Best US-Born Hockey Players by State

The United States of America has produced some amazing hockey players that have shined at the NHL and Olympic levels.

Team USA, for the most part, is a young team and is full of great talent. They just missed out on the Gold Medal at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and are definitely ready for another run in 2014.

Let's look at the best American-born hockey players by state. Not all states, however, have been represented in the NHL.

Alabama: Audley Tuten

Audley Tuten was born in 1915 and is one of two NHL players to ever be born in Alabama. He played 39 games in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks and scored four goals with eight assists in that span.

Image of Alabama flag taken from here.

Alaska: Scott Gomez

Scott Gomez is the best player from Alaska to play in the NHL, and in his career he's totalled an impressive 508 assists.

Gomez is currently one of the highest-paid players in the game.

Arizona: Sean Couturier

Sean Couturier was the Philadelphia Flyers first round pick (8th overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft and has played well for them this season.

Couturier has scored five goals with three assists this season, and has a plus/minus rating of 7. Given the small number of players who have made the NHL from Arizona, I think Couturier is deserving of this list.

California: Lee Norwood

Lee Norwood had a good career in the NHL, primarily with the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. He scored 58 goals with 153 assists in his career.

Brooks Orpik of the Pittsburgh Penguins is probably the best current NHL player from California.

Colorado: John Grahame

John Grahame was born in Denver, Colorado. In 244 career games, he earned 105 wins.

Connecticut: Chris Drury

Chris Drury had a very good career for several teams, and won the 2001 Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.

Drury was a great leader too, and was captain of the New York Rangers until he retired after the 2010-11 season in which he played just 24 games.

For his career, Drury scored 255 goals with 360 assists.

Delaware: Mark Eaton

Mark Eaton is the only NHL player ever from Delaware, and he scored 23 goals with 58 assists in his career.

Florida: Dan Hinote

Dan Hinote enjoyed a good nine-year NHL career and scored 38 goals with 52 assists during his career. Hinote played most of his career on the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues.

Georgia: Jean-Marc Pelletier

Jean-Marc Pelletier played two years in the NHL, one with the Philadelphia Flyers and the other with the Phoenix Coyotes.

He earned one win in seven games played during his NHL career.

Idaho: Pat Shea

Pat Shea is one of two players from Idaho to ever play in the NHL, and he's the only one to score a point (one assist).

He played in 12 career NHL games and was born in 1912.

Image taken from here.

Illinois: Chris Chelios

Chris Chelios is one of the top five American players ever to play in the NHL, and he was born in Chicago. Chelios scored 185 goals with 763 assists, and he was one of the better defenseman in the NHL for two decades.

Indiana: John-Michael Liles

John-Michael Liles was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has scored 71 goals with 220 assists in his solid career thus far.

Iowa: Scott Clemmensen

Scott Clemmensen is from Des Moines, Iowa and has played in 120 career NHL games. He has won 50 of them and posted a respectable 2.66 GAA for his career.

He is the only NHL player ever from Iowa.

Maine: Danny Bolduc

Danny Bolduc played for the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames during his NHL career. He also spent time in the WHA.

Bolduc totaled 41 points in 102 career NHL games.

Picture taken from here.

Maryland: Jeff Halpern

Maryland's best NHL talent ever is Jeff Halpern, who currently plays for the Washington Capitals. In 792 career games, Halpern has scored 142 goals with 200 assists for 342 points.

Massachusetts: Jeremy Roenick

Jeremy Roenick is one of 166 NHL players from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and he was one of the best forwards of the last 25 years.

Roenick scored 513 goals with 703 assists in his brilliant playing career. Unfortunately for him, Roenick is one of the better players never to win the Stanley Cup.

Michigan: Mike Modano

Mike Modano is probably the best American hockey player ever, and he represents a long list of NHL players from the state of Michigan.

Modano is the all-time leading American goal scorer with 561 career goals. He also added 813 assists. Modano was one of the more feared forwards of the 1990s. He won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.

Minnesota: Frank Brimsek

Frank Brimsek is one of the top 15 goaltenders ever to play in the NHL, and he is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In 514 games played, he won 252 of them. He won two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins.

Missouri: Pat LaFontaine

Pat LaFontaine is one of the best Buffalo Sabres players ever, and as you can tell by the picture, his No. 16 has been retired by the team.

LaFontaine scored 468 goals with 545 assists in his very good NHL career that started in 1983 with the New York Islanders.

Montana: Bill Lindsay

Bill Lindsay was drafted with the 103rd overall pick by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1992 NHL draft. He went on to also play for the Florida Panthers, helping them reach their only Stanley Cup Finals appearance in team history in 1996.

Nebraska: Jed Ortmeyer

Known for being more of a football state, Nebraska has sent two players to the NHL and Jed Ortmeyer is one of them.

In 310 career NHL games, he has 51 points on 21 goals and 30 assists.

New Hampshire: Deron Quint

The University of New Hampshire has sent many tremendous players to the NHL, but Deron Quint is the best player born from the state to play in the NHL.

He scored 46 goals with 87 assists in over 400 career NHL games.

New Jersey: Randy Wood

Randy Wood played most of his NHL career with the New York Islanders. In 741 career games, he scored 175 goals with 159 assists.

He was born in Princeton, New Jersey,

New York: Joe Mullen

Joe Mullen is one of the top five American hockey players ever, and in his brilliant NHL career he scored 502 goals with 562 assists.

He also helped the Calgary Flames win the Stanley Cup in the 1988-89 season. There are several current NHL players from New York, such as Patrick Kane, who could become great American players, too.

North Dakota: Jason Blake

Jason Blake spent some of his time growing up in Minnesota, but he was born in North Dakota. He has spent most of his career with the New York Islanders but currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks.

He has scored 206 goals with 268 assists in his good NHL career.

Ohio: Dave Ellett

Dave Ellett was drafted in 1982 by the Winnipeg Jets. He spent more of his career with them before moving on to the Toronto Maple Leafs and playing with them for much of the 1990s.

He ended his career with the Boston Bruins after having scored 568 points in his career.

Oklahoma: Tyler Arnason

Tyler Arnason is one of three players from Oklahoma to make the NHL. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1998 and has scored 245 points in his career.

He's currently in the AHL with the Texas Stars.

Oregon: Jere Gillis

Jere Gillis is one of five players to make the NHL from Oregon. He scored 78 goals and 95 assists in his NHL career.

Pennsylvania: Mike Richter

Mike Richter is the best American goalie of all time and helped the New York Rangers win the 1994 Stanley Cup over the Vancouver Canucks with a remarkable performance in the postseason.

Rhode Island: Brian Boucher

Brian Boucher spent the last few seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers before moving to the Carolina Hurricanes this season.

He is one of 19 players to make the NHL from the tiny state of Rhode Island.

Texas: Brian Leetch

Brian Leetch is the best American defenseman of all time and was one of the greatest offensive defenseman of his era.

He helped the Rangers win the 1994 Stanley Cup and was named the Conn Smythe award winner as playoff MVP that season.

Utah: Steve Konowalchuk

Steve Konowalchuk is from Salt Lake City, Utah and scored 399 points in his NHL career. He spent most of his professional career with the Washington Capitals before retiring after the 2005-06 season after two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.

Vermont: John LeClair

John LeClair is a member of the USA Hockey Hall of Fame. He spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers.

He scored 406 goals with 413 assists in his career, and he was one of the most consistent forwards in the 1990s.

Virginia: Eric Weinrich

Eric Weinrich's 20-year hockey career ended after the 2007-08 season, when he played with the Portland Pirates of the AHL.

In his NHL career, he scored 70 goals with 318 assists as a defenseman.

Washington: David Wilkie

David Wilkie is one of nine NHL players from the state of Washington. He scored 10 goals with 26 assists in 167 career NHL games.

Wisconsin: Gary Suter

Gary Suter had a very good NHL career with several teams, but he spent the bulk of his professional career with the Calgary Flames, helping them win the 1989 Stanley Cup.

Suter amassed 845 points in his career, including 642 assists.