<P> The National Hockey League evolved from a mono - ethnic and primarily Canadian professional athletic league to span North America . The distribution of ethnic groups has been gradually changing since the inception of the NHL . The league consists of a variety of players from varying nationalities and diverse backgrounds . Once known as a league riddled with racism and exclusiveness, the NHL has made positive steps toward a more diverse and inclusive institution . </P> <P> According to statistics, gathered by www.quanthockey.com, the NHL began its expansion of player nationalities in the 1970s, where players hailed from the United States, Sweden, and Finland . The share of Canadians in the league dropped to 75% by the 1980s and is now slightly less than 50% . In 2011, the NHL was composed of 93 percent of players who identified as white, with the remaining 7 percent identifying as varying ethnicities . </P> <P> A number of ice hockey leagues for players of African descent formed in Canada as early as the late - 19th century . The Coloured Hockey League was an all - black ice hockey league established in 1895 . Operating across the Maritime provinces of Canada, the league operated for several decades until 1930 . </P>

What's the percentage of canadian hockey players in the nhl