Minnesota Produces the Most NHL Players Born in the U.S.

We thought it would be interesting to find out which U.S. State produces the most U.S. born professional hockey players and, without too much surprise, we found that Minnesota is the birthplace of the largest number of U.S. born professional hockey players. These stats include the World Hockey Association (WHA), a professional league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. (Updated Mar 2016):

 

Sorted by # Players	2010	2015	2016		Sorted by State	2010	2015	2016
Minnesota	200	233	240		Alabama	2	2	3
Massachusetts	163	179	187		Alaska	11	12	13
Michigan	118	148	154		Arizona	1	2	2
New York	82	102	107		Arkansas	0	0	0
Illinois	42	52	58		California	24	36	38
California	24	36	38		Colorado	7	10	11
Pennsylvania	19	31	33		Connecticut	22	29	30
Wisconsin	25	29	31		Delaware	1	1	1
Connecticut	22	29	30		District of Columbia	2	3	3
Ohio	20	22	22		Florida	3	7	9
Rhode Island	18	18	19		Georgia	3	3	3
Missouri	7	14	15		Hawaii	0	0	0
New Jersey	8	13	14		Idaho	2	2	2
Alaska	11	12	13		Illinois	42	52	58
North Dakota	13	13	13		Indiana	7	8	9
Washington	9	11	12		Iowa	1	1	1
Colorado	7	10	11		Kansas	0	0	0
New Hampshire	7	10	11		Kentucky	0	0	0
Florida	3	7	9		Louisiana	0	0	0
Indiana	7	8	9		Maine	5	6	6
Texas	2	8	8		Maryland	3	4	4
Maine	5	6	6		Massachusetts	163	179	187
Oklahoma	3	5	5		Michigan	118	148	154
Oregon	5	5	5		Minnesota	200	233	240
Maryland	3	4	4		Mississippi	0	0	0
Utah	2	4	4		Missouri	7	14	15
Virginia	4	4	4		Montana	0	1	1
Alabama	2	2	3		Nebraska	2	2	2
District of Columbia	2	3	3		Nevada	0	0	0
Georgia	3	3	3		New Hampshire	7	10	11
Arizona	1	2	2		New Jersey	8	13	14
Idaho	2	2	2		New Mexico	0	0	0
Nebraska	2	2	2		New York	82	102	107
North Carolina	1	2	2		North Carolina	1	2	2
Vermont	2	2	2		North Dakota	13	13	13
Delaware	1	1	1		Ohio	20	22	22
Iowa	1	1	1		Oklahoma	3	5	5
Montana	0	1	1		Oregon	5	5	5
South Carolina	0	1	1		Pennsylvania	19	31	33
Arkansas	0	0	0		Rhode Island	18	18	19
Hawaii	0	0	0		South Carolina	0	1	1
Kansas	0	0	0		South Dakota	0	0	0
Kentucky	0	0	0		Tennessee	0	0	0
Louisiana	0	0	0		Texas	2	8	8
Mississippi	0	0	0		Utah	2	4	4
Nevada	0	0	0		Vermont	2	2	2
New Mexico	0	0	0		Virginia	4	4	4
South Dakota	0	0	0		Washington	9	11	12
Tennessee	0	0	0		West Virginia	0	0	0
West Virginia	0	0	0		Wisconsin	25	29	31
Wyoming	0	0	0		Wyoming	0	0	0

One of the largest reasons that Minnesota is able to produce such a large number of professional hockey players is partially because Minnesota kids can begin playing hockey – at a very young age – on the frozen lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks that dot the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”. This commonly referred to as “Pond Hockey”, and it’s not unusual to have kids playing pond hockey by the time they’re age 5 or 6.

Another crucial element in the development of young hockey players is the predominance of organized youth hockey leagues at the community level. This goes a long way in helping kids make the transition from pond hockey into a more organized hockey league so that they continue to develop their skills and interests.

Data Sources: hockey-reference.com, census.gov