“People don’t come with drums in the NHL”

When Frans Nielsen steps into his favorite cafe in Kreuzberg, the first shimmering rays of sunshine shine through the windows onto the chairs and tables. The spring breeze from outside makes its way to the cafe, where Dane, dressed in a sporty black T-shirt and baseball cap, orders a latte macchiato. The waitress speaks English. Nielsen’s friendly face blends seamlessly into the overall picture between the students, their laptops open and themselves comfortable at the wooden table. The Scandinavian’s slender stature, well-groomed three-day beard and accent-free English make him look like a hip software developer, not someone who’s been around for two decades with a bat and helmet in his hand. has been for a long time. Lead ice skates and for which the third quarter-final play-off for the German Ice Hockey Championships is due this Thursday (7:30 pm, Arena am Ostbahnhof).

Mr. Nielsen, you recently played your 1,500th professional game. What does this number mean to you?

It means I am getting old. No, at first I didn’t know anything about it. At the beginning of the season someone told me that number, but I didn’t think about it anymore. It sounds huge and crazy – but when I look back, it’s now 22 years since I first played professionally in Denmark.

You spent a long time on the ice…

To be honest, it doesn’t take that long. Seven or eight years later and because everything happened so quickly. I am proud of the number because it shows that I have taken good care of my body over the years. But of course luck is part of it.

Do you remember other brands, your 1000th game?

No, I was probably playing in the US when I did this. I think you should focus on such numbers only when your career is coming to an end.

You lived with Isberen in Berlin for six months, before you played in the NHL for ten years and took your first steps as a professional in Sweden. What are the differences between leagues, countries, and cultures when it comes to ice hockey?

I think a big difference is simply the financial strength of the different clubs. In the NHL, you play against the best players in the world every night. It’s a big challenge, you have to be in great form every night. When I played in Detroit, the atmosphere was amazing. Detroit is simply a hockey city, an exception in the United States. There are often other major sports that eclipse ice hockey, in contrast to Canada where ice hockey is the largest sport everywhere.

How do you see it in Germany?

Well, football is the biggest sport here, but with polar bears everything looks very professional. There are North American investors here, many involved in the North American club, and I feel like that every day. The way hockey is seen here in Polar Bears and the way it should be played, it seems North American to me. As with many other top teams in Germany, I also see an orientation towards the style of the NHL.

what do you mean by that?

On ice it’s all about forethought, the sport is very physical. I was surprised at first because the snow here is bigger than in the NHL. I didn’t think it was possible to physically play that much even now. Of course, this is also due to the large number of North American players here – each of whom has imbibed this way of playing since childhood. This culture made it easy for me personally to visit Germany.

“Great atmosphere was a reason to visit Berlin”

And what difference have you noticed in fan cultures?

Huge difference! Here in Germany I am deeply impressed by the ardent fans who create such a great atmosphere in the hall. This was also one of the reasons for me to go to Berlin – I saw that when I came to Germany for international matches. Before the lockdown there were 12,000 spectators, almost every game, that’s all.

Is it louder here than in the NHL?

Certainly, this fan culture does not exist in this form in North America. Of course there is cheering there too, but people don’t come to the hall by playing drums. During the playoffs, 15,000 appear in the arenas, but not as regularly as here. In Canada it was very different. I think the fans out there know a lot about the game. You come into the arena, sit down and pay close attention to what is happening on the ice.

How is it in your home country? What is the importance and prestige of ice hockey in Denmark?

Like Germany, football is also the biggest sport in Denmark. I also believe that handball comes second only to ice hockey. Unlike ten or 15 years ago, ice hockey leagues no longer have the financial means to sign top players from overseas. Now, however, a salary limit has been established, making the league exciting again. This year, three of the top four teams were eliminated in the first play-off round.

“It was the last chance for the Olympic Games”

A dream came true for you this year when you competed for the Danish ice hockey team at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. How do you view the tournament?

Yes, it was indeed a dream come true for me. It was my first time at the Olympics and a great moment when we finally qualified after all these years. The Olympic Games are unique. They reach a much larger audience than other tournaments because people who don’t usually follow hockey sit in front of the TV and watch the game. Even the NHL Stanley Cup Finals are ultimately only watched by hockey fans, so the Olympic spectacle is something the whole world is watching. The Olympic Games have always been a big goal for me and I knew this year would be my last chance.

It sounds like an incredible experience for someone in your career.

Yes that was it. Everything was at stake before the final qualifying game. I knew, either I would stop or I would pursue my dream. I was over the moon when we won the game.

How did you experience the tournament under tough political cues?

We all knew this would not be a normal Olympics. Boycotting the Games was out of the question for us. I think our situation can be compared to the footballers who are now moving to Qatar: they are not even responsible for rewarding tournaments in these countries. All athletes have worked hard for four years to compete in the Olympics. This should not be forgotten.

Strict separation rules between games and competitions without almost any spectators can also be difficult for you. How did athletes deal with the pandemic situation during the Games?

We haven’t experienced the Olympic Games as they usually would have been – and should have been. But as long as we followed the rules, we were relatively free to move around the athlete bubble to watch other competitions. The athletes themselves were very careful, isolation was a nightmare and no one wanted to get infected. Of course we couldn’t do any sightseeing, but overall I already imagined it to be worse.

Polar Bears go to playoffs as favorites

You returned to Eisberen after the Olympics and played a solid second half of the season. Now you and your team are the favorite players going into the play-offs. How do you prepare for this important end of the season?

Thanks to our consistent performances this season, we qualified for the play-offs early and were able to rest some players, which is an advantage for us. Each of us has physically prepared to give it our all and suffer on the ice because playoff games are more intense and demanding than regular season games. For me as an athlete, play-off hockey is the biggest thing and I look forward to every game.

Vincent Bush conducted the interview.