Online Table Games

Best NHL Players From Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta

Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta are the three most productive provinces in NHL history, combining for over 70% of Canadian-born players and an even larger share of Canadian superstars. Ontario is the clear volume leader, producing the most players overall. Quebec has elite skill and a higher percentage of Hall of Famers. Alberta sits in the middle with steady talent and iconic defensemen. These three provinces have shaped NHL history, producing nearly every major Canadian star from Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby to Connor McDavid.

January 28, 2026

Ontario: Volume and Depth

The Powerhouse Province

Ontario accounts for roughly 44% of active Canadian NHL players and dominates through sheer numbers.

The province's all-time leader list includes Wayne Gretzky (Brantford), Bobby Orr (Parry Sound), Paul Coffey (Weston), Eric Lindros (London), Steven Stamkos (Markham), and John Tavares (Oakville).

Why Ontario Dominates:

Population: 14+ million people, largest in Canada
Infrastructure: Hundreds of arenas, elite junior programs (OHL)
Development: Strong minor hockey systems from grassroots to junior
Depth: Produces players at every position consistently

If you know which NHL stars are Swedish, Finnish, Russian, or Czech, you'll love Gridzy Hockey — birthplace categories show up constantly in the daily grid.

Top 10 Ontario-Born Players:

Wayne Gretzky (Brantford): 2,857 points, greatest player ever
Bobby Orr (Parry Sound): Eight Norris Trophies, revolutionary defenseman
Paul Coffey (Weston): 1,531 points, elite offensive defenseman
Eric Lindros (London): Hart Trophy, dominant two-way center
Steven Stamkos (Markham): 600+ goals, two Cups
John Tavares (Oakville): 1,154 points, 500+ goals
Rick Nash (Brampton): 437 goals, Rocket Richard Trophy
Joe Thornton (St. Thomas): 1,539 points, Hart Trophy
Chris Pronger (Dryden): Hart and Norris winner, two Cups
Taylor Hall (Calgary): Hart Trophy, elite winger

Ontario's Strength: Produces elite forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders. From Gretzky's scoring to Orr's defense to Martin Brodeur's goaltending (Montreal-born but developed in Ontario), the province covers all positions.

Quebec: Elite Skill

Quality Over Quantity

Quebec produces fewer players (about 15% of Canadian NHLers) but has higher per-player impact, especially among forwards and goaltenders.

The province's pantheon includes Mario Lemieux (Montreal), Maurice Richard (Montreal), Guy Lafleur (Thurso), Patrick Roy (Quebec City), and Martin Brodeur (Montreal).

Why Quebec Excels:

Skill Development: Emphasis on creativity, stick-handling, skating
Goaltending Culture: Strong goalie development tradition
Hockey Heritage: Deep cultural connection to the sport
Elite Programs: QMJHL produces highly skilled players

Think you can name elite players born outside North America? Try Gridzy and see how fast you can solve the "born outside NA" squares.

Top 10 Quebec-Born Players:

Mario Lemieux (Montreal): 1,723 points, three Harts, battled cancer
Maurice Richard (Montreal): First to 50 goals, eight Cups
Guy Lafleur (Thurso): 560 goals, five Cups, elite scorer
Patrick Roy (Quebec City): 551 wins, three Vezinas, four Cups
Martin Brodeur (Montreal): 691 wins (all-time record), three Cups
Jean Beliveau (Trois-Rivieres): 1,219 points, 10 Cups
Denis Savard (Gatineau): 1,338 points, Hart Trophy
Pierre Turgeon (Rouyn-Noranda): 1,327 points, elite playmaker
Marc-Andre Fleury (Sorel-Tracy): 561 wins, three Cups
Vincent Lecavalier (Ile Bizard): 949 points, Stanley Cup champion

Quebec's Legacy: Produces elite skill players and goaltenders. Quebec's development model emphasizes creativity over size, leading to disproportionate number of Hart, Art Ross, and Vezina winners.

Alberta: Two-Way Power

Physical Excellence

Alberta contributes about 12% of Canadian NHL players, with emphasis on physical, two-way play and elite defensemen.

Notable Albertans include Mark Messier (Edmonton), Jarome Iginla (Edmonton), Mike Vernon (Calgary), and Morgan Rielly (Vancouver but raised in Calgary area).

Why Alberta Produces:

Outdoor Hockey Culture: Long winters, outdoor rinks
WHL Development: Strong junior programs (Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer)
Two-Way Emphasis: Physical, responsible hockey valued
Playoff Performers: Alberta players known for postseason success

This is exactly the kind of knowledge that wins grid games. Play Gridzy Hockey and turn your country-by-country NHL knowledge into a daily challenge.

Top 10 Alberta-Born Players:

Mark Messier (Edmonton): 1,887 points, six Cups, leadership icon
Jarome Iginla (Edmonton): 625 goals, two Rocket Richard Trophies
Mike Vernon (Calgary): 385 wins, two Cups, Conn Smythe
Lanny McDonald (Hanna): 500 goals, iconic mustache and clutch play
Joe Sakic (Burnaby, BC but raised in area): 1,641 points, two Cups
Theoren Fleury (Oxbow, SK but raised in Russell, MB): 1,088 points
Ryan Smyth (Banff): 842 points, heart and soul player
Darnell Nurse (Hamilton but raised in area): Elite defenseman
Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon but developed in area): Stanley Cup champion
Sam Gagner (London, ON but raised in area): 500+ points

Note: Alberta's list includes some players born elsewhere but raised in province, reflecting its development strength.

Alberta's Style: Physical power forwards, shutdown defensemen, and clutch playoff performers. Alberta hockey emphasizes toughness and two-way responsibility.

Provincial Comparison

Head-to-Head Stats

Comparing the three provinces by numbers:

Career Totals:

Ontario: Leads in every major category (goals, assists, points)
Quebec: Higher per-player averages due to smaller, more elite pool
Alberta: Strong middle ground with consistent production

Active Players (2024-25):

Ontario: 178 active players (most)
Quebec: 58 active players
Alberta: 54 active players

Awards:

Quebec: Leads in Hart Trophies per capita
Ontario: Leads in sheer volume of all awards
Alberta: Strong in Selke and two-way awards

Development Models

How Each Province Develops Talent

The provinces have distinct development cultures:

Ontario:

Multi-sport focus in youth
Strong AAA and junior programs
Large population creates competition
NHL-style training facilities

Quebec:

Skill academies and technical development
French-language hockey culture
Emphasis on creativity and individual skill
Strong goaltending tradition

Alberta:

Outdoor rink culture
Physical, two-way emphasis
WHL development pathway
Playoff mentality and toughness

These different approaches create distinct player types while all producing NHL talent.

The Verdict

Ontario's Volume, Quebec's Elite, Alberta's Toughness

Ontario dominates through sheer numbers and all-time greats like Gretzky and Orr. Quebec counters with elite skill players like Lemieux and Richard who have higher per-capita Hall of Fame representation. Alberta provides steady stream of two-way stars like Messier and Iginla.

All three provinces are essential to Canadian hockey dominance, each contributing unique strengths to the NHL talent pool.

Play Gridzy Hockey Free Every Day

Gridzy Hockey is Shurzy's daily NHL grid game where you pretend you're "just messing around" and then suddenly you're 15 minutes deep arguing with yourself about whether some 2009 fourth-liner qualifies as a 40-goal guy.

You get nine guesses to fill a 3×3 grid, you can't reuse players, and every pick is either a genius flex or instant regret, so yeah, it's basically hockey trivia with stakes.

New grid drops every day at 6:00am ET, which is perfect because nothing says "healthy morning routine" like panicking over who won the Lady Byng in 1998. If you think you know puck, prove it.

Go play Gridzy right now!

‍

Share this post: