The Danish national men's ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team for Denmark. The team is controlled by Danmarks Ishockey Union. It was founded in 1949, and as of 2022, the Danish team was ranked 10th in the IIHF World Rankings. Denmark currently has 4,255 players (0.07% of its population). Their coach is Swedish Mikael Gath. Denmark once held the record for the largest loss when they were defeated by Canada in 1949, 47–0, only being surpassed by New Zealand who were defeated by Australia 58–0 in 1987.

History

The team played its first world championship in 1949, led by player-coach and captain Jørgen Hviid. Denmark lost its first game played, by a 47–0 score to the Canada men's national team.

Denmark subsequently played 53 years in lower divisions. At the 2002 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships, the team finished first in Division I-B to earn promotion to the top level for the 2003 IIHF World Championship, and has remained in the top pool since, due to developed higher calibre players. The 2002 and 2003 versions of the Denmark men's national teams were recognized with the IIHF Milestone Award in 2025, for earning promotion to and remaining at the top tier of the World Championships.

Denmark finished the 2003 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships in 11th place, defeating the United States men's national team 5–2, and tying Canada 2–2. At the 2010 World Championships, Denmark finished 8th place, their best placing at the time. The feat was repeated in 2016. At the 2022 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships Denmark finished in ninth place, and earned their first victory versus Canada, in 73 years of competition, by a 3–2 score.

At the 2025 IIHF World Championship, co-hosts Denmark reached its first semifinals, after defeating Canada in the quarterfinals, in what was widely considered one of the biggest upsets in the IIHF World Championship history. Denmark were thus guaranteed to play in their first ever medal game and guaranteed to finish in the top four for the first time. After losing against Switzerland and against Sweden in the bronze medal game, they finished fourth.

Tournament record

Olympic Games

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year

! Finish

! Rank

|-

| 2022 Beijing

|Quarterfinals

|7th

|-

| 2026 Milan / Cortina d'Ampezzo

|Qualification playoffs

|9th

|}

World Championship

thumb|The Danish team in 1970

thumb|[[Kim Lykkeskov and Alexander Sundberg]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year

! Finish

! Rank

|-

| 1949 Stockholm

| Consolation round

| 10th

|-

| 1962 Colorado Springs/Denver

| 6th in the Group B

| 14th

|-

| 1963 Stockholm

| 3rd in the Pool C

| 18th

|-

| 1966 Jesenice

| 2nd in the Pool C

| 18th

|-

| 1967 Vienna

| 2nd in the Pool C

| 18th

|-

| 1969 Skopje

| 6th in the Pool C

| 20th

|-

| 1970 Galaţi

| 5th in the Pool C

| 19th

|-

| 1971

| 7th in the Pool C

| 21st

|-

| 1972 Miercurea-Ciuc

| 6th in the Pool C

| 19th

|-

| 1973

| 7th in the Pool C

| 21st

|-

| 1975 Sofia

| 6th in the Pool C

| 20th

|-

| 1976 Gdańsk

| 3rd in the Pool C

| 19th

|-

| 1977 Copenhagen/Hørsholm

| 2nd in the Pool C

| 19th

|-

| 1978 Canary Islands (Las Palmas)

| 3rd in the Pool C

| 19th

|-

| 1979 Galati

| Relegation in the Pool B

| 16th

|-

| 1981 Beijing

| 4th in the Pool C

| 20th

|-

| 1982 Jaca

| 3rd in the Pool C

| 19th

|-

| 1983 Budapest

| 4th in the Pool C

| 20th

|-

| 1985 Megève/Chamonix/Saint-Gervais

| 5th in the Pool C

| 21st

|-

| 1986 Puigcerda

| Consolation round in the Pool C

| 21st

|-

| 1987 Copenhagen/Herlev/Hørsholm

| 2nd in the Pool C

| 18th

|-

| 1989 Oslo/Lillehammer

| 8th in the Pool B

| 16th

|-

| 1990 Budapest

| 2nd in the Pool C

| 18th

|-

| 1991 Brøndby

| 1st in the Pool C

| 17th

|-

| 1992 Klagenfurt

| 4th in the Pool B

| 16th

|-

| 1993 Eindhoven

| 4th in the Pool B

| 16th

|-

| 1994 Copenhagen/Aalborg

| 5th in the Pool B

| 17th

|-

| 1995 Bratislava

| 5th in the Pool B

| 17th

|-

| 1996 Eindhoven

| 6th in the Pool B

| 18th

|-

| 1997 Katowice (Spodek)/Sosnowiec

| 8th in the Pool B

| 20th

|-

| 1998 Ljubljana/Jesenice

| 4th in the Pool B

| 20th

|-

| 1999 Odense/Rodovre

| 1st in the Pool B

| 17th

|-

| 2000 Katowice/Krakow

| 5th in the Pool B

| 21st

|-

| 2001 Grenoble

| 3rd in Division I, Group A

| 21st

|-

| 2002 Eindhoven

| 1st in Division I, Group B

| 18th

|-

| 2003 Helsinki/Tampere/Turku

| Second round

| 11th

|-

| 2004 Prague/Ostrava

| Qualifying round

| 12th

|-

| 2005 Vienna/Innsbruck

| Relegation round

| 14th

|-

| 2006 Riga

| Relegation round

| 13th

|-

| 2007 Moscow

| Qualifying round

| 10th

|-

| 2008 Halifax/Quebec

| Qualifying round

| 12th

|-

| 2009 Bern/Kloten

| Relegation round

| 13th

|-

| 2010 Cologne/Mannheim/Gelsenkirchen

| Playoff round

| 8th

|-

| 2011 Bratislava/Košice

| Qualifying round

| 11th

|-

|/ 2012 Helsinki/Stockholm

| Preliminary round

| 13th

|-

|/ 2013 Stockholm/Helsinki

| Preliminary round

| 12th

|-

| 2014 Minsk

| Preliminary round

| 13th

|-

| 2015 Prague/Ostrava

| Preliminary round

| 14th

|-

| 2016 Moscow/Saint Petersburg

| Playoff round

| 8th

|-

|/ 2017 Cologne/Paris

| Preliminary round

| 12th

|-

| 2018 Copenhagen/Herning

| Preliminary round

| 10th

|-

| 2019 Bratislava/Košice

| Preliminary round

| 11th

|-

| 2020 Zurich/Lausanne

| Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic

| –

|-

| 2021 Riga

| Preliminary round

| 12th

|-

| 2022 Helsinki/Tampere

| Preliminary round

| 9th

|-

|/ 2023 Tampere/Riga

| Preliminary round

| 10th

|-

| 2024 Prague/Ostrava

| Preliminary round

| 13th

|-

|/ 2025 Stockholm/Herning

| Bronze medal game

| style="background:#9acdff;"| 4th

|-

| 2026 Zurich/Fribourg

| Preliminary round

| 12th

|-

| 2027 Düsseldorf/Mannheim

|

|

|}

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

Head coach: Mikael Gath

{| width="80%" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: center;"

!No.

!Pos.

!Name

!Height

!Weight

!Birthdate

!Team

|-

| 1 || G || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Esbjerg Energy

|-

| 3 || D || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Rødovre Mighty Bulls

|-

| 6 || F || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Esbjerg Energy

|-

| 9 || F || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Kölner Haie

|-

| 11 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | JYP Jyväskylä

|-

| 21 || D || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Herning Blue Fox

|-

| 22 || D || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;"| HC Pustertal Wölfe

|-

| 29 || F || align="left" | – A || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Skellefteå AIK

|-

| 30 || G || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Ottawa Senators

|-

| 33 || D || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Rungsted Ishockey Klub

|-

| 35 || G || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Hudiksvalls HC

|-

| 36 || D || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Odense Bulldogs

|-

| 38 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Herning Blue Fox

|-

| 39 || F || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | SønderjyskE Ishockey

|-

| 40 || D || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Graz 99ers

|-

| 41 || D || align=left| – C || || || || style="text-align:left;" | EC KAC

|-

| 42 || D || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Fischtown Pinguins

|-

| 54 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Schwenninger Wild Wings

|-

| 63 || F || align="left" | – A || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Kölner Haie

|-

| 65 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Fischtown Pinguins

|-

| 72 || F || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Esbjerg Energy

|-

| 77 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | EC KAC

|-

| 80 || G || align=left| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | HV71

|-

| 82 || F || align="left"| || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Västerås IK

|-

| 86 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Tappara

|-

| 95 || F || align="left" | || || || || style="text-align:left;" | Motor České Budějovice

|}

2026 Olympics roster

Former and current players in NHL

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year !! Name !! Position !! Team

|-

| 1965–1966<br />1967–1968<br />1968–1970<br />1970–1972<br />1979–1980|| Poul Popiel || Defenseman || Boston Bruins<br />Los Angeles Kings<br />Detroit Red Wings<br />Vancouver Canucks<br />Edmonton Oilers

|-

| 2006–2016<br />2016–2021 || Frans Nielsen || Center || New York Islanders<br />Detroit Red Wings

|-

| 2007–2017<br />2017–2018 || Jannik Hansen || Right winger || Vancouver Canucks<br />San Jose Sharks

|-

| 2009–2013<br />2013–2014<br />2014 || Peter Regin || Center || Ottawa Senators<br />New York Islanders<br />Chicago Blackhawks

|-

| 2008–2016<br />2016<br />2016–2018<br />2018–2020 || Mikkel Bødker || Left winger || Arizona Coyotes<br />Colorado Avalanche<br />San Jose Sharks<br />Ottawa Senators

|-

| 2009–2010<br />2010–2016<br />2016–2023<br />2023–2024<br />2024–2025<br />2025-|| Lars Eller || Center || St. Louis Blues<br />Montreal Canadiens<br />Washington Capitals<br />Pittsburgh Penguins<br />Washington Capitals<br />Ottawa Senators

|-

| 2010–2013<br />2013–2014<br />2016–2017 || Philip Larsen || Defenseman || Dallas Stars<br />Edmonton Oilers<br />Vancouver Canucks

|-

| 2013–2014<br />2016 || Nicklas Jensen || Left winger || Vancouver Canucks<br />New York Rangers

|-

| 2013 || Oliver Lauridsen || Defenseman || Philadelphia Flyers

|-

| 2013–2016<br />2016–2021<br />2021– || Frederik Andersen || Goaltender || Anaheim Ducks<br />Toronto Maple Leafs<br />Carolina Hurricanes

|-

| 2015–2025<br />2025-|| Nikolaj Ehlers || Left winger || Winnipeg Jets<br />Carolina Hurricanes

|-

| 2016–2022<br />2022–2025<br />2025–|| Oliver Bjorkstrand || Right winger || Columbus Blue Jackets<br />Seattle Kraken<br />Tampa Bay Lightning

|-

| 2018–2021 || Patrick Russell || Right winger || Edmonton Oilers

|-

| 2019–2021 || Joachim Blichfeld || Right winger || San Jose Sharks

|-

| 2020–2021<br />2021–2022 || Alexander True || Center || San Jose Sharks<br />Seattle Kraken

|-

| 2021– || Jonas Røndbjerg || Forward || Vegas Golden Knights

|-

| 2022– || Mads Søgaard || Goaltender || Ottawa Senators

|-

| 2025– || Oscar Fisker Mølgaard || Forward || Seattle Kraken

|}

All-time record

Updated as of the match versus Norway on 8 November 2025.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

!Team !! GP !! W !! T !! L !! GF !! GA

|- bgcolor=#FFFFCC

| || 2 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 10 || 7

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 44 || 13 || 1 || 30 || 95 || 175

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 29 || 13 || 2 || 14 || 72 || 90

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 13 || 12 || 0 || 1 || 177 || 31

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 32 || 19 || 2 || 11 || 137 || 88

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 11 || 2 || 1 || 8 || 15 || 85

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 16 || 8 || 2 || 6 || 86 || 52

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 3 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 24 || 4

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 13 || 3 || 0 || 10 || 18 || 47

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

|' || 12 || 0 || 0 || 12 || 25 || 84

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 7 || 4 || 2 || 1 || 26 || 16

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 28 || 4 || 0 || 24 || 31 || 111

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 86 || 37 || 5 || 44 || 243 || 294

|-bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 30 || 11 || 0 || 19 || 67 || 90

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 30 || 17 || 4 || 9 || 139 || 93

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 67 || 29 || 4 || 34 || 228 || 286

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 30 || 14 || 3 || 13 || 96 || 118

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 34 || 14 || 1 || 19 || 112 || 147

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 10 || 6 || 0 || 4 || 38 || 25

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 38 || 14 || 0 || 24 || 93 || 131

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 8 || 1

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 55 || 31 || 7 || 17 || 242 || 185

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 7 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 52 || 12

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 104 || 44 || 9 || 51 || 263 || 330

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 32 || 11 || 3 || 18 || 102 || 134

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 20 || 9 || 1 || 10 || 75 || 80

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 15 || 1 || 0 || 14 || 17 || 68

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 24 || 7 || 0 || 17 || 50 || 93

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 30 || 16 || 3 || 11 || 97 || 78

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 2 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 15 || 2

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 10 || 9 || 0 || 1 || 86 || 16

|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC

| || 6 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 42 || 8

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 28 || 2 || 0 || 26 || 44 || 132

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 33 || 3 || 1 || 29 || 51 || 147

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 11 || 3 || 3 || 5 || 29 || 30

|- bgcolor=#FFCCCC

| || 12 || 2 || 0 || 10 || 16 || 46

|- bgcolor=#FFFFCC

|' || 20 || 8 || 4 || 8 || 73 || 78

|-

|Totals:|| 946 || 386 || 58 || 501 || 2 997 || 3 414

|}

Uniform evolution

<gallery class="center" widths="180" caption="National team jerseys">

File:Denmark national hockey team jerseys.png|2013–2017 IIHF jerseys

File:Denmark national ice hockey team jerseys 2018 IHWC.png|2018–2021 IIHF jerseys

File:Denmark national ice hockey team jerseys 2022 (WOG).png|2022 Olympic jerseys

File:Denmark national ice hockey team jerseys 2022 IHWC.png|2022– IIHF jerseys

</gallery>

Notes

References

  • IIHF profile