Frans Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Frans Nielsen is a Danish
professional ice hockey
player currently playing with the New York Islanders
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He is the first Danish citizen to play in the NHL.
in the third round, 87th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
. After playing in the Swedish
Elitserien
since 2001, Nielsen signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders
on May 15, 2006. He has also played for the Danish national team.
With over 216 games in the Elitserien, Nielsen recorded 25 goals
and 34 assist
s for 59 points
and 66 penalty minutes.
Nielsen started the 2006–07 AHL season
with the Islanders' affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
, and was recalled to the Islanders on January 5, 2007. He made his NHL debut on January 6. At the time of his recall, he had recorded a point in nine consecutive American Hockey League
(AHL) games, which was three games shy of the Sound Tigers' club record.
Nielsen was the first Danish-born player in the NHL since the 1979–80 NHL season. Poul Popiel
was an NHL defenceman in the late 1960s and the 1970s. Popiel played his last games in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers
in the 1979-80 season. However, Popiel had become an American citizen prior to his debut, leaving Nielsen with the honour of being the first Danish citizen in the NHL.
During the 2010–11 NHL season
Nielsen scored a league-leading seven short-handed goals. Near the end of the 2010–11 NHL season
Islanders' Captain Doug Weight
was quoted as saying of Nielsen “He’s our best all-around player even though his stats don’t necessarily show it.”
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player currently playing with the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He is the first Danish citizen to play in the NHL.
Playing career
Nielsen was drafted by the New York IslandersNew York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the third round, 87th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
. After playing in the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
since 2001, Nielsen signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on May 15, 2006. He has also played for the Danish national team.
With over 216 games in the Elitserien, Nielsen recorded 25 goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
and 34 assist
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
s for 59 points
Point (ice hockey)
Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
and 66 penalty minutes.
Nielsen started the 2006–07 AHL season
2006–07 AHL season
The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals....
with the Islanders' affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...
, and was recalled to the Islanders on January 5, 2007. He made his NHL debut on January 6. At the time of his recall, he had recorded a point in nine consecutive American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) games, which was three games shy of the Sound Tigers' club record.
Nielsen was the first Danish-born player in the NHL since the 1979–80 NHL season. Poul Popiel
Poul Popiel
Poul Peter Popiel is a retired NHL defenceman, and head coach. He played in the OHA, AHL, WHA, NHL, CPHL, and IHL. He played a brief 12 games in the IHL with the Muskegon Mohawks, then halfway through the year, he retired and became the head coach...
was an NHL defenceman in the late 1960s and the 1970s. Popiel played his last games in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in the 1979-80 season. However, Popiel had become an American citizen prior to his debut, leaving Nielsen with the honour of being the first Danish citizen in the NHL.
During the 2010–11 NHL season
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
Nielsen scored a league-leading seven short-handed goals. Near the end of the 2010–11 NHL season
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
Islanders' Captain Doug Weight
Doug Weight
Douglas Daniel Weight is a retired American professional ice hockey player who is currently an Assistant Coach and Special Assistant to the General Manager for the New York Islanders. During his 19-year National Hockey League career, he played for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina...
was quoted as saying of Nielsen “He’s our best all-around player even though his stats don’t necessarily show it.”
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2000–01 | Herning Blue Fox Herning Blue Fox Herning Blue Fox is a Danish professional ice hockey team playing in the top Danish ice hockey league Oddset Ligaen. The team has won the Danish championship 15 times with the last title coming in 2011.Team-Goaltenders:# Lubos Pisar# Martin Jørgensen... |
ODL Oddset Ligaen AL-Bank Ligaen is the premier league in Danish ice hockey. The teams are semi-professional with only the best Danish and foreign players being fully professional.- History :The name is a result of a sponsorship deal with a Danish bank Arbejdernes Landsbank... |
38 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Malmö Redhawks Malmö Redhawks The Malmö Redhawks is an ice hockey club from Malmö, Sweden. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Malmö has played 16 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien .-History:... |
SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Malmö Redhawks | SEL | 47 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Malmö Redhawks | SEL | 50 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Malmö Redhawks | SEL | 49 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 Elitserien season The 2005–06 Elitserien season was the 31st season of Elitserien. It ran from September 26, 2005 until March 6, 2006, with the Elitserien playoffs, the 82nd Swedish Championship, to April 18, with Färjestads BK taking the championship.-Final standings:... |
Timrå Timrå IK Timrå IK is a Swedish ice hockey team from Timrå, who currently plays in the top division, Elitserien. Seasons in the top division include 1956–57 to 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82, and 2000–01 until present.-History:... |
SEL | 50 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Bridgeport Sound Tigers Bridgeport Sound Tigers The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
54 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | New York Islanders | NHL | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 48 | 10 | 28 | 38 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
New York Islanders | NHL | 59 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
New York Islanders | NHL | 76 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
New York Islanders | NHL | 71 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Elitserien totals | 216 | 25 | 34 | 59 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| AHL totals | 102 | 30 | 52 | 82 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 237 | 37 | 83 | 120 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||