Denmark national ice hockey team

The Danish national men's hockey team is the national ice hockey team for Denmark. The team is controlled by Danmarks Ishockey Union. As of 2007 the Danish team was ranked 12th in the IIHF World Rankings. After not qualifying for a world championship since 1949, Denmark surprised many in 2003 by finishing in 11th place, including a tie game against that year's champions Canada. [ [http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfpr1902.htm IIHF Article] ] Denmark currently has 4,255 players (0.07% of its population). Their coach is Swedish Per Bäckman, who replaced Canadian Mike Sirant who was fired after the team finished in 12th place at the 2008 World Championships.

In 2003, Denmark was back in the elite pool of the IIHF World Championships after 54 years. The Danish national hockey team scored two historic, unexpected upsets in Tampere, Finland, defeating the United States 5-2 on April 26, 2003 and tied Canada 2-2 six days later on May 2, 2003. Since Finland 2003, Denmark has not been out of the top division ever since.

*First game: February 12, 1949: Stockholm, Sweden. ih|CAN|1921 47-0 flagicon|DEN Denmark
*Biggest win: March 18, 1977: Copenhagen, Denmark. flagicon|DEN Denmark 27-4 ih|BEL
*Biggest loss: February 12, 1949: Stockholm, Sweden. ih|CAN|1921 47-0 flagicon|DEN Denmark (IIHF record)

2008 World Championship team

*Head coach: flagicon|SWE Per Bäckman [ [http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/132/IHM1320DEN_33_5_0.pdf] IIHF World Championship MEN - Denmark Team Roster. Retrieved May 10, 2008.]

Current top players

*Frans Nielsen
*Jannik Hansen
*Peter Regin
*Lars Eller
*Philip Larsen
*Mikkel Boedker
*Morten Madsen

Olympic record

* 1920 - 2006 - Did not qualify

World Championship record

*1930-1948: Did not participate
*1949- Finished in 10th place
*1950-1961: Did not participate
*1962- Finished in 14th place (6th in "Pool B")
*1963- Finished in 18th place (3rd in "Pool C")
*1965- Did not participate
*1966- Finished in 18th place (2nd in "Pool C")
*1967- Finished in 19th place (3rd in "Pool C")
*1969- Finished in 20th place (6th in "Pool C")
*1970- Finished in 19th place (5th in "Pool C")
*1971- Finished in 20th place (6th in "Pool C")
*1972- Finished in 20th place (7th in "Pool C")
*1973- Finished in 21st place (7th in "Pool C")
*1974- Did not participate
*1975- Finished in 20th place (6th in "Pool C")
*1976- Finished in 20th place (4th in "Pool C")
*1977- Finished in 19th place (2nd in "Pool C")
*1978- Finished in 19th place (3rd in "Pool C")
*1979- Finished in 16th place (8th in "Pool B")
*1981- Finished in 20th place (4th in "Pool C")
*1982- Finished in 19th place (3rd in "Pool C")
*1983- Finished in 20th place (4th in "Pool C")
*1985- Finished in 21st place (5th in "Pool C")
*1986- Finished in 21st place (5th in "Pool C")
*1987- Finished in 18th place (2nd in "Pool C")
*1989- Finished in 16th place (8th in "Pool B")
*1990- Finished in 18th place (2nd in "Pool C")
*1991- Finished in 17th place (Won "Pool C")
*1992- Finished in 16th place (4th in "Pool B")
*1993- Finished in 16th place (4th in "Pool B")
*1994- Finished in 17th place (5th in "Pool B")
*1995- Finished in 17th place (5th in "Pool B")
*1996- Finished in 18th place (6th in "Pool B")
*1997- Finished in 20th place (8th in "Pool B")
*1998- Finished in 20th place (4th in "Pool B")
*1999- Finished in 17th place (Won "Pool B")
*2000- Finished in 21st place (5th in "Pool B")
*2001- Finished in 22nd place (3rd in "Division I, Group A")
*2002- Finished in 18th place (Won "Division I, Group B")
*2003- Finished in 11th place
*2004- Finished in 12th place
*2005- Finished in 14th place
*2006- Finished in 13th place
*2007- Finished in 10th place
*2008- Finished in 12th place

References

External links

* Meltzer, Bill. [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=301966 "Denmark caps landmark year for hockey program" at NHL.com] . Retrieved 05-02-07.
* [http://www.ishockey.dk/ Danmarks Ishockey Union]