Skip to content
HOCKEYSWEDES
SV
Everything about the Swedes in the NHL - right nowThe night every morning on@HockeySwedesCom
USANations in the NHL

American NHL players 1977–78

37 American players played in the NHL in 1977–78. Together they scored 623 points, the second most of any country, and USA finished third of 3 in the nations league. Reed Larson scored the most, 60 points.

37
NHL players
623
Points
3rd
Nations league
12
Goalie wins
1977–78Active season80/82 games
1976–771978–79

AMERICAN LEADERS

In the nations league

3rd
of 3 ranked nations
6
league points
Rate3rdTop trio3rdBlue line2ndGoalies3rdPer million3rd

USA accounts for 7.2% of the NHL's players and 5.0% of its points.

The full nations league

American goalies

Regular season. Most games first.
GoalieGPW-L-OTLSV%GAASO
Pete LoprestiMNS
5312-35-0.8674.232

Every American player in the NHL, team by team

37 players across 17 teams.
MNSMinnesota North Stars8 players
Steve JensenINACTIVE
LW · 74 GP · 13G 17A30P
Dean TalafousINACTIVE
C · 75 GP · 13G 16A29P
Tom YounghansINACTIVE
RW · 72 GP · 10G 8A18P
Bill ButtersINACTIVE
D · 23 GP · 1G 0A1P
Jim BooINACTIVE
D · 6 GP · 0G 0A0P
Don JacksonINACTIVE
D · 2 GP · 0G 0A0P
Chris AhrensINACTIVE
D · 1 GP · 0G 0A0P
Pete LoprestiINACTIVE
G · 53 GP · 12 W · .86712W
CLRColorado Rockies3 players
Fred Ahern JrINACTIVE
RW · 74 GP · 8G 17A25P
Mike ChristieINACTIVE
D · 69 GP · 3G 14A17P
Jim McElmuryINACTIVE
D · 2 GP · 0G 0A0P
PHIPhiladelphia Flyers3 players
Paul HolmgrenINACTIVE
RW · 62 GP · 16G 18A34P
Harvey BennettINACTIVE
C · 66 GP · 12G 10A22P
Jim CunninghamINACTIVE
LW · 1 GP · 0G 0A0P
BOSBoston Bruins2 players
Bob MillerINACTIVE
C · 76 GP · 20G 20A40P
Mike MilburyINACTIVE
D · 80 GP · 8G 30A38P
BUFBuffalo Sabres2 players
Lee FogolinINACTIVE
D · 76 GP · 0G 23A23P
Richie DunnINACTIVE
D · 25 GP · 0G 3A3P
LAKLos Angeles Kings2 players
Gary SargentINACTIVE
D · 72 GP · 7G 34A41P
Steven ShortINACTIVE
LW · 5 GP · 0G 0A0P
MTLMontréal Canadiens2 players
Bill NyropINACTIVE
D · 72 GP · 5G 21A26P
Mike PolichINACTIVE
C · 1 GP · 0G 0A0P
NYRNew York Rangers2 players
Mark HeaslipINACTIVE
RW · 29 GP · 5G 10A15P
Nick FotiuINACTIVE
LW · 59 GP · 2G 7A9P
Show all 17 teams
PITPittsburgh Penguins2 players
Russ AndersonINACTIVE
D · 74 GP · 2G 16A18P
Bob ParadiseINACTIVE
D · 64 GP · 2G 10A12P
STLSt. Louis Blues2 players
Jack BrownschidleINACTIVE
D · 40 GP · 2G 15A17P
Doug PalazzariINACTIVE
C · 3 GP · 1G 0A1P
VANVancouver Canucks2 players
Jere GillisINACTIVE
LW · 79 GP · 23G 18A41P
Gerry O'FlahertyINACTIVE
LW · 59 GP · 6G 11A17P
WSHWashington Capitals2 players
Tom RoweINACTIVE
RW · 63 GP · 13G 8A21P
Craig PatrickINACTIVE
RW · 44 GP · 1G 7A8P
CHIChicago Blackhawks1 player
Mike O'connellINACTIVE
D · 6 GP · 1G 1A2P
CLECleveland Barons1 player
Mike FidlerINACTIVE
LW · 78 GP · 23G 28A51P
DETDetroit Red Wings1 player
Reed LarsonINACTIVE
D · 75 GP · 19G 41A60P
NYINew York Islanders1 player
Richie HansenINACTIVE
C · 2 GP · 0G 0A0P
TORToronto Maple Leafs1 player
Kurt WalkerINACTIVE
D · 40 GP · 2G 2A4P

Season by season

USA had 121 players in the NHL in 1990–91 and 301 in 2025–26. The peak was 2021–22, with 324. Under each bar is the nations league placing, in gold for the 4 seasons USA won.
1
1
1
6146
594
7
5
7
8146
899
8
6
7
7177
705
9
8
7
8229
710
7
6
8
9243
915
7
5
9
6291
120
5
7
6
5301
425

In the NHL Draft

58 American players were picked in the 2026 NHL Draft, seven of them in the first round. Chase Reid went first, at number 7 to the Seattle Kraken.

Every pick in 2026 →The draft through the years →

American NHL players all time

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

USA against Canada

The nations league's five categories plus raw points and player count. The higher value takes the round.
USA
USA
3rd in the league
1–6
Canada
Canada
2nd in the league

Canada wins 6–1 against USA.

0.40Points per game0.52
152Best trio372
0.36Defencemen's points per game0.35
.877Goalies' save percentage.890
0.1NHL players per million inhabitants11.3
623Total points11 095
37Players in the NHL453
USA against Canada season by season
Pick a rivalSwedenSwedenCanadaCanada
Share

Continue reading

Top scorer
Reed Larson
USA's top scorer in 1977–78.
The team
Detroit Red Wings
Where Reed Larson 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 1977–78
The countries compared per player rather than in raw totals.
Against Sweden
Sweden vs USA
Seven rounds, season by season.
The Swedes
Every Swede in the NHL
Team by team, with position and stats.