Nicklas Jensen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicklas Jensen
Jensen with the Chicago Wolves in 2013
Born	(1993-03-06) 6 March 1993 (age 32) Herning, Denmark
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	186 lb (84 kg; 13 st 4 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Left
NL team Former teams	SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers Herning IK AIK IF Vancouver Canucks New York Rangers Jokerit
National team	Denmark
NHL Draft	29th overall, 2011 Vancouver Canucks
Playing career	2009–present

Nicklas Jensen (born 6 March 1993) is a professional ice hockey player from Denmark. He plays as a winger and currently skates for the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in the National League (NL).

Jensen started his career in Denmark with Herning Blue Fox. He later moved to North America in 2010 to play for the Oshawa Generals. He was picked 29th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Jensen played a few games in the NHL for the Canucks and later the New York Rangers. He spent most of his time in the AHL, a league below the NHL. He has also played for the Danish national team in many international tournaments.

Jensen's Early Life

Nicklas Jensen was born in Herning, Denmark. His father, Dan, was born in Toronto, Canada. Dan played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before moving to Denmark.

Nicklas grew up watching his father play for the Herning Blue Fox and the Danish national team. Besides hockey, Nicklas also played soccer until he was 14. When he moved to Canada to play in the OHL, he lived near many of his father's relatives.

His Hockey Journey

Starting in Denmark

Jensen followed in his father's footsteps and began playing for his hometown team, the Herning Blue Fox. In the 2008–09 season, he scored 43 points (28 goals and 15 assists) for the junior team. He also played a few games for the men's team, scoring three goals.

The next season, he joined Herning's top professional team in Denmark's main league, AL-Bank Ligaen. He scored 12 goals and 26 points in 34 games. For his great performance, he won the league's Rookie of the Year award.

Playing in North America

In 2010, Jensen was chosen by the Oshawa Generals in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. He then moved to North America to play for them in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He scored the winning goal in his first OHL game on 23 September 2010.

Jensen had a seven-game goal-scoring streak, scoring 10 goals between December 2010 and January 2011. He was even named OHL Player of the Week in January 2011. He had a fantastic game where he scored five points (one goal and four assists). Jensen finished his first OHL season with 58 points (29 goals and 29 assists) in 61 games. He was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team. In the playoffs, he added 11 points in 10 games.

The stage at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft after Jensen was selected by Vancouver.

Before the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, experts ranked Jensen 21st among North American players. The Vancouver Canucks picked him 29th overall. After being drafted, Jensen described himself as a "power forward and goal scorer." The Canucks' assistant general manager praised his quick shot and strong work ethic. Jensen joined fellow Dane Jannik Hansen in the Canucks organization.

In September 2011, Jensen signed a three-year contract with the Canucks. He played his second OHL season with the Generals, scoring 25 goals and 58 points in 57 games.

Professional Debut

After the OHL playoffs in 2012, Jensen joined the Chicago Wolves, the Canucks' team in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played his first professional game on 6 April 2012. A few games later, he scored his first professional goal. In the last game of the season, he scored a hat trick (three goals).

Jensen played two goals in his first playoff game for the Wolves. However, his playoffs ended early when he got a concussion in the next game.

Moving to Sweden and the NHL

For the 2012–13 season, the Canucks sent Jensen to AIK in the Elitserien, Sweden's top league. He scored 17 goals and 23 points in 50 games, leading his team in goals. He was also the top goal-scorer among all rookies in the league.

After the Swedish season, Jensen returned to the Chicago Wolves. He played 11 games and scored two goals. Due to injuries on the Canucks team, Jensen was called up to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on 1 April 2013, against the San Jose Sharks. He played two games but did not score any points before being sent back to Chicago.

Jensen scored his first NHL goal on 14 March 2014, against the Washington Capitals.

In January 2016, Jensen was traded from the Canucks to the New York Rangers. He played for the Rangers' AHL team, the Hartford Wolf Pack. He was called up to the Rangers for a few games in 2016–17 but did not score.

Playing in Europe

After his time with the Rangers, Jensen decided to play in Europe. In July 2017, he signed a contract with Jokerit, a team in the KHL (a major league in Europe and Asia).

Jensen played five seasons with Jokerit. The team left the KHL during the 2021–22 season. As a free agent, Jensen moved to the Swiss National League. In May 2022, he signed a two-year contract with SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers.

Playing for Denmark

Medal record
Representing  Denmark
Ice hockey
IIHF World U18 Championships
Silver	2009 Italy	Division I Group B
Silver	2010 Denmark	Division I Group A
World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
Silver	2010 France	Division I Group A
Gold	2011 Slovenia	Division I Group B

Nicklas Jensen is a citizen of both Denmark and Canada. However, he chose to play for the Danish national team.

Junior International Play

He first played for Denmark at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championship in Italy. At 16, he was the youngest player on the team. Denmark finished second in their group.

Seven months later, Jensen joined Denmark's under-20 team for the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in France. He was again the youngest player and scored five points. Denmark finished second in their group.

In 2010, Jensen played for the under-18 team again at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships in his hometown of Herning, Denmark. In one game, he scored five goals against France! He also scored a hat trick against Korea. Denmark played Norway in the final game to decide who would move up to the top division. Denmark lost, but Jensen had 15 points (13 goals) in 5 games. He was named Denmark's best player and the best forward in the group.

In December 2010, Jensen played in his second World Junior Championships Division I tournament in Slovenia. He helped Denmark win their group and get promoted to the top division for the 2012 tournament.

Jensen played in the top division of the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was the only player on the team from a North American club. He was also named an alternate captain. Denmark finished last and was moved back down to Division I. Jensen led his team in scoring with six points in six games.

Senior International Play

Jensen made his debut for the Danish senior team at the 2013 IIHF World Championship. He scored two goals in three games. Denmark finished in 12th place.

He has continued to represent Denmark at many World Championships and Olympic qualifying tournaments.

Career Statistics

These tables show Nicklas Jensen's performance in different hockey leagues and international games.

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and Achievements