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NHL battle of the nations 1969–70

Canada won the 1969–70 nations league ahead of USA, when every country is weighed by how good its players are rather than how many there are. Sweden is not ranked. Counted in raw points Canada won, as always.

The nations league ranks the 2 countries with at least five NHL skaters in five disciplines and adds up the placings.

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1969–70Active season76/82 games
2 countries with at least five skaters. First in a category gets 2 points, second 1 and so on down to 1 for last. The table is the total.
1
CanadaCanada304 players
BOSBobby Orr120 ptsCHITony Esposito38 W
Rate1stTop trio1stBlue line1stGoalies1stPer million1st
10pts
2
USAUSA7 players
MNSTommy Williams67 pts
Rate2ndTop trio2ndBlue line2ndGoalies2ndPer million2nd
5pts
How the nations league is counted

Every country with at least five NHL skaters is ranked in five disciplines. First in a discipline is worth 2 points, second 1 and so on down to 1 for last. The league table is the sum. A shared placing gives the same points.

  • Points per gameAll the nation's skaters' points divided by their games, evened out toward the NHL average.
  • Best trioThe three best scorers' points combined.
  • Defencemen's points per gameThe defencemen's points per game, evened out the same way.
  • Goalies' save percentageThe goalies' save percentage, evened out toward the NHL average. A country without a goalie comes last.
  • NHL players per million inhabitantsHow many NHL players the country has per million inhabitants.

The rate disciplines are evened out so that a small country cannot win on one hot player: we add 400 games (300 for defencemen, 1,500 shots for goalies) at the NHL's own average before dividing. This season the NHL average is 0.48 points per game and player. A country with many games is barely affected; one with few is pulled toward the middle.

A player counts for his birth country, except Swedes, who count as Swedish wherever they were born. Players born in Sweden who represent another country count for no country. Regular season only, and only players with at least one game.

322 players and 6 907 points in the NHL this season.

Canada accounts for 94.0% of all NHL points with 94.4% of the players. Sweden has 0.3% of the players and 0.2% of the points, and sits seventh in raw points.

Total points

CanadaCanada
6 496
USAUSA
130

Goalie wins

CanadaCanada
365
USAUSA
0
Pick a rivalCanadaCanadaUSAUSA
The winner's flag above Sweden's placing. Sweden has won 5 of the last 30 seasons.
RussiaRussia7 titlesCzechiaCzechia7 titlesSwedenSweden5 titlesCanadaCanada4 titlesFinlandFinland3 titlesSlovakiaSlovakia2 titlesUSAUSA1 titleGermanyGermany1 title
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