Ice hockey draws talent from all ends of the international spectrum, so it’s no wonder that NHL rosters are populated with players who boast diverse backgrounds and heritages.
The NHL is, at least in some facets, built on that diversity.
It is a league, after all, sporting everything from franchises that literally stemmed from Walt Disney movie inspiration to franchises that proclaim international roots with their name. (Looking at you, Montreal Canadiens.)
Part of the fun of that diversity is learning to appreciate and, perhaps, how to pronounce the player names that hail from beyond America. We’re talking Canada, Russia, Finland, Czech Republic -- the works.
Narrowing the vast assortment of foreign names and accented syllables, in fact, is darn near as hard as convincing a Philadelphia Flyers fan that Sidney Crosby warrants his or her respect. But let’s give it a whirl anyway.
From Korbinian to Tuukka, here are the top 15 unique names in the NHL:
1. Zemgus Girgensons (Buffalo Sabres)
How does this name not win all the name contests? Seriously, if “Zemgus Girgensons” as a unique title has to be explained, we’ve got an issue. Mr. Girgensons hails from Latvia, which -- in case you needed a reminder -- is one of the Baltic nations of Eastern Europe.
How To Say It: ZEHM-guhz GEER-gehn-suhnz
2. Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins)
The 30-year-old Rask is Finnish. And don’t forget Finland as we move down the list. There’s a theme here.
How To Say It: TU-kah RASK
3. Korbinian Holzer (Anaheim Ducks)
Holzer boasts Munich, Germany, as his hometown. And his first name is derived from the Latin term “raven.”
How To Say It: kohr-BIHN-EE-uhn HOHL-zuhr
4. Teuvo Teravainen (Carolina Hurricanes)
Bonus points for alliteration. Teuvo is from Finland, and his first name is, according to Behind The Name, short in Finnish for Theodore. Come to think of it, “Teddy” Teravainen has a nice ring to it.
How To Say It: TAY-voh tair-uh-VIGH-nehn
5. Jussi Jokinen (Florida Panthers)
Bonus points for Jussi, too. And he’s from -- wait for it -- Finland. His surname is derived from the Finnish term “river.” It’s fitting for a man whose name flows off the tongue so smoothly.
How To Say It: YEW-see YOH-kih-nihn
6. Nail Yakupov (St. Louis Blues)
Our first Russian honoree, Yakupov gets a top-10 mark for the sole reason that he’s got Nail as a first name. Proper pronunciation gives you something other than the name also used for things you hit with a hammer, but it’s solid nonetheless.
How To Say It: NAY-uhl YA-kuh-pawv
7. Joonas Donskoi (San Jose Sharks)
Finland, rejoice! Another name to your credit. Joonas is actually Finnish for Jonas, but that extra “o” does wonders. And with a last name like Donskoi, how is this not a fun one to say?
How To Say It: YOH-nuhs DAWN-skoy
8. Fedor Tyutin (Colorado Avalanche)
Throw in his middle name, Anatolievich, and maybe Tyutin, a native of Russia, rises in the rankings. But truthfully, he had me at Fedor. That’s only one letter away from “fedora,” if you forgot.
How To Say It: FEH-duhr T’YOO-tihn
9. Antti Niemi (Dallas Stars)
Short and sweet. It just works so well together. The no-fun translation: Antti is a Finnish form of Andrew.
How To Say It: AN-tee nee-YEH-mee
10. Teemu Pulkkinen (Arizona Coyotes)
Hailing from the same city in Finland as Niemi, Pulkkinen benefits from double letters in both of his names. And get this: Teemu is a Finnish form of Nicodemus, which would have been equally as cool paired with his surname.
How To Say It: TEE-moo PUHL-kih-nuhn
11. Iiro Pakarinen (Edmonton Oilers)
No, he’s not A-Aron. He’s I-iro. Oh, and -- surprise -- he’s Finnish.
How To Say It: YEE-roh pa-ka-REE-nehn
12. Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators)
Born in Kempele, Finland, Rinne’s last name may have derived from the Finnish term “hillside.” For better or worse, if you read his full name too fast, a variation of the word “penne” might come to mind, which isn’t a bad thing in and of itself. Because who doesn’t like their hockey with a little pasta?
How To Say It: PEH-kuh RIH-nay
13. Olli Määttä (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Style points for the accents and double-letter usage here. And at this point, it’s probably better just to leave you to assume that Finland is responsible for this.
How To Say It: OH-lee MA-TA
14. Jordin Tootoo (Chicago Blackhawks)
Canada strikes! Tootoo, a native of Churchill, Manitoba, just had to be included. This one is self-explanatory.
How To Say It: JOHR-dahn TOO-TOO
15. Radko Gudas (Philadelphia Flyers)
Another name that wins partially for its brevity. Radko just sounds like some warped version of “radical,” even if it’s actually diminutive of Slavic names starting with the terms “happy” or “willing.” Just say it to yourself and smile: Radko Gudas. Radko Gudas. Now that’s a name you can get behind.
How To Say It: RAHD-koh GOO-duhs
Honorable Mention
Don’t kick off a consolation list without Vladislav Namestnikov (“Names” are in his name, so how can he do any better?), Anton Slepyshev (surname for the win -- or nap) and Drake Caggiula (the other Canadian Drake).
