Every American Born Player in Golden Knights History

Hockey is a unique sport as the NHL is the only major professional sports league that has more than one team outside of the United States. Canada not only has seven teams but over half of the players in the league are from the Great White North. I feel bad not doing an equal post for every Canadian-born Golden Knights player on Canada day. But this is an American-Born publication for a Las Vegas hockey team coming from an American-born person. So, yes, I will show some patriotism here. Happy fourth of July everyone.

The Vegas Golden Knights have had thirteen players in their history come from the United States. They had three Americans on their 2021-22 roster and have the same trio heading into 2022-23 which makes up 11.5% of the team. These players are Max Pacioretty (New Canaan, CT), Alec Martinez (Rochester Hills, MI), and Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford MA). These are three of the biggest American-born Golden Knights of all time alongside former VGK members Nate Schmidt (St. Cloud, MI), Jon Merril (Oklahoma City, OK), and Alex Tuch (Syracuse, NY). Paul Stastny, who was born in Quebec City but moved to the United States, unfortunately, does not make the official cut.

All six of these players have represented the United States in international hockey play whether it be in World Juniors, the World Championships, World Cup, or the Olympics. Eichel, Tuch, and Merril have all won Gold Medals at various World Junior Tournaments. Pacioretty is one of just two VGK players who have played in the Olympics for team USA.

Forgotten members of the Golden Knight’s past that are American include Patrick Brown (Bloomfield Hills, MI), Jimmy Schuldt (Minnetonka, MN) Stefan Matteau (Chicago, IL), Ryan Carpenter (Oviedo, FL), and Garret Sparks (Elmhurst, IL). Sparks is another player who has a World Juniors Gold Medal to his name. The Henderson Silver Knights have Gage Quinney (Las Vegas, NV), and Jake Bischoff (Cambridge, MN), as American-born players with NHL experience.

Also worth mentioning when speaking about the Silver Knights is 2020 first-round pick Brendan Brisson (Manhattan Beach, CA), who is easily the Golden Knight’s best prospect right now. Brisson, who also has a WJC Gold Medal, represented Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics. He scored two goals in four games played as Team USA came up short. Kelly McCrimmon signed Brisson to his ELC not long ago.

One more thing I want to look at before I let you go is the all-time leaders for American-born NHL players. Brett Hull is still at no. 1 with 1391 points with Mike Modano, Phil Housley, Jeremy Roenick, and Patrick Kane rounding out the top 5. Kane, Phil Kessel, Joe Pavelski, Blake Wheeler, and Zach Parise are all active players in the top 20. Pacioretty is 40th, ahead of Ryan Suter and TJ Oshie. Eichel, Tuch, Martinez, and everyone else still have a bit to go to even crack the top 50.