That first game played on April 21, 1938 was the first one organized by any major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, to take place outside North America. Since then, the league has staged games throughout Europe and in Japan, China, and Australia.Czechia and Finland were chosen to host the 2024 NHL Global Series, the league announced Tuesday. Four NHL teams will head to Europe for the annual games. The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils are scheduled to face off at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia, on Oct. 4 and 5 to open the NHL's regular season.Swede Ulf Sterner

Swede Ulf Sterner – the first European in the NHL.

How many Europeans play in NHL : European NHL players continue to prove their dominance in the NHL but many are beginning to turn away from the league they once longed to be a part of. According to the Quanthockey, there are 299 European participants in the NHL out of 1,022 total players – nearly 29.3 percent.

Is ice hockey big in Europe

Ice hockey is immensely popular in Canada, where it is the national winter sport and arguably the country's most popular game. Hockey is also popular in the United States and in European countries such as Russia, Sweden, and Finland. More than a million registered athletes play regularly in leagues worldwide.

Is the NHL only in America : The National Hockey League (NHL; French: Ligue nationale de hockey [liɡ nɑsjɔnal də ɔkɛ], LNH) is a men's professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 33 teams (32 of which are active) – 26 in the United States (with the Arizona operation inactive) and 7 in Canada.

The IIHF suspended Russia from international play after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and on Monday, the federation extended that decision through the 2024 and 2025 championship season. Russia and Belarus will not participate in the 2024/2025 IIHF championship season.

British historians do agree that the first demonstration match of ice hockey took place in Great Britain in 1895 and the first artificial hockey rink in Europe was constructed in London in 1903.

Who was the first Russian to play in NHL

Viktor Nechayev was a very average player in the Soviet league when he left his country in 1982 and somehow played his way onto the Los Angeles Kings roster.Active NHL Players Totals by Nationality – Career Stats

Rk	Nationality	Players
5	Finland	48
6	Czech Republic	32
7	Switzerland	10
8	Germany	8

Though slightly smaller in length, European rinks are significantly wider than those being used by an NHL team. There have been conversations and debates about this difference in sizing. Many hockey players believe there should be a more international standard size.

Canada

The ranking is used to determine seedings and qualification requirements for future IIHF tournaments. The current leader in rankings is Canada in both men's and women's play.

Why is the NHL not popular : In conclusion , Hockey is not as popular as other sports because of the regional differences in the United States, from the issue of where hockey must be played, how much it costs, and how hard it is to play.

Is NHL losing popularity : At the same point in the season. Which is a 22 percent decline from frustrating local blackouts to head scratching scheduling decisions. And more NHL fans didn't hold back in their criticism.

Is any Ukraine in NHL

Today, no NHLers come from Ukraine, but four NHLers that skate under the Ukrainian flag have played in at least 200 games – Dmitri Khristich, Ruslan Fedotenko, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Alexander Godynyuk.

The sport of ice hockey originated in parts of Canada in the early 19th century, it is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in Europe. Around 1860, a puck was substituted for a ball.They also sought the chance to move to North America and play in the NHL, though the authorities were reluctant to allow this. Negotiations with the NHL began in the late 1980s over this, and in 1989 several players, including both Fetisov and Larionov, were permitted to leave the Soviet Union and join NHL teams.

Why is hockey so popular in Czechia : Since the shameful events of the 1950s, hockey has become a national passion. Perhaps not a surprise in a country where temperatures often stay below freezing point for weeks at a time and lakes freeze over, providing a unique impromptu space for practice.