Jannik Hansen

Jannik Hansen (born 15 March 1986) is a Danish former professional ice hockey player. A right winger, Hansen began playing professionally at the age of 16 with both the Rødovre Mighty Bulls of the Danish league and the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish J20 SuperElit and HockeyAllsvenskan leagues. He 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, he 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, Hansen began playing with the Canucks' minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL). That season, he was called up by the Vancouver 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, Hansen earned a full-time roster spot with the Canucks.

Internationally, Hansen 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.

Hansen was born and raised in Rødovre, Denmark, a suburb of Copenhagen. His father, Bent Hansen, was a carpenter and a member of the Danish national hockey team. Guided by his father, Hansen began skating at the age of two, but did not begin playing hockey until age 11. 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. Hansen has recalled neither he nor 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.

Hansen and his wife Karen had twin boys, Lucas and Daniel, on 3 March 2013.

Hansen developed with the Rødovre Mighty Bulls of the Danish Oddset League, joined the senior team at age 16. 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, Hansen was selected by the Vancouver Canucks, 287th overall, in the 2004 NHL entry draft. Despite his success the previous season, his 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. Hansen 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, Hansen moved to North America and joined the club for the 2005–06 season. Hansen'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, Hansen 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.

In July 2006, Hansen 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, Hansen was called up by the Canucks. 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, Hansen 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, Hansen 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.