Frans Nielsen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frans Nielsen
Nielsen with the Eisbären Berlin in 2021
Born	(1984-04-24) 24 April 1984 (age 41) Herning, Denmark
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Herning Blue Fox Malmö Redhawks Timrå IK New York Islanders Lukko Detroit Red Wings Eisbären Berlin
National team	Denmark
NHL Draft	87th overall, 2002 New York Islanders
Playing career	2001–2022

Frans Nielsen (born 24 April 1984) is a Danish former professional ice hockey player. He played as a forward for the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nielsen made history as the first Danish citizen to play in the NHL. He also proudly represented the Denmark national team in many international games. Nielsen was honored by being inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Frans Nielsen's Hockey Journey

Starting in Sweden and the NHL Draft

Frans Nielsen was chosen by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 87th player picked overall. Before joining the NHL, Nielsen played in the top Swedish league, called the Elitserien, starting in 2001.

In 2006, Nielsen signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders. He had already played over 216 games in Sweden. During that time, he scored 25 goals and made 34 assists, totaling 59 points.

Making His NHL Debut

Nielsen began the 2006–07 AHL season with the Islanders' farm team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He was called up to the Islanders on January 5, 2007. He played his first NHL game on January 6. Before his NHL debut, he had scored points in nine straight games for the Sound Tigers.

Nielsen with Lukko in 2012

Key Moments with the Islanders

During the 2010–11 NHL season, Nielsen was amazing at scoring while his team was short a player. He led the league with seven short-handed goals. Two of these goals came from penalty shots when his team had only three players against five. His captain, Doug Weight, said Nielsen was their "best all-around player." In 2012, Nielsen signed a new four-year contract with the Islanders.

Nielsen was especially good in shootouts. He even scored a shootout goal before getting his first official NHL goal. His special move in shootouts was nicknamed the "Danish Backhand of Judgement." He finished his NHL career scoring on almost half of his shootout attempts.

On October 25, 2014, Nielsen scored his first ever NHL hat trick. He scored all three goals in the third period against the Dallas Stars.

Nielsen with the New York Islanders in 2015

Moving to the Detroit Red Wings

On July 1, 2016, Nielsen joined the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent. He signed a six-year contract, ending his 10 years with the Islanders. In the 2016–17 NHL season, Nielsen was chosen to play in the 2017 NHL All-Star Game.

In the 2017–18 NHL season, Nielsen scored his 47th shootout goal. This made him the player with the most shootout goals in NHL history. This record-breaking goal happened against the New York Rangers on December 29, 2017.

After the 2020–21 NHL season, the Red Wings decided to buy out the rest of Nielsen's contract. This made him a free agent on August 19, 2021.

Final Season in Germany

Nielsen did not sign with another NHL team for the 2021–22 NHL season. He decided to return to Europe and play for the German team Eisbären Berlin in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He signed a one-year contract on October 10, 2021. In his last professional season, Nielsen was a key leader for Berlin. He scored 12 goals and 27 points in 33 games. He also helped Eisbären Berlin win the DEL championship by adding seven points in 12 playoff games.

International Hockey Career

Nielsen played for the Danish national team fourteen times. In 2002, he made his senior debut when Denmark moved up to the top division of the IIHF.

He also played for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He had two assists in six games and helped his team win a silver medal.

Nielsen was part of the Danish team that qualified for their first ever Olympic appearance in 2022. At the 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, China, Nielsen was one of the flag bearers for Denmark. He played in all five games at the tournament, scoring two goals and three points. Denmark finished in 7th place.

Nielsen retired from professional ice hockey after Denmark was eliminated from the 2022 IIHF World Championship. This happened after a 1-7 loss to Slovakia. Even though they were eliminated, the Danish team had a historic 12 points in the group stage.

In 2025, Frans Nielsen was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame. He is the third player from Denmark to receive this honor.

Awards and Achievements