Canadian's better in the playoff's then european's?

This is Detroit Redwings captain Nicklas Lidstrom, who was the first European born captain to lead his team to the Stanley cup in NHL history. Lidstrom has won the Stanley cup four times, Conn Smythe trophy winner, six time Norris trophy winner, Olympic gold metalist, ten time NHL allstar, and still is one of the best NHL defensemen today.

Lidstrom has scored 212 goals and 726 assists for 938 points in 1252 NHL career regular season games. Lidstrom also has scored 149 points in 214 NHL career playoff games.

Canadian’s better in the playoff's then European’s?
I've been wondering if the unwriten rule that Canadian hockey players win cups in the NHL is true, and that Europeans can't hack it in the playoffs? So I decided to do some digging and investigate this, so here it goes.

First I'll look at the content of the two finalists for every cup final in the last 10 years. One thing to take into consideration he is that the number of Europeans grew each year in the NHL.

American players were not counted. Full team rosters. By players place of Birth.

1997 Stanley cup Finals:
Detroit Vs. Philadelphia
Detroit = 18 CAN, 9 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000341997.html
Philadelphia = 16 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000531997.html

1998 Stanley Cup Finals:
Detroit Vs. Washington
Detroit = 16 CAN, 9 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000341998.html
Washington = 20 CAN, 11 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000491998.html

1999 Stanley cup Finals:
Dallas Vs. Buffalo
Dallas = 22 CAN, 5 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0002331999.html
Buffalo = 21 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000331999.html

2000 Stanley Cup Finals:
Dallas Vs. New Jersey
Dallas = 20 CAN, 4 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0002332000.html
New Jersey = 15 CAN, 13 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000512000.html

2001 Stanley Cup Finals:
Colorado Vs. New Jersey
Colorado = 18 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0006902001.html
New Jersey = 15 CAN, 9 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000512001.html

2002 Stanley Cup Finals:
Detroit Vs. Carolina
Detroit = 19 CAN, 12 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000342002.html
Carolina = 13 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0009792002.html

2003 Stanley Cup Finals:
Anaheim Vs. New Jersey
Anaheim = 13 CAN, 13 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0002222003.html
New Jersey = 16 CAN, 8 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000512003.html

2004 Stanley Cup Finals:
Calgary Vs. Tampa Bay
Calgary = 18 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000432004.html
Tampa Bay = 16 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000552004.html

2006 Stanley Cup Finals:
Edmonton Vs. Carolina
Edmonton = 20 CAN, 7 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000412006.html
Carolina = 14 CAN, 8 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0009792006.html

2007 Stanley Cup Finals:
Anaheim Vs. Ottawa
Anaheim = 22 CAN, 4 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0043122007.html
Ottawa = 12 CAN, 10 EUR
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...0000542007.html

Nationality of NHL players:

858 - Total players
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...oints&pg=29
452 - CAN = 52.6 %
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...oints&pg=16
168 - USA = 19.5%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...points&pg=6
61 - CZE = 7.1%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...points&pg=3
45 - SWE = 5.2%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...points&pg=2
33 - FIN = 3.8%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...points&pg=2
33 - RUS = 3.8%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=pa...points&pg=2
23 - SVK = 2.6%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app
9 - UKR = 1 %
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app
8 - DEU (german) = .9%
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app

CAN = 52.6%
EUR = 24.4%

Nationalities of current NHL team:

Anaheim Ducks:
15 CAN
3 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-ducks

Atlanta Thashers:
12 CAN
10 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-thashers

Boston Bruins:
12 CAN
7 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-bruins

Buffalo Sabres:
12 CAN
11 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-sabres

Calgary Flames:
17 CAN
7 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-flames

Carolina Hurricanes:
12 CAN
5 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-hurricanes

Chicago Black Hawks:
16 CAN
9 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-blackhawks

Colorado Avalanche:
14 CAN
6 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-avalanche

Columbus Blue Jackets:
15 CAN
12 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-blue_jackets

Dallas Stars:
11 CAN
9 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-stars

Detroit Red wings:
8 CAN
14 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-red_wings

Edmonton Oilers:
20 CAN
6 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-oilers

Florida Panthers:
10 CAN
11 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-panthers

Los Angeles Kings:
10 CAN
7 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-kings

Minesota Wild:
13 CAN
9 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-wild

Montreal Canadiens:
11 CAN
11 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-canadiens

Nashville Predators:
10 CAN
6 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-devils

New Jersey Devils:
18 CAN
6 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-predators

NY Islanders:
14 CAN
5 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-islanders

NY Rangers:
9 CAN
9 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-rangers

Ottawa Senators:
13 CAN
7 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-senators

Philadelphia Flyers:
18 CAN
5 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-flyers

Phoenix Coyotes:
12 CAN
9 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-coyotes

Pittsburgh Penquins:
14 CAN
5 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-penguins

San Jose Sharks:
11 CAN
9 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-sharks

St. Louis Blues:
17 CAN
6 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-blues

Tampa Bay Lightning:
21 CAN
6 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs:
15 CAN
7 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-maple_leafs

Vancouver Canucks:
12 CAN
10 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-canucks

Washington Capitals:
10 CAN
10 EUR
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/roster/?hubname=nhl-capitals

NHL Average per team:
CAN = 13.4 Players
EUR = 7.9 Players

I think this comes down to the majority of NHL players being born in North America, in Europe I bet fans say the opposite, that only Europeans players can hack it in the SEL, KHL, and FNL playoffs...