Canada vs USA: Where is the NHL Talent Located?

Over the years, the sport of hockey has been viewed as “Canada’s sport”, both in the birth of the actual sport, as well as the homegrown talent. However, as we look at the last few years of Women’s and Men’s hockey at the IIHF stage, has the star power of Canadian young stars fallen behind that of the Americans? Here we break down what we have for Top American talent in the NHL today.

Here is a list of what the full roster of American players would look like using only players under 25-years old, as the respective positions include three offensive lines, two defensive lines and two goalies:

Team USA: 

Team Canada: 

Conclusion:

Other than defense, the United States has a huge advantage in most aspects. In particular, the United States holds the upper-hand when it comes to the third line, as well as substitutions.

Heading into next season, here are five prospects that could change the format of the NHL for years to come:

With that said, the United States once was viewed as inferior to Canada and outside countries when it came to homegrown talent. However, over the last several years, we have seen a sudden shift in the NHL demographics. Will the upcoming 2019 prospects change the way fans view their home countries, or will a new country take shape as the superior?