The early years saw a largely Canadian league, with some Americans playing.
After the fall of Communism, players from Eastern European countries, such as the former Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union, joined the league.
The following is a list of countries and the first person born there that played in the National Hockey League.
Additionally, some countries have had citizens play in the NHL, but have never had a native-born player reach the league.
Most statistical sources in the sport follow the convention of the Hockey Hall of Fame in classifying players by the currently existing countries in which their birthplaces are located.