WC: 2018 - Team Denmark

[Sofaw]

Denmark is hosting this year's WC and nobody has made a thread about the Danish team!!! OK, I'll do that.
Denmark is playing Sweden on Thursday. Exciting to see if Hard, Storm and Lassen will join (all Malmö, SEL). Also Morten Madsen (Karlskrona, SEL). The same applies to Oliver Lauridsen (Jokerit, KHL), Jesper Jensen (Jokerit, KHL), Patrick Bjørnstrand (playoff Thomas Sabo IceTiges, DEL) and not least Philip Larsen (KHL). So it would soon start to look like a World Cup team. The team against France was a joke. Especially in match two. In fact, almost embarrassing to bring a B team.

Still to come: Mads Christensen (München, DEL), Frans Nielsen (Detroit, NHL), Patrick Russell (Bakersfield, AHL), Mathias Bau Hansen (Hershey Bears, AHL) and maybe Alexander True (San Jose Barracudas, AHL).

Besides that these NHL'ers have promised to join if their team is knocked out in the Stanley Cup (and the club says OK): Frederik Andersen (Toronto), Lars Eller (Washington), Nicolai Ehlers (Winnipeg), Jannik Hansen and Mikkel Bødker (San Jose). Oliver Bjorkstrand (Columbus) has indicated an opt out due to contract negotiations. Maybe also Jannik Hansen will opt out as he is without a contract.

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[Eye of Ra]

Morten Madsen should not be on this team. Denmark needs to move on from players like him, Jakobsen, Poulsen etc and bring in some youth.

With current available players:

Storm - Jensen - Hardt
P.Bjorkstrand - Regin - N.Jensen
Meyer - F.Nielsen - From
Bau Hansen - A.True - Russell

Jesper B Jensen - Oliver Lauridsen
Philip Larsen - Emil Kristensen
M.Lassen - S.Lassen

Dahm
Sorensen

 

[Sofaw]

Morten Madsen should not be on this team. Denmark needs to move on from players like him, Jakobsen, Poulsen etc and bring in some youth.

With current available players:

Storm - Jensen - Hardt
P.Bjorkstrand - Regin - N.Jensen
Meyer - F.Nielsen - From
Bau Hansen - A.True - Russell

Jesper B Jensen - Oliver Lauridsen
Philip Larsen - Emil Kristensen
M.Lassen - S.Lassen

Dahm
Sorensen

My preferred lines with current available players (if no injuries)

N. Jensen - F. Nielsen - Mads Christensen
Storm - Regin - Hardt
P. Bjorkstrand - Jensen - Madsen
Russell - Jakobsen - Bau

Philip Larsen - S. Lassen
Oliver Lauridsen - Jesper Jensen.
Emil Kristensen - Nicholas B. Jensen
Matias Lassen

I could be great with a reinforcement from NHL. 1-2 players and Frederik Andersen could make this already good team a really good team.

 

[Retroglyphs]

My preferred lines with current available players (if no injuries)

N. Jensen - F. Nielsen - Mads Christensen
Storm - Regin - Hardt
P. Bjorkstrand - Jensen - Madsen
Russell - Jakobsen - Bau

Philip Larsen - S. Lassen
Oliver Lauridsen - Jesper Jensen.
Emil Kristensen - Nicholas B. Jensen
Matias Lassen

I could be great with a reinforcement from NHL. 1-2 players and Frederik Andersen could make this already good team a really good team.

@Sofaw

At this point my lineup would look very similar to yours. Decent, but of course bleak in comparison to how it could look like.
I think Team Danmark will get 1-2 NHL-reinforcements after round 1 of POs, and before the first WC-match vs. Germany on May 4 , and another 1-2 players during the group phase.
Also, I agree with @Eye of Ra with regard to Morten Madsen - he's played a terrible season in Karlskrona and shouldn't play among the first 12 forwards. His former teammate in Hamburg, Julian Jakobsen though is too important for the team. He's a solid playmaker, and in crucial situations Denmark's nr.1 guy in the faceoff circle - before F.Nielsen, L.Eller and P.Regin.
Regarding our defense, it's still possible that Markus Lauridsen could be ready during the late group phase, after suffering a finger fracture in playoff match vs. Mannheim on April 4. Denmark is too short on good defenders to not reserve a spot for him.

N.Jensen	F.Nielsen (C)	M.Christensen
F.Storm	P.Regin (A)	N.Hardt
P.Bjørkstrand	'Z'.Jensen	J.Røndbjerg
P.Russell	J.Jakobsen	M.Bau

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

M.Madsen M.Poulsen

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

S.Lassen (A)	P.Larsen
O.Lauridsen	J.Jensen Aabo
N.B.Jensen	E.Kristensen
M.Lauridsen (IRS)	P.Bruggisser

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

S.Dahm

G.Sørensen

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[ThaiTanicDK]

No room for Mikkel Aagaard this year?

Pretty sure both Hansen & Bødker will lose 1st round of the playoffs with San Jose, so thats potential NHLers.

 

[Danmark]

Mikkel Aagaard will not be a part. He will be playing for University of Guelph in USports next season.

Bau Hansen, True and Russell have been cleared and will take part in the camp after the AHL season ends.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Just coming home from watching the first exhibition game vs. Sweden, which exposed the big quality gap between the Peter Regin-Nicklas Jensen line and the rest of the team. Jensen scoring the only goal for Denmark with a blistering slap shot in the last period. Denmark being confronted with a very composed & cool playing Swedish team which did not make a lot of mistakes in their own end.
Most players from Denmark's domestic league didn't seem ready for the level of competition they#ve been confronted with.
Regarding defensive pairings: the duo with routinier Stefan Lassen & Matias Lassen looked quite shaky today. Particularly Stefan Lassen made too many unforced errors in his own end. If it stays like that, Karlsson should avoid playing this guy on one the two top units.
Jokerit team mates Oliver Lauridsen-Jesper Jensen Aabo, on the other hand, worked fine together, and will likely be a fix.
On the Swedish side, Lias Andersson with a sound performance. He's a leader, a guy who dominates both offensively and defensively. Unsurprisingly he was also involved in the go-ahead goal and some other great chances, one of them a spectacular wrap-around attempt. Lias Andersson will be fun to watch at the WHC.

 

[Retroglyphs]

The regular season for Team Denmark's AHL players Mathias Bau Hansen (LW/RW, Hershey Bears), Alexander True (C, San Jose Barracuda), and Patrick Russell (RW, Bakersfield Condors) ends today, and Danmark's sports director Jesper Duus has cut a deal to bring them over the pond. Only True's San Jose Barracuda made the AHL playoffs. National coach Karlsson said that the trio definitely has chances to make the roster. He has worked with Russell & Bau before, only True is new to him.
Mikkel Aagaard Hansen (C, Manchester Monarchs, ECHL) was not mentioned.
Denmark's U20-team assistant captain Joachim Blichfeld (RW/LW, Portland Winterhawks, WHL) has also been given consideration, but Karlsson decided that the competition on Blichfeld's wing position would have been too strong.

Tre NHL-aspiranter klar til VM for Danmark

Notable Danish national players whose teams are still active in the playoffs:

Nikolaj Ehlers (LW, Winnipeg Jets, NHL)
Lars Eller (C, Washington Capitals, NHL)
Mikkel Bødker (LW, San Jose Sharks, NHL)
Jannik Hansen (RW, San Jose Sharks, NHL)
Oliver Bjørkstrand (RW, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL)
Frederik Andersen (GK, Toronto Maple Leafs, NHL)

Jonas Røndbjerg (LW/RW, Växjö Lakers, SHL; on loan Troja-Ljungby, Allsvenskan)
Mads Christensen (C/LW, Red Bull München, DEL)
Markus Lauridsen (D, Red Bull München, DEL; injured)

Julian Jakobsen (C, Aalborg Pirates, Metal Ligaen)
Mikkel Højbjerg (RW, Aalborg Pirates, Metal Ligaen)
Lasse Lassen (RW, Herning Blue Fox, Metal Ligaen)
Daniel Nielsen (D, Herning Blue Fox, Metal Ligaen)
Nicolai Weichel (D, Herning Blue Fox, Metal Ligaen)

 

[Sofaw]

...
Regarding defensive pairings: the duo with routinier Stefan Lassen & Mathias Lassen looked quite shaky today. Particularly Stefan Lassen made too many unforced errors in his own end. If it stays like that, Karlsson should avoid playing this guy on one the two top two units.
.

Things did not get any better for Lassen in match No. 2 and Philip Larsen was almost worse. As far as I could see, he was on the ice at the first three Swedish goals.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Things did not get any better for Lassen in match No. 2 and Philip Larsen was almost worse. As far as I could see, he was on the ice at the first three Swedish goals.

Yeah, I totally agree. As good as the Danish team could be offensively with some late additions in the offense, the biggest weakness of the team is a lack of defensive depth. Which is why they should still reserve a spot for Markus Lauridsen.
It remains a big question, whether Daniel Nielsen, Phillip Bruggisser and Nicolai Weichel could fit in on a third or fourth pairing. They aren't really used to top competition from Danish Metal League.

So, if Markus Lauridsen's k-wires have been removed in the last week of april, and he can play with a finger splint, then maybe: Oliver Lauridsen -- Jesper Jensen Aabo ; Nicholas B Jensen -- Philip Larsen ; Markus Lauridsen -- Emil Kristensen ; Matias Lassen -- Phillip Bruggisser

At least it looks like they'll get a top goalie in Frederik Andersen. Must admit it came a bit as a shock to me, when I saw how smallish our backup goalie George Sørensen is in real life ... he may have great reactions, but there's plenty of uncovered area up high for shooters from our opponents. We need Andersen more than any other player, if QF dreams shall come true.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Pretty sure both Hansen & Bødker will lose 1st round of the playoffs with San Jose, so thats potential NHLers.

Well that backfired pretty quick

Then again, I said no way Jets make Ehlers miss this in the other thread in autumn.

 

[ThaiTanicDK]

Well that backfired pretty quick

Then again, I said no way Jets make Ehlers miss this in the other thread in autumn.

Yeah looks like our only hope is down to Andersen or Eller/Bjørkstrand. I dont think Jets will throw their series.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Yeah looks like our only hope is down to Andersen or Eller/Bjørkstrand. I dont think Jets will throw their series.

The Jets could still get eliminated in the 2nd round.

 

[Sofaw]

Saw a good deal of the games against Belarus. Positively, there were not any major defense mistakes. Negative that the Danes were unable to dominate the matches against, both on paper and, in practice, a slightly mediocre Belarusian team. Belarus had actually more possession and shots than Denmark.
Among the players, Regin and NJ were good. The same was especially Storm. Jesper Jensen looked better than before. The same was happily the case with Philip Larsen. Hardt appeared to be somewhat out of shape. Stefan Lassen did not impress this time either. P. Bjørkstrand the same . However, it did Jesper Jensen Aabo. I never thought he could be that good.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Saw a good deal of the games against Belarus. Positively, there were not any major defense mistakes. Negative that the Danes were unable to dominate the matches against, both on paper and, in practice, a slightly mediocre Belarusian team. Belarus had actually more possession and shots than Denmark.
Among the players, Regin and NJ were good. The same was especially Storm. Jesper Jensen looked better than before. The same was happily the case with Philip Larsen. Hardt appeared to be somewhat out of shape. Stefan Lassen did not impress this time either. P. Bjørkstrand the same . However, it did Jesper Jensen Aabo. I never thought he could be that good.

Thanks for these impressions. Doesn't surprise me that possession was still an issue, it was particularly vs. Sweden. However, it could get a bit better though, as soon as Frans Nielsen, Mads Christensen +/- Lars Eller or Oliver Bjørkstrand join the team. Karlsson's major task will be to puzzle out three good lines out of F.Nielsen, M.Christensen, F.Storm, P.Regin, N.Jensen +/- the extra NHLer. I suspect that Hardt, Russell, P.Bjørkstrand and/or M.Madsen will be the other pieces on those lines. Jakobsen will lead the fourth line, and here M.Poulsen, M.Bau N.Meyer could man the wing, while 'Zlatan' Jensen will be the surplus centre.
Defense will be the biggest 'hængeparti'. Play Oliver Lauridsen-Jesper Jensen-Aabo as much as possible, and hope for miracles, like a world class goalkeeper from Toronto.

 

[Sofaw]

Oliver Bjørkstrand has unfortunately announced that he will probably not come to the World Cup because of contract negotiations.
Too bad. Denmark could use some "high end" fire power. I agree with you that FA could be the man with the miracles. When France a few years ago made big upsets it was with Huet as goalie. FA could do the same for us.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Yeah, true. But a final decision has not been taken yet. So, when this becomes an issue, I'd expect the Danish team officials to do their utmost in order to make him change his mind. Because, as you agreed, the team lacks depth on the wing.

 

[Bagge]

While I hope for TML advancing to the next round, reason tells me that Bruins will take it home with them from Toronto in game six. Too bad with Bjorkstrand and even Ehlers was out of the line up when Jets advanced to the next round. If the rumours are true about concussion symptoms then Jets is not going to release him if they lose in the second round. Vegas - Sharks should be interesting. I dare not hoping for a blowout 4-0 win for Golden Knights

 

[Retroglyphs]

While I hope for TML advancing to the next round, reason tells me that Bruins will take it home with them from Toronto in game six. Too bad with Bjorkstrand and even Ehlers was out of the line up when Jets advanced to the next round. If the rumours are true about concussion symptoms then Jets is not going to release him if they lose in the second round. Vegas - Sharks should be interesting. I dare not hoping for a blowout 4-0 win for Golden Knights

Denmark has been really unlucky so far with it's NHLers. The only ray of light being goalie Frederik Andersen. He's playing really well, but thank god Boston is too strong for the Leafs.
It'll be a big blow not only for the Danish team but for the whole tournament, if Washington wins this series vs. Columbus (I hope Torts kicks their asses).
Tough luck for Danish powerhouse Nik Ehlers - you can tell that he'd rather eat a broom transversely than to not play for his country.
I agree with your assumption, that the Sharks won't be swept - Mikkel Bødker might never arrive in time.
1/7 developping to 2/7 ... best case scenario 3/7 ... it's

 

[ThaiTanicDK]

Denmark has been really unlucky so far with it's NHLers. The only ray of light being goalie Frederik Andersen. He's playing really well, but thank god Boston is too strong for the Leafs.

Maybe its better if we just stop guessing LOL. My self included, no one has guessed correctly so far.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Maybe its better if we just stop guessing LOL. My self included, no one has guessed correctly so far.

It's just my overwhelming optimism, you know. And underwhelming accuracy. Everybody would like to see a strong home team, but re. the NHLers the luck isn't on Denmark's side.

 

[andersej]

Regarding Morten Madsen, I totally agree that he had a tough season with Karlskrona. I just think he has always been a key player on the NT as a defensive center and I fully expect him to slip into that role again and do a solid job, even with the underwhelming SEL season he has been through.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Regarding Morten Madsen, I totally agree that he had a tough season with Karlskrona. I just think he has always been a key player on the NT as a defensive center and I fully expect him to slip into that role again and do a solid job, even with the underwhelming SEL season he has been through.

its time to play younger players. denmark have to let go of madsen, jakobsen, poulsen etc. denmark have alot of good young players coming up.

 

[Retroglyphs]

its time to play younger players. denmark have to let go of madsen, jakobsen, poulsen etc. denmark have alot of good young players coming up.

True. Unfortunately, Karlsson is a bit conservative in that matter (I can tell which way the wind is blowing, if the coach is from Sweden ), and decided against testing younger guys like Røndbjerg, From and Blichfeld, who could have been interesting alternatives.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Regarding Morten Madsen, I totally agree that he had a tough season with Karlskrona. I just think he has always been a key player on the NT as a defensive center and I fully expect him to slip into that role again and do a solid job, even with the underwhelming SEL season he has been through.

3G+4A was really poor. When I saw him playing for Hamburg Freezers a couple of years ago, he had an offensive role and scored well. But yeah, there aren't so many alternatives among internationally experienced players.