from NHL.com,

The Fourth of July is as good a day as any to celebrate United States hockey.

So who is the best American player in the NHL today? We asked 14 NHL.com staffers and it is not as clear-cut as it once might have been, as Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane has some company at the top of the list.

While Kane led with five votes, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews received four votes and Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler had two. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel each received one vote.

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