Jannik Hansen

Jannik Hansen (born March 15, 1986) is a Danish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He began playing professionally when he was 16 years old with both the Rødovre Mighty Bulls of the Danish league and the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish J20 SuperElit and HockeyAllsvenskan leagues.

Jannik played three seasons with Rødovre during which time he was selected 287th overall by the Canucks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

A year after his selection, Jannik moved to North America to play major junior hockey with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for one season.

In 2006–07, he began playing with the Canucks' minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL).

That season, Jannik was called up by the Canucks and became the first Danish citizen to play and register a point in an NHL playoff game.

After another campaign spent primarily with Manitoba, he earned a full-time roster spot with the Canucks.

Internationally, Jannik has competed for the Danish national team in four World Championships. At the junior level, he represented Denmark in both Division I and main tournament play at the IIHF World U18 and U20 Championships.

European & Junior Hockey Career
Jannik developed with the Rødovre Mighty Bulls of the Danish Oddset League, joined the senior team when he was 16 years old.

He played in Rødovre for a season-and-a-half, then was invited to play for the Swedish Malmö Redhawks's under-18 team in 2002–03. Hansen played the remainder of the season in Malmö, then returned to Rødovre the following season.

After recording 19 points over 35 games in 2003–04 with Rødovre, Janni, was selected by the Vancouver Canucks (287th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Despite his success the previous season, Jannik's selection was delayed to the latter stages of the draft due to his small stature and a traditional lack of NHL players coming out of Denmark.

He stayed with Rødovre another season following his draft and recorded a Danish career-high 32 points in 34 games.

Selected by the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) 33rd overall in the 2005 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft, Jannik moved to North America and joined the club for the 2005–06 season.

Jannik's proficiency in English played a part in Winter Hawks general manager Ken Hodge selecting him. Canucks management also wanted him playing major junior in order to better his transition to the more physical North American style of play.

Becoming the first Danish player to compete in the WHL, Jannik scored at a point-per-game pace, leading all rookies with 64 points.

He continued his scoring pace in the playoffs with 13 points in 12 games as Portland was eliminated in the second round.

Vancouver Canucks
In July of 2006, Jannik signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

Playing the 2006–07 season with the Canucks' minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL), he scored 12 goals and 34 points over 72 games, leading all team rookies in scoring.

During the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Jannik was called up by the Canucks.[11] He became the first born-and-raised Danish player to compete and register a point in the NHL post-season (Frans Nielsen had played and scored the first point by a born-and-raised Dane in the regular season earlier that year).

The point was scored in Game 3 of the first round against the Dallas Stars by assisting on a goal by Jan Bulis.

The Canucks advanced past the Stars in seven games to meet the Anaheim Ducks in the second round.

In Game 5 of the series, with the Canucks facing elimination in overtime, Jannik played an instrumental part on the ice when the Ducks scored. Attempting to carry the puck out of the defensive zone, he was hit to the ice by Ducks forward Rob Niedermayer.

While Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had his arm up in the direction of the referee, protesting the lack of penalty, the puck came loose to Ducks defenceman Scott Niedermayer, who scored past the distracted Luongo.

Following the Canucks' elimination, Jannik was sent back to the Moose for their 2007 Calder Cup playoffs. Back in the AHL, he was pointless in six games as the Moose were defeated by the Hamilton Bulldogs in the second round.

The following season, Jannik was plagued by injuries, initially suffering a broken thumb in the pre-season with the Canucks. After recovering, he was assigned to the Moose in early-October, but was re-called by the Canucks within a month.

In January of 2008, he was re-injured, suffering a concussion. Later in the campaign, he earned his second call-up of the season in April.

Finishing the season with the Moose, Jannik finished with 43 points in 50 games for the third-highest point-per-game average on the club, as well as a team-high plus-minus rating of +23. In NHL play, he was pointless in five games.

Jannik played his first full season with the Canucks in 2008–09, making the roster out training camp and establishing himself as a third-line forward.

He became known as a player for his speed and work ethic, lending to his effectiveness in puck-pursuit and forechecking. Also responsible defensively, he began to be used consistently on the penalty kill.

Jannik has recalled the transition to the NHL requiring a change in his style of play to incorporate more physicality and abrasiveness.

Prior to making the NHL, he relied more on skill and finesse, having been a go-to offensive player for teams up to that point.

On October 11, 2008, Jannik scored his first NHL regular season point, an assist on a Ryan Kesler goal against the Calgary Flames. He scored his first NHL goal two games later against goaltender Chris Osgood in a 4–3 win against the Detroit Red Wings.

Midway through the season, he was briefly sent back to Manitoba for the Canucks to make room on the roster for the recently acquired Mats Sundin, however, he was recalled within three days.

In late-February, Jannik broke his finger and was sidelined for 14 games. He completed the season with 21 points in 55 games, ranking 26th in scoring among NHL rookies.

In the off-season, he became a restricted free agent before re-signing with the Canucks to a one-year, two-way contract worth a reported US$550,000.

The following 2009 pre-season, Jannik injured his hand during a fight against Edmonton Oilers forward Gilbert Brule.

He returned to the lineup in mid-November of 2008 after missing 19 games. On January 1, 2009, Jannik was assigned for to the Moose for 10 days on a conditioning assignment, scoring two assists in five games.

Back in Vancouver, Jannik completed the season with nine goals and 15 points over 47 games. He added three points in 12 playoff games while playing through a sprained ankle suffered in the second round against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Becoming a restricted free agent for the second consecutive summer, Jannik was taken to salary arbitration by the Canucks.

Following his hearing on July 20, 2010, Jannik was awarded a one-year, one-way deal worth $850,000, which the Canucks agreed to.

Recording career-highs of 9 goals, 20 assists and 29 points over 82 games in 2010–11, he received the Canucks' Fred J. Hume Award as the team's "unsung hero" (voted by the Canucks' booster club).

Jannik added 3 goals and 9 points over 25 games in the 2011 playoffs as the Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals where they were defeated in seven games by the Boston Bruins.

In the off-season, he filed for salary arbitration. Prior to his hearing, Jannik and the Canucks avoided arbitration by agreeing to a three-year, $4.05 million contract.

Many in the media, including those from the local Province newspaper, suggested that he ceded to the Canucks' negotiations to which Jannik responded, "If you want to be in a position to win, you have to make some sacrifices."

In the first month of the 2011–12 season on October 20, 2011, Jannik was hit from behind by defenceman Shea Weber in a game against the Nashville Predators.

While he was uninjured on the play, Weber was fined $2,500 (the maximum allowable financial penalty) by the league the following day.

The following month, Jannik earned a brief stint playing on the Canucks' first line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, replacing Alexandre Burrows.

Enjoying a career season, he surpassed his previous personal best of 9 goals in the NHL by December of 2011.

Jannik continued to play the majority of the campaign on the Canucks' checking line and finished with 16 goals and 39 points over 82 games.

Although Vancouver won their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy in 2011–12, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Kings. Jannik had one goal in the five-game series.

Jannik earned praise from local and league-wide media amidst a strong start to the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

Jannik finished the campaign scoring at the most prolific rate of his career with 10 goals and 27 points over 47 games, ranking third in team scoring behind Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

Playing the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2013 playoffs, he failed to record a point in four games as the Canucks were swept.

On September 29, 2013, Jannik signed a four-year deal with the Canucks.

International Play
Jannik made his international debut with Denmark in Division I play of the 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships, held in Slovenia.

At the age of 16, Jannik was the second-youngest player on the under-18 team. He went pointless in four games.

Denmark narrowly avoided relegation to Division II, beating out Japan on goal-differential by one.

At the 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships, Denmark finished first in their Division I group, earning a promotion to the main tournament for the following year.

In Jannik's second tournament appearance, he tied for sixth in Group A scoring with seven points over five games.

Jannik advanced to the under-20 level, playing in Division I of the 2004 World Junior Championships, held in Berlin, Germany.

He registered an assist in three games as Denmark finished second in their group to Germany, missing out on a promotion to the main tournament for the following year. Jannik returned to the under-18 team for a third time later that year.

Competing in the main tournament, Denmark finished in seventh place. Jannik scored seven points in six games, third in team-scoring.

At the 2005 World Junior Championships, he helped Denmark to a third-place finish in their five-team Division I group.

Jannik led his team with four goals and added an assist for five points over five games. In February of 2005, he made his debut with the Danish men's team, competing in qualification play for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Jannik notched an assist over three games as Denmark finished third in their group, failing to qualify for the Olympics.

He returned to the men's team for the 2005 World Championships, going pointless in four games. Denmark finished in 14th place out of 16 teams.

The following year, Jannik made his third and final appearance for the under-20 team at the 2006 World Junior Championships. With four points in four games, he helped Denmark to a second place finish in Group A of Division I play.

Several months later, he competed in his second Men's World Championships in Riga, Latvia. Denmark finished in 13th place out of 16 teams in the top pool Hansen scored twice in six games.

Jannik joined the Danish national team in the 2008 World Championships, held in Quebec City and Halifax, Canada. He played in six games in the tournament, scoring two goals and adding two assists, as Denmark finished in 12th place.

Jannik missed the opportunity to play in the 2010 World Championships after having sprained his ankle during the NHL playoffs with the Canucks.

Unavailable for the 2011 IIHF World Championship due to a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks, Jannik rejoined Denmark the following year in Finland and Sweden.

He was named Denmark's player of the game after recording four shots on goal in a 2–0 preliminary loss to the Czech Republic.

Personal Life
Jannik's father, Bent Hansen was a carpenter and a member of the Danish national hockey team.

Guided by his father, Jannik began skating when he was 2 years old, but didn't start playing hockey until he was 11 years old. Growing up, hockey attracted a low-profile in Denmark (football is the country's national sport). At the time, no Dane had ever played in the NHL.

Jannik has recalled neither he or any of his peers ever having any realistic aspiration to make the NHL, describing: "Everyone grew up wanting to play in Sweden, or Germany or Finland" instead.

On March 3, 2013, Jannik and his wife Karen welcomed twin boys named Lucas and Daniel.