Frans Nielsen

Frans Nielsen
Born 24 April 1984 (1984-04-24) (age 27)
Herning, Denmark
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight 172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team New York Islanders
National team  Denmark
NHL Draft 87th overall, 2002
New York Islanders
Playing career 2001–present

Frans Nielsen (born April 24, 1984) 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.[1]

Contents

Playing career

Nielsen was drafted by the New York Islanders 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 assists 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.[2]

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.[3]

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.”[4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 Herning Blue Fox ODL 38 18 19 37 6
2001–02 Malmö Redhawks SEL 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 Timrå SEL 50 5 13 18 22
2006–07 New York Islanders NHL 15 1 1 2 0
2006–07 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 54 20 24 44 10
2007–08 New York Islanders NHL 16 2 1 3 0
2007–08 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 48 10 28 38 18
2008–09 New York Islanders NHL 59 9 24 33 18
2009–10 New York Islanders NHL 76 12 26 38 6
2010–11 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

References

External links