Well, Canada definitely has the largest hockey following, with nearly 2.9 million registered players as of April 2024, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The U.S. and Australia also had considerable followings, while several other countries, including Japan, had smaller but still significant populations of players.
The IIHF notes that there are currently more than 700,000 players registered in Canada’s junior hockey league (the Ontario Hockey League, alone), which makes it the largest hockey-playing nation in the world. By comparison, the United States currently has about 600,000 players registered in the NHL (National Hockey League), and about 300,000 in the AHL (American Hockey League).
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Why Is Canada Such A Big Hockey Power?
Well, it helps that Canada is home to some of the greatest hockey minds of all time, including Gordie Howe, who was an all-time great for both the NHL and WHA (World Hockey Association), and Bobby Orr, who was an all-time great for the NHL. Orr is still considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time, having starred on a team with Howe and other greats during the 1968-69 season. Orr is also credited with making hockey “popular” in the U.S., as there were previously only a few teams there, and most Americans probably didn’t even know how to skate. Orr is often referred to as “The American Dream” because he became a major sports figure (along with Howe) in the U.S., even though he was actually born in Canada.
Another great player who helped give birth to the NHL is Wayne Gretzky, who is also widely considered to be the greatest player ever. Not only did he help pioneer the “power play” (more on that below), but he was also the first to implement what would become an iconic gesture, raising his arms in the air after scoring a goal.
Does Size Matter?
The short answer is no. One of the great things about hockey is that it doesn’t matter what size you are, as long as you can play the game. It’s still considered bad form to get in the way of a good game by any means necessary. For instance, fights are generally not allowed, and players are cautioned not to initiate them, even though there’s nothing ‘bothersome’ about throwing down a few punches when you’re playing against a smaller opponent (who might also be the ‘teammate’ you randomly picked to fight with).
However, there’s also another side to this story. Back in the day, people didn’t have the sense of community that we have today, which meant that being big meant you could potentially dominate other players, as well as the occasional ‘opponent’ on the other team. These days, with more people playing hockey, it’s considered good form to be ‘mean,’ and take out your aggressions’ on the ice rather than your fellow players off of it. The same goes for fights – they’re encouraged even in junior hockey today, as a way to determine who’s the best (and the biggest) on your team.
Which Country Has The Most Wins In The World?
There’s one place, and one place only, that has won the greatest number of hockey games ever by a country: Canada. Since the World Hockey Championships began in 1905, Canada has won an incredible 52 championship titles. Moreover, the country’s professional hockey league, the NHL, has won the Stanley Cup, which is awarded to the NHL’s playoff champion, a total of 22 times, more than any other country. The IIHF notes that Canada has also won the most Olympic gold medals, with 14 overall, and all gold medals in men’s ice hockey. Finally, the country scored the most goals during the 2014-15 season, with 2,808 goals scored.
The U.S. is a distant second, having won 25 titles since the IIHF began keeping track of such things, and the country’s other professional hockey league, the AHL, has also won the Stanley Cup twice.
What Is The Difference Between The NHL, AHL, And WHL?
As mentioned above, Canada is home to three of the most prominent professional leagues in hockey, and each one has its differences, as well as its similarities. The North American Hockey League, or the “NHL,” was founded in 1917 and originally consisted of teams from Canada and the U.S. The American Hockey League, or the “AHL,” was later founded in 1923 and is mostly made up of teams in the U.S., although several teams also come from Canada. Lastly, the Western Hockey League, or the “WHL,” was founded in 1926 and originally consisted of teams from Canada and the U.S., as well as Great Britain.
All three leagues keep score in almost the same way, using a point system for each game, with three points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss. One major difference between the NHL, AHL, and WHL is that the minimum total number of games played before a champion is crowned is three in the WHL, compared to two in the other two leagues. Another major difference has to do with the playoff system. The three leagues use a best-of-seven series to determine their champions, with the first three games going to each team, and the final game being a tiebreaker. In the NHL, the eighth and final game, or any game beyond the fifth if there’s a tie at the end of the best-of-seven series, is a ‘shootout,’ which is sudden-death, three-on-three hockey, where the first team to score wins (or in the case of a tie, the next team gains the advantage).
The Best Hockey Players Of All Time
If we’re to compare athletes of one sport to another, it’s best to compare them at the same point in their career. Otherwise, it’s difficult to compare apples to oranges, or – in this case – pears. For example, if we want to compare the best hockey players of all time, it makes more sense to compare them at the height of their powers, rather than at the beginning or end of their careers, when they might not be at their physical best. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to note that, since the inception of the IIHF in 1924, only two athletes have been considered to be the best in the world in their respective sports – one is Arpon Knicou, a Canadian professional ice hockey player, and the other is Roger Clemens, an American professional baseball player. The consensus is that Knicou is the superior athlete, and so it would appear that we can’t really compare apples to oranges, or in this case, pears.
However, this might not entirely be the case. In 2015, the IIHF recognized two legends who each sported six championship rings, which is the most ever awarded. One of them is Wayne Gretzky, whose accomplishments in hockey are too numerous to list here. Let’s just say that he is widely considered to be the greatest hockey player of all time. The other is Gordie Howe, who also won championships in multiple sports, including baseball, and was a two-time Olympian (in 1948 and 1952). The IIHF named both of them, along with Stan ‘The Bear’ Musial, who is considered to be the greatest baseball player ever, as the only living legends that time has deemed worthy of such an honor. This might indicate that comparing the best hockey players of all time to one another is not such a difficult task, as both Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe spent most of their careers playing against and alongside each other – and even partnered with each other on occasion.
How Is Hockey Played?
Hockey is a sport that can be played by anyone, of any age, and in any manner that you can imagine. It doesn’t really matter who you are or where you come from, as long as you can hold a hockey stick and can move around, you can play. Basically, the world is your oyster when it comes to hockey.
If you want to learn more, the IIHF maintains a website with useful information about all types of hockey. Moreover, they also have a video section on their site, which features many helpful tips on how to improve your hockey game, as well as instructional videos on various hockey topics. If you’re serious about becoming a better hockey player, have a look at all that the IIHF has to offer, and make sure to have fun while you’re at it.