Nicklas Jensen

Nicklas Jensen (born March 6, 1993) is a Danish junior ice hockey winger currently playing for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). A prospect for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL), he was selected 29th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

After beginning his career with Danish team Herning Blue Fox at the junior and men's level, Jensen moved to North America in 2010 to play with the Generals. Named to the OHL All-Rookie Team following his first year with the club, he was ranked 21st among North American skaters eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Representing Denmark internationally, Jensen has competed in Division I play of two IIHF World U18 Championships, winning Best Forward in 2010, and two IIHF World Junior Championships, helping his country to top spot in their pool in 2011.

Early life
Jensen was born in Herning, Denmark. His father, Dan, was born in Toronto and played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1986 to 1989 before moving to Denmark, where he met his wife. Jensen grew up while Dan played for the Herning Blue Fox, as well as the Danish national team. In addition to hockey, he played soccer, the country's national sport, until he was 14 years old.

Playing career
Following after his father, Jensen began his career with his hometown team, the Herning Blue Fox. Spending the majority of the 2008–09 season with the team's junior side, he recorded 43 points (28 goals and 15 assists) over 28 games. During the season, he also debuted at the men's level, recording three goals over four games with Herning's second-tier team. The following season, he was promoted to Herning's premier team in Denmark's top professional league, AL-Bank Ligaen. With 12 goals and 26 points over 34 games, he won the league's Rookie of the Year award.

After being selected eighth overall in the 2010 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft by the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Jensen moved to North America to join the team for the 2010–11 season. Making his OHL debut on September 23, 2010, he scored the deciding goal in a 5–4 win against the Peterborough Petes. Several months into the campaign, he began a seven-game goal-scoring streak, scoring 10 times from from December 3, 2010, to January 9, 2011; it tied for the third-longest streak in the league that season. Midway through the campaign, he was named OHL Player of the Week after recording seven points (three goals and four assists) over three games from January 10–16, 2011. His award-winning week included a five-point game (one goal and four assists) against the Ottawa 67's. That same month, he competed in the 2011 CHL Top Prospects Game for Team Cherry, alongside Generals teammates Boone Jenner and Lucas Lessio. Jensen completed his OHL rookie campaign with 58 points (29 goals and 29 assists) over 61 games. Ranking fifth in scoring among first-year players, he was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team. In the 2011 playoffs, he added 11 points (7 goals and 4 assists) over 10 games, ranking third among league rookies. His efforts helped the Generals to the second round, where they were eliminated in five games by the Niagara IceDogs.



Going into the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Jensen was ranked 21st among prospects playing in North America by NHL Central Scouting Bureau. He was selected 29th overall by the Vancouver Canucks. Following his draft, he characterized himself as "a power forward and goal scorer who protects the puck well", while the Canucks assistant general manager Laurence Gilman highlighted the quick release of his shot. Gilman also described him as a player high in "character and work ethic".

International play
Although Jensen has dual citizenship with Denmark and Canada, his father's birth country, he chose to play with the Danish national team. He debuted internationally for Denmark in Division I play of the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championship, held in Asiago, Italy. At 16 years old, he was the youngest player on the team. He registered one assist over five games, helping Denmark to second place in their pool. They finished two points shy of first place, which would have qualified them for the main division the following year.

Seven months later, Jensen joined Denmark's under-20 team, competing in Division I of the 2010 World Junior Championships, held in Megeve and Saint-Gervais, France. Once again the youngest player on the team, he tied for third among Danish players in scoring with five points (three goals and two assists) over five games, while recording a team-leading 19 shots on goal. Denmark finished second in Pool A, missing out on a promotion to the 2011 tournament's main division by one win.

The following year, Jensen returned to the under-18 team for the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, which was held in his hometown of Herning, Denmark. In the first game of the tournament, he recorded five goals against France, leading Denmark to a 7–4 win. He was named his team's player of the game. In a later 13–3 win against Korea, Jensen recorded a hat trick, as well as one assist. Going undefeated after four games, Denmark played Norway (also undefeated) in the final contest of the tournament, with the winner deciding who would earn a promotion to the top division the following year. Jensen recorded a goal and an assist in the match, as Denmark lost 5–4. Finishing with a team-leading 15 points over 5 games, including a pool-leading 13 goals, Jensen was distinguished as Denmark's best player and the pool's best forward by the coaches and the directorate, respectively.

In December 2010, Jensen made his second appearance at the under-20 level in the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships' Division I tournament, held in Slovenia. Recording two goals and five points over five games, as well as a team-leading 28 shots on goal, he helped Denmark to the top spot in their pool and a promotion to the top division for the 2012 tournament. Denmark had tied with Slovenia for first place in Pool B with four wins and one loss each, but won by virtue of having won their game against them 2–1.