Today, many of the NHL’ top players come from these European countries, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin, and MVP Alexander Ovechkin. European players were drafted and signed by NHL teams to bring in more ‘skilled offensive players’. But recently there has been a decline in European players as more American players are entering into the league. However, the inclusion of European players changed the style of play in the NHL and European style hockey has been integrated in to the NHL game.

Conversely Canadian coaches and the Canadian style of play have been embraced by a number of European countries. Seeing the continued success of Canadian teams in world tournaments, many other nations are trying to model their development programs after Hockey Canada’s. In Winter Olympic years, the NHL voluntarily suspends its season so that the NHL players can play in the Winter Olympics, representing their countries. Currently NHL possesses players from 18 different countries. check out Supercoppa for more details.