MOOSE JAW — Moose Jaw and the surrounding 306 area code have earned a place among hockey’s elite, ranking third overall in North America for producing NHL players, according to a new study by Number Barn and research firm Omni Common that reviewed the origins of every NHL player ever drafted up to the 2024-25 season.
Researchers found that the 306 area code has produced 343 NHL players in total, ranking just behind Toronto’s 416 area code with 502 players and southwestern Ontario’s 519 area code with 359 players.
The study’s authors say Saskatchewan’s smaller communities, including Moose Jaw, continue to “punch above their weight” thanks to a combination of rink access, strong coaching culture, and generations of families devoted to the game.
“We looked at the birthplaces and statistics of every NHL player in history to figure out which area codes across North America have produced the most professional hockey players,” said Rebecca Wright, a member of the Omni Common research team who helped assemble the study.
“There’s something about an area code and where you’re from that is culturally represented, especially in sports. That’s how we got the inspiration for this idea.”
The project ranked each North American area code in categories including total players, points, goals, awards, all-star selections, and Hall of Fame representation. Canada dominated nearly every list, but the 306 held its own near the top in almost every category.
Saskatchewan placed fourth for total goals, fourth for overall points, and third for end-of-year awards such as MVP and Rookie of the Year.
The province also landed second for most players named among the NHL’s Top 100 Greatest Players, third for All-Star team selections, and fourth for Hall of Fame members — just one player shy of surpassing northeastern Ontario for third place.
“Saskatchewan and the 306 (area code) really stand out as a consistent producer of hockey players and hockey talent,” Wright said.
Several players with ties to Moose Jaw are represented in the data, including Hall of Famer Clark Gillies, a four-time Stanley Cup champion born in Moose Jaw; former Moose Jaw Warriors captain Kendal McFaull; and current NHL defenceman Travis Hamonic, who now plays for the Detroit Red Wings.
Wright also noted Brooks Laich, a longtime Washington Capitals forward, and Ryan Getzlaf, who went on to captain the Anaheim Ducks.
“I think Moose Jaw is a perfect snapshot of the whole story,” Wright said. “(It is) a smaller area that has produced Hall of Famers and modern stars — players not only defined by their skill, but by their grit and where they came from, growing up on Saskatchewan ice.”
The study, which examined 6,907 players using statistics from Hockey-Reference.com, included the entire history of the NHL through the end of the 2024-25 season.
According to Wright, geography plays a major role in player development.
“Especially from the sporting lens … it’s a beautiful thing to have so much access to rinks. One of the major benefits to the area itself is having access to outdoor rinks, frozen ponds, and things like that,” she said. “Whereas somebody growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina (is not) going to get that. You have to fight so hard to be able to get ice time.”
Wright said that in Saskatchewan, hockey is more than a sport — it’s part of the local identity and this extends far beyond players on the ice.
“Parents, volunteers — everybody is part of it somehow,” she said. “One thing that has been mentioned … (is that) coaches … describe players who come out of Saskatchewan as gritty and coachable.
"Being disciplined and coachable are some of the most important traits that I think any coach or teacher would tell you (they are looking for). Being able to harness that and bring it through the Western Hockey League gives a straight pipeline from Saskatchewan to pro careers.”
From early legends such as Eddie Shore and Gordie Howe to modern names like Hamonic, the 306 area code continues to produce hockey talent that spans generations. For a province with barely a million residents, the study is a reflection of how deeply the sport is woven into Saskatchewan’s identity.
To view the study, visit NumberBarn.com/blog and search for “The Top NHL Players Ranked by Area Code.”
