EHM The Blue Line

Frans Nielsen has been called up from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to the New York Islanders. If he gets in a match he will be the first dane ever to play in the NHL

Looks like I will have to stay up late tomorrow night.

Anyone know if the Islanders games can be seen online?

ElQuapo wrote:Frans Nielsen has been called up from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to the New York Islanders. If he gets in a match he will be the first dane ever to play in the NHL

Looks like I will have to stay up late tomorrow night.

Anyone know if the Islanders games can be seen online?

Hm, I don't know...I think Yahoo! Sports is streaming some games, but they aren't very good quality.

CatchUp wrote:Hm, I don't know...I think Yahoo! Sports is streaming some games, but they aren't very good quality.

Thanks, I will try to check it out - I can't miss this

You could try to get it on TVUPlayer...

inSTAALed wrote:You could try to get it on TVUPlayer...

Doesn't seem to be on.

He played 7.38 minutes total and according to danish media he had a good game, but considering just how horrible they are at covering nhl in generel, that cant be thrusted.
There has been alot of talk here in Denmark about, who would be the first nhl player we would get in the past 3-4 years. Which is strange coz 10 years ago that seemed like a pipe dream, but now we have 1 and severel potential ones coming in in the next couple of years. Good day for danish hockey .

Actually he wasn't the first Danish player.

There was a story about it on TSN a few days ago.

inSTAALed wrote:Actually he wasn't the first Danish player.

There was a story about it on TSN a few days ago.

lol Way to kill a thread.

Joe wrote:

inSTAALed wrote:Actually he wasn't the first Danish player.

There was a story about it on TSN a few days ago.

lol Way to kill a thread.

Awesome. Just awesome.
lol.

Cant find anything on tsn, but please explain?. Generel consensus has always been no dane ever played in the nhl, at least thats how coaches,players and fans in Denmark tend to think.

Forsberg wrote:Cant find anything on tsn, but please explain?. Generel consensus has always been no dane ever played in the nhl, at least thats how coaches,players and fans in Denmark tend to think.

There was a danish born player called Poul Popiel who played in the NHL in the 60's and 70's, but he moved to Canada with his family as an eight year old and started playing hockey there. He was an american citizen when he got into the NHL.

So while Frans Nielsen isn't the first danish born player in the NHL, he is the first danish citizen in the NHL.

Hope that clears things up

Here is his profile :
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdis ... 3?pid=4346

He actually played together with Gretsky for a short time

Ah thx ElQuapo, makes alot more sense then .

I didn't want to ruin it for everyone but I just had to.

inSTAALed wrote:Actually he wasn't the first Danish player.

There was a story about it on TSN a few days ago.

Technically, he wasn't, he was the first danish raised player. However, saying he isn't is kind of like saying Ryan O'Marra will be a Japanese player in the NHL because he was born in Tokyo. Since the other person really was danish, it is slightly different, but still, the other person playing had been raised in Canada since a very early age.

I forgot the most important part!!! Franz Nielsen had an outstanding game. He had a few excellent chances but sadly was unable to convert. He brought a lot of energy and looked like a regular NHLer out there. Sadly, no matter what he does he'll probably be up here temporarily, as he is an injury call up (for Shawn Bates).

Congrats for him being the first Danish player in the NHL

Denmark is now just one player behind France in term of players playing/have played in the NHL (everyone knows Huet, but we also had Phillipe Bozon who spend 3 years at the St. Louis Blues in the early 90's, before coming back in europe due to some difficulties to adapt himself to north-american style of life)

Lars Eller, who plays for Frölunda in Sweden is also very well on his way to the NHL.

Today he was named as nr.5 among europeans on the NHL midway scout rankings - the highest ever for a danish player. He could very well be drafted in the first round if he stays this high on the list.

Peter Regin, who was drafted by Ottawa, could also be moving to North America next season. He is having a very good season with Timrå in Sweden. I think either him, or Jannik Hansen from Manitoba Moose, will be the next dane in the NHL. Our best player, Kim Staal, seems to has missed his chance because of a bad season so far at Milwaukee - it is unlikely he will be called up to Nashville or get a new contract next year, so he will probably come back to Europe.

But Denmark could go from 0 players in the NHL, to 3-4 players in a very short time. These are exciting times for danish hockey

Good to hear it

I wish we had the same thing in France, but heh! Huet won the save percentage award last year, so we won't have to complain to much

By the way, good luck to the Danes

Shadd666 wrote:Good to hear it

I wish we had the same thing in France, but heh! Huet won the save percentage award last year, so we won't have to complain to much

By the way, good luck to the Danes

Thanks

I'm surprised France has not had more players in the NHL than you say.

I recall they where fairly good back in the beginning of the 90's when I was a kid. I remember seeing the Olympics at Albertville where they went pretty far.

But perhaps that was before the NHL players began playing for the national teams?

Another thing. Could France not put together a good team by recruting people from Quebec? There must be alot of players from Quebec with french second nationality or french ancestry etc.?

If they could do this, and choose not to, then I respect that a lot. I think it ruins the purpose of national teams when this happens - like when Italy plays with an entire team of north americans with italian passports etc.

Shadd666 wrote:Good to hear it

I wish we had the same thing in France, but heh! Huet won the save percentage award last year, so we won't have to complain to much

By the way, good luck to the Danes

...and he's going to be a Vezina finalist this year!! He should be the starter for the East all stars...lousy Ryan Miller....

ElQuapo wrote: Thanks

I'm surprised France has not had more players in the NHL than you say.

I recall they where fairly good back in the beginning of the 90's when I was a kid. I remember seeing the Olympics at Albertville where they went pretty far.

But perhaps that was before the NHL players began playing for the national teams?

Another thing. Could France not put together a good team by recruting people from Quebec? There must be alot of players from Quebec with french second nationality or french ancestry etc.?

If they could do this, and choose not to, then I respect that a lot. I think it ruins the purpose of national teams when this happens - like when Italy plays with an entire team of north americans with italian passports etc.

In Albertville, France had their best result for an Olympic competition, as they went to the quarter finals (lost 6-1 against sweden if i remember well...). It was a great period for french hockey, with Phillipe Bozon as captain (1st french guy in the NHL) and many others that are now retired. And yes, it was before NHL players start to play the Olympics. Actually, France is rebuilding with some talented youngs. Now they start to have a bit of experience, and results aren't far away... We're really close to be back in the World Championship at the top level, after some seasons in the D1 group, and we missed our qualification for the Olympics in Turino for only one f***ing goal!

There are some players from Quebec, with a french passport And also some Canadian staffs, and the national team coach is Swedish. We try to bring people from nations were hockey is like soccer in France: a religion! So they can bring us their experience, and teach our kids (and future french staff members!) a lot of things. So we have both French-born players and Quebec-born players in the national team, the second ones bringing a lot of things to the young french guys. I think it's a good way to devellop our hockey, even if it will take more time than building a full Quebec team. So we could say that it's still team France, but with some extra-help


CatchUp: Yeah, Huet is doing really great once again this year! I guess the LA Kings actually wonder why they let him go a few years ago He is the glory of french hockey, no doubt on that one! But french people don't care that much about hockey, so he's pretty anonymous here

ElQuapo wrote: Thanks

I'm surprised France has not had more players in the NHL than you say.

I recall they where fairly good back in the beginning of the 90's when I was a kid. I remember seeing the Olympics at Albertville where they went pretty far.

But perhaps that was before the NHL players began playing for the national teams?

Another thing. Could France not put together a good team by recruting people from Quebec? There must be alot of players from Quebec with french second nationality or french ancestry etc.?

If they could do this, and choose not to, then I respect that a lot. I think it ruins the purpose of national teams when this happens - like when Italy plays with an entire team of north americans with italian passports etc.

yeah, the first time NHL players was allowed to play in the Olympics was in Nagano 1998. But 1994 in Lillehammer, Sweden won the the hockey tournament. We won against Canada in one hell of a match, which was decided in Penalty shootout. Where peter Forsberg fooled Corey Hirsch to go and buy peanuts or something in the stands, it looked like he did it anyway.

Shadd666 wrote: There are some players from Quebec, with a french passport And also some Canadian staffs, and the national team coach is Swedish.

What's his name, hasn't heard about any Swedish coach in France.

BTW, back to topic.
Congratulations all Danish members, I hope that more danish players get the chance in NHL. it feels sad that players like Kim Staal, Jesper Damgaard and Jens Nielsen, which have been great in their years in Sweden, but it's a couple of years ago now, hasnt got the chance to play in NHL.

Joe: I don't remember his name...and i'm not sure he is still in charge with team France, but i know we had a swedish coach for years... I took a look to the organigram of the staff of team France on the website of the federation, and i found a Dave Henderson... But the organigram is not really clear neither explicit, so i can't tell for sure that it's him...

And i remember this final in Lillehammer between Sweden and Canada... I didn't knew the players at this time, but i really enjoyed that game. Note: i was cheering for Canada note2: i was cheering for Sweden in Turino

Congrats for the Danish guys here! Hope there will be many more in years to come. You're also improving in the World Championships, which is great. I've always liked Denmark whenever they've played in the a-level.

I wonder why there havent been many if any danes playing in Sm-Liiga (i could be wrong here though). Then again it might be due to tighter restrictions with foreign player, as sm-liiga allows only 4 foreigners where as elitserien restricts it to 4 players outside EU (or something a like)

eme wrote:Congrats for the Danish guys here! Hope there will be many more in years to come. You're also improving in the World Championships, which is great. I've always liked Denmark whenever they've played in the a-level.

I wonder why there havent been many if any danes playing in Sm-Liiga (i could be wrong here though). Then again it might be due to tighter restrictions with foreign player, as sm-liiga allows only 4 foreigners where as elitserien restricts it to 4 players outside EU (or something a like)

All the best danish players seem to end up in Sweden, not sure why actually.

Ps: Thx .

And i remember this final in Lillehammer between Sweden and Canada...

Poor Corey Hirsch...A legend in Sweden for the stamp. Anyone got one they can send me? Swedish stamp of Forsberg goal.

Oh, and Corey Hirsch was the goalie coach for the Canadian Junior team that just won gold this year....AGAIN! Where was Sweden?

El Quappo: Jannik Hansen did not have a good camp with the Canucks this year. Or at least he did not stand out. There was alot of buzz about him last year, and the year before, but now the media has moved on to giving the "surprise, I am really good" buzz to Michael Grabner and the new "super-calm Swede" Alexander Edler. He has been a huge surprise this year, including getting alot of time with the Big club.

BTW Hansen is doing not bad with the Moose, 7 goals 17 assists 24 points in 40 some games. Plus 3 on a team that is fair to middling at best. So he may still have a chance..But not for at least 2 years, maybe 3 for regular time..