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FinlandNations in the NHL

Finnish NHL players 1996–97

17 Finnish players played in the NHL in 1996–97. Together they scored 467 points, the sixth most of any country, and Finland finished seventh of 8 in the nations league. Teemu Selanne scored the most, 109 points.

17
NHL players
467
Points
7th
Nations league
0
Goalie wins
1996–97Last season82/82 games
1995–961997–98

FINNISH LEADERS

In the nations league

7th
of 8 ranked nations
20
league points
Rate4thTop trio7thBlue line4thGoalies6thPer million4th

Finland accounts for 2.0% of the NHL's players and 2.8% of its points.

The full nations league

Every Finnish player in the NHL, team by team

17 players across 12 teams.
ANAAnaheim Ducks2 players
Teemu SelanneINACTIVE
RW · 78 GP · 51G 58A109P
Jari KurriINACTIVE
RW · 82 GP · 13G 22A35P
CGYCalgary Flames2 players
Sami HeleniusINACTIVE
D · 3 GP · 0G 1A1P
Marko JantunenINACTIVE
C · 3 GP · 0G 0A0P
LAKLos Angeles Kings2 players
Kai NurminenINACTIVE
LW · 67 GP · 16G 11A27P
Aki BergINACTIVE
D · 41 GP · 2G 6A8P
PHXPhoenix Coyotes2 players
Teppo NumminenINACTIVE
D · 82 GP · 2G 25A27P
Juha YlonenINACTIVE
C · 2 GP · 0G 0A0P
VANVancouver Canucks2 players
Jyrki LummeINACTIVE
D · 66 GP · 11G 24A35P
Esa TikkanenINACTIVE
LW · 76 GP · 13G 17A30P
CHIChicago Blackhawks1 player
Tuomas GronmanINACTIVE
D · 16 GP · 0G 1A1P
DALDallas Stars1 player
Jere LehtinenINACTIVE
RW · 63 GP · 16G 27A43P
HFDHartford Whalers1 player
Sami KapanenINACTIVE
RW · 45 GP · 13G 12A25P
Show all 12 teams
MTLMontréal Canadiens1 player
Saku KoivuINACTIVE
C · 50 GP · 17G 39A56P
OTTOttawa Senators1 player
Janne LaukkanenINACTIVE
D · 76 GP · 3G 18A21P
PHIPhiladelphia Flyers1 player
Janne NiinimaaINACTIVE
D · 77 GP · 4G 40A44P
SJSSan Jose Sharks1 player
Ville PeltonenINACTIVE
LW · 28 GP · 2G 3A5P

Season by season

Finland had 16 players in the NHL in 1989–90 and 51 in 2025–26. The peak was 2021–22, with 61. Under each bar is the nations league placing, in gold for the 3 seasons Finland won.
2
6
6
310
393
3
6
6
626
499
6
5
6
639
505
2
6
4
430
110
3
3
3
738
515
5
1
2
158
520
6
5
5
851
825

In the NHL Draft

12 Finnish players were picked in the 2026 NHL Draft, three of them in the first round. Oscar Hemming went first, at number 14 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Every pick in 2026 →The draft through the years →

Finnish NHL players all time

Regular season, whole careers. The record seasons count completed seasons only.

Finland against USA

The nations league's five categories plus raw points and player count. The higher value takes the round.
Finland
Finland
7th in the league
3–4
USA
USA
5th in the league

USA wins 4–3 against Finland.

0.51Points per game0.43
209Best trio266
0.34Defencemen's points per game0.31
–Goalies' save percentage.905
3.0NHL players per million inhabitants0.4
467Total points2 762
17Players in the NHL140
Finland against USA season by season
Pick a rivalRussiaRussiaCzechiaCzechiaSlovakiaSlovakiaSwedenSwedenUSAUSACanadaCanadaUkraine
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Continue reading

Top scorer
Teemu Selanne
Finland's top scorer in 1996–97.
The team
Anaheim Ducks
Where Teemu Selanne plays.
Nations in the NHL
Every nation in the NHL
How many players each country has in the NHL, with a page for each.
Nations league
NHL battle of the nations 1996–97
The countries compared per player rather than in raw totals.
Against Sweden
Sweden vs Finland
Seven rounds, season by season.
The Swedes
Every Swede in the NHL
Team by team, with position and stats.