as you do in Basketball or american football, and the entry costs are a lot more limiting than they are for a sport like football...although there's plenty of siblings in world football as well.

 

[inthewings]

Because you don't need to be as physically freaky as you do in Basketball or american football, and the entry costs are a lot more limiting than they are for a sport like football...although there's plenty of siblings in world football as well.

Yup. A big factor limiting success is whether or not you have a family that is both willing and able to spend both the time and money on hockey. That just isn’t the case for the other major sports.

It also means that there are likely countless kids who could have been HoF talents in the right environment who never really get a chance.

 

[AvatarAang]

to be fair, there are a lot of brothers in basketball

/thread

 

[cgf]

Yup. A big factor limiting success is whether or not you have a family that is both willing and able to spend both the time and money on hockey. That just isn’t the case for the other major sports.

It also means that there are likely countless kids who could have been HoF talents in the right environment who never really get a chance.

Yup I was fortunate enough to play on a team as a kid that was sponsored by the Blackhawks & so offered scholarships to a lot of kids who elsewise would never have been able to play or even get the equipment to play. Then when we moved out to the suburbs and I joined the local travel team, the culture clash just killed my enjoyment of the sport.

Previously we were all just happy to be having fun on the ice together; improving to continue our success as a team, not to validate our parents’ expenditures or get a college scholarship. We had never had the option to get out onto the ice at 6am everyday with a power skating coach for an hour before school; like the kids I played with in the suburbs did.

And those resources had a lot more to do with which of my ex-teammates ended up getting college scholarships...or even drafted as one of my suburban teammates ended up being...than their raw skill level, physical gifts, tenacity, or work ethic.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

There are a bunch in the NFL so it really isn’t that big of a phenomenon.

There are a couple families with 3 brothers in the NFL.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

to be fair, there are a lot of brothers in basketball

I see what you did there

 

[VoluntaryDom]

There are a bunch in the NFL so it really isn’t that big of a phenomenon.

There are a couple families with 3 brothers in the NFL.

Football and hockey equipment is more expensive than basketball or baseball equipment which goes with the reasons earlier in the thread

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Football and hockey equipment is more expensive than basketball or baseball equipment which goes with the reasons earlier in the thread

I don’t agree with any of that.

It starts at the fundamental aspect that these kids are born with great genes. Also having someone to grow up with who is amazing at sports helps that person get better and produces a work ethic to get to said spot.

Cost has nothing to do with it. Many pee wee football leagues provide equipment for the kids. There typically is not a cost involved.