Denmark Hopes for NHL Reinforcements After Key Absences for Worlds

Injuries hit Denmark hard ahead of Ice Hockey World Championships

Frederik Dichow is set to start vs Hungary on Saturday, while Gath hopes for reinforcements from North America if Bjorkstrand, Ehlers, and Andersen exit the playoffs.

Denmark beat Norway 3-1 in a test match and expects Blichfeld, Aagaard, and Poulsen to join before the Worlds, with NHL reinforcements possible...

Denmark’s World Championship squad is missing several key players but still has some reinforcements on the way.

Denmark’s men’s ice hockey team will head into this month’s World Championships without several of its top players, weakening the squad ahead of the tournament.

Missing key stars, the Danes will try to match last year’s historic run to the semi-finals when the championships start in two weeks.

Nicklas Jensen, Oliver Lauridsen, Matias Lassen, and Nicholas B. Jensen will all miss Denmark’s arrival at the World Championship in Switzerland on May 13.

“It is a huge loss for us. Nicklas Jensen has been incredibly important for us, and the three backs have been a huge support in the team for a long time,” says national coach Mikael Gath.

Injuries have sidelined the experienced quartet, who have 36 World Championship appearances between them. The defense is especially affected with Lauridsen, Lassen, and Nicholas B. Jensen all out.

Gath doesn’t have a deep pool of players with international experience, but he gets a boost with Markus Lauridsen joining the training camp next week.

Goaltending is also a concern, as last year’s starter Frederik Dichow hasn’t played for his club since October.

With Frederik Andersen tied up in the NHL playoffs, Gath has had to give new players a runout in the opening test matches.

Esbjerg’s Nicolaj Henriksen impressed in both last week’s game against Latvia and Thursday’s meeting with Norway in Rødovre.

“He has played two good international matches and only conceded two goals in total, so he has really seized the chance and shown himself in a good way before the World Cup. I'm really happy to see that,” says Mikael Gath.

Frederik Dichow is set to start in goal when Denmark faces Hungary in Odense on Saturday. If things go as planned, reinforcements from North America should arrive soon.

Mads Sogaard has finished his season, and Gath expects him to join the World Championship squad shortly.

“There are still some details that need to be resolved, but we hope and expect that he will be available quickly,” says Mikael Gath.

  

Denmark beat Norway 3-1 in Thursday’s test match. Before the World Championships, forwards Joachim Blichfeld and Mikkel Aagaard will join the team once they finish their gold-medal runs in the Finnish and Swedish leagues.

Veteran Morten Poulsen links up with the squad on Saturday. Gath is also hoping for more additions from North America if Oliver Bjorkstrand, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Jonas Rondbjerg, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Frederik Andersen are eliminated from the playoffs.