HERNING
http://www.redwingsshoponline.com/authentic-anthony-mantha-jersey , Denmark (AP) Danish hockey is on the rise, even though the Danish hockey team
has been knocked out of the world championships.The national team’s early
elimination at its first world championships on home ice can hardly overshadow
the boost the tournament has given the sport in the country.”I hope it spreads
awareness of hockey in Denmark for a lot of families and hopefully they’ll try
to get their kids to play hockey,” Columbus Blue Jackets forward Oliver
Bjorkstrand said. ”Hopefully it gets more hockey kids involved and more media
attention on hockey, of course. It’s something we’re hoping for at this
tournament.”The progress has been obvious.In 2003, Denmark advanced to the top
international division for the first time in 54 years and has not been relegated
since. The country reached the quarterfinals twice and managed to beat big
teams, including the United States.Center Frans Nielsen then opened a new era in
2007 by joining the New York Islanders. Currently with the Detroit Red Wings,
Nielsen has 423 points in the NHL with 152 goals and 271 assists in 764
games.Others soon followed.Denmark currently has seven players in the NHL, and
five of them played for their country at this year’s worlds, including Nielsen
and Bjorkstrand. The others were Toronto Maple Leafs No. 1 goaltender Frederik
Andersen and two San Jose Sharks forwards, Jannik Hansen and Mikkel Boedker.In
2011, Hansen became the first Dane to play the Stanley Cup finals with the
Vancouver Canucks.At the world championships, Denmark beat Germany, Finland,
Norway and South Korea but lost to Latvia 1-0 on Tuesday and missed out on the
quarterfinals.Perhaps the absence of two Danish forwards currently busy in the
NHL playoffs played a role in that.Lars Eller has five goals and seven assists
in 15 playoff games for the Washington Capitals
Darren Helm Jersey , who lead their Eastern Conference final against the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1. Nikolaj Ehlers had a 60-point regular season with 29
goals and 31 assists for the Winnipeg Jets and has seven assists in the Western
Conference final against the Vegas Golden Knights. That series is tied
1-1.”That’s been a long way (for Danish hockey),” Nielsen said. ”It’s been
incredible and we’re proud of where we are today.”At this year’s worlds, Denmark
enjoyed huge support from the roaring home fans mostly wearing red and white
jerseys at their games in Herning. After the victories, the crowd and players
sang the Danish national anthem together.”The whole city backs us up here,” said
Nielsen, who is from Herning. ”It’s been incredible.” TORONTO (AP) The Toronto
Maple Leafs have taken another step in shuffling their front office.Following
the elevation of Kyle Dubas to general manager this month, assistant general
manager Mark Hunter and senior adviser Lou Lamoriello are now gone.Toronto
announced Tuesday that Hunter and the club had agreed to part. Less than an hour
later, the New York Islanders confirmed Lamoriello as their president of hockey
operations.The 75-year-old Lamoriello won three Stanley Cups with New Jersey
when he their general manager and president of hockey operations from 1987 to
2015. He recently shifted to his adviser role with Toronto after three years as
its GM.Hunter, who played for five NHL teams, was seen as a candidate for the
Toronto GM job that eventually went to the 31-year-old Dubas this month.Hunter
joined the Maple Leafs as player-personnel director in 2014 before being
elevated to assistant general manager in 2016, sharing the role with
Dubas.Hunter helped build the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights and is
credited with improving the game of Toronto center Nazem Kadri.With Lamoriello
and Hunter now out the door, Dubas will get an opportunity to shape his own
front office.
