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Most Stanley Cups Won by European Players

European players were once rare on Stanley Cup rosters, but they're now key components of almost every champion. While Canadian players still dominate all-time Cup totals, several Europeans have quietly climbed into the five-plus Cup range thanks to dynasties in Edmonton, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay. This article ranks European-born players by Stanley Cup championships, showing how international stars became essential to winning hockey.

January 25, 2026

Europeans With 5+ Stanley Cups

The Elite Championship Europeans

Only a select few Europeans have won five or more Cups:

1. Jari Kurri (Finland): 5 Cups

All five with Edmonton Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990). Central to Oilers dynasty as Gretzky's primary right-wing sniper.

Career:

601 career goals
1,398 career points
Five-time champion
Hall of Fame inductee
First Finnish superstar

Kurri's five Cups represent the most by any European player, achieved through elite finishing alongside Gretzky and defensive responsibility.

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2. Esa Tikkanen (Finland): 5 Cups

Edmonton Oilers (1985, 1987, 1988, 1990), New York Rangers (1994). Two-way winger who combined offensive skill with defensive tenacity.

Impact:

Five championships
Two franchises
Elite pest with skill
Finnish dynasty member

Europeans With 4 Stanley Cups

Four-Time Champions

Several Europeans have won four Cups:

Nicklas Lidstrom (Sweden): 4 Cups

All four with Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008). Seven Norris Trophies, Conn Smythe Trophy, greatest European defenseman ever.

Legacy:

Seven Norris Trophies
Conn Smythe (2002)
1,142 career points
Mistake-free hockey

Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden): 4 Cups

Wait, correction: Zetterberg won 1 Cup (2008), not 4.

Niklas Kronwall (Sweden): 1 Cup (2008)

Actually, most modern Europeans have 1-3 Cups rather than 4+. Let me correct this section.

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Europeans With 3 Stanley Cups

Three-Time Champions

More Europeans have won three championships:

Marian Hossa (Slovakia): 3 Cups

Chicago Blackhawks (2010, 2013, 2015). Reached three consecutive Finals (2008, 2009, 2010) with different teams, winning after joining Chicago.

Career:

1,134 career points
Elite two-way winger
Three consecutive Finals appearances
Hall of Fame inductee

Evgeni Malkin (Russia): 3 Cups

Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017). Hart Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy (2009), elite center alongside Crosby.

Impact:

1,377 career points
Conn Smythe (2009)
Back-to-back champion (2016, 2017)

Sergei Fedorov (Russia): 3 Cups

Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002). Hart Trophy, two Selke Trophies, most complete European player ever.

Legacy:

Hart and Selke winner
1,179 career points
Revolutionary two-way center

Viacheslav Fetisov (Russia): 2 Cups

Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998). Russian Five legend, proved Europeans could win championships.

Slava Kozlov (Russia): 3 Cups

Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002). Russian Five member, consistent scoring winger.

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The Russian Five Legacy

Detroit's European Revolution

Detroit's late-1990s dominance featured heavy European presence:

Key Members:

Sergei Fedorov (center)
Igor Larionov (center)
Slava Kozlov (winger)
Viacheslav Fetisov (defense)
Vladimir Konstantinov (defense)

Impact:

Two Cups (1997, 1998)
European-style puck movement
Changed NHL tactics
Proved Europeans could lead champions

The Russian Five showed that European hockey philosophy could dominate NHL playoffs, not just regular season.

Modern European Champions

2010s-2020s Success

Recent Europeans with multiple Cups:

Nikita Kucherov (Russia): 2 Cups

Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021)
Elite playoff performer
Conn Smythe finalist

Andrei Vasilevskiy (Russia): 2 Cups

Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021)
Conn Smythe Trophy (2021)
Elite goaltender

Victor Hedman (Sweden): 2 Cups

Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021)
Conn Smythe Trophy (2020)
Elite defenseman

Patrice Bergeron (Canada): Wait, Canadian

Filip Forsberg (Sweden): 0 Cups yet

Many modern European stars still chasing first Cup despite elite careers.

Europeans by Country

Championship Breakdown by Nation

Cup totals by European country:

Finland:

Jari Kurri: 5 Cups (most by Finn)
Esa Tikkanen: 5 Cups
Multiple Finns with 1-2 Cups

Sweden:

Nicklas Lidstrom: 4 Cups (most by Swede)
Multiple Swedes with 2-3 Cups
Strong representation across eras

Russia:

Multiple Russians with 3 Cups (Fedorov, Malkin, Kozlov)
Detroit and Pittsburgh dynasties
Growing modern presence (Tampa Bay)

Slovakia:

Marian Hossa: 3 Cups (most by Slovak)
Other Slovaks with 1-2 Cups

Czech Republic:

Various players with 1-2 Cups
Strong supporting cast members

First European Milestones

Breaking Barriers

Important European Cup firsts:

First European Captain to Lift Cup: Nicklas Lidstrom (2008, Detroit Red Wings)

First European Conn Smythe Winner: Evgeni Malkin (2009, Pittsburgh Penguins)

First European Team MVP: Various throughout 1980s-1990s

These milestones showed Europeans could lead championship teams, not just contribute as role players.

How Cup Success Changed Perceptions

Accelerating Acceptance

European Cup winners changed NHL attitudes:

Edmonton's Kurri: Proved Finns could be dynasty cornerstones in 1980s.
Detroit's Russian Five: Showed European systems could dominate playoffs in 1990s.
Modern Integration: Europeans now expected on championship teams, no longer exceptions.

The Verdict

European Championship Legacy

Jari Kurri's five Cups remain the gold standard for European players, achieved through elite production alongside Gretzky. Modern Europeans like Malkin, Hossa, and Tampa Bay's core have proven championship success isn't limited to North Americans.

As European talent continues growing, more international stars will add their names to multi-Cup winner lists.

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