Herning () is a Danish town in the Central Denmark Region of the Jutland peninsula. It is the main town and the administrative seat of Herning Municipality. Herning has a population of 50,565 (1 January 2022)[Metal Ligaen, the top tier of Danish ice hockey. The club was founded in 1947 and play their home games in the ]KVIK Hockey Arena
KVIK Hockey Arena is a hockey arena in Herning, Denmark. It is used by Herning Blue Fox. The complex consists of two rinks, KVIK Hockey Arena that has a capacity of 4120, where 420 of them are seats, and the new training arena that has a capacit ...
which has a capacity of 4,105 spectators.
The club has won the Danish championship 16 times with the last title coming in 2012.
Club history
2015–2016: Mario Simioni era
''2015–2016 season''
After the departure of long time head coach Todd Bjorkstrand; Herning signed Mario Simioni to take helm of the club. Simioni led the team to the playoffs where they faced the fifth ranked Odense Bulldogs
The Odense Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Odense, Denmark. They currently play in Ret&Råd Fyn Arena in the Bolbro area, as a part of the best Danish league Metal Ligaen, and they are furthermore the only hockey team from Fu ...
in the quarterfinals. Herning started the series strong with a 2–1 victory at home, though Odense then evened it up in game two, with a 3–0 shutout victory. Herning came back strong in game three as they dominated Odense in a 6–1 road win. Game four was a 2–1 victory to Odense, again evening up the series. Odense took their first lead of the series as they won game five in overtime 2–1. Herning evened up the series in game six with a 2–1 victory on the road. Herning won the series, with a series clinching 2–1 overtime win in game seven to move on to the semis.
The semifinals saw the Herning Blue Fox facing the second ranked Frederikshavn White Hawks
The Frederikshavn White Hawks are a Danish professional ice hockey team playing in the top Danish ice hockey league currently called the Metal Ligaen. The team is based in the town of Frederikshavn on the east coast of Northern Jutland, Denmark, an ...
. Game one resulted in a 3–1 home win for the White Hawks. In game two Herning came out victorious in a blowout 7–1 win. The White Hawks regained the series lead with a 5–2 win in game three. In game four Herning evened up the series with a 5–2 win. The White Hawks won game five 5–3 as they took back the series lead, though game six saw Herning shutout the White Hawks in a 2–0 win. Herning defeated the White Hawks 3–1 in game seven to clinch a spot in the leagues final.
In the finals Herning Blue Fox was set to clash with the Esbjerg Energy
The Esbjerg Energy is a Denmark, Danish professional ice hockey team based in Esbjerg, Denmark, playing in the Metal Ligaen, the top tier of Danish ice hockey. The club was founded in 2005 and play their home games in the Granly Hockey Arena which ...
. In game one, Esbjerg came out victorious in a 3–2 home win. Though Herning won three straight games to take a 3–1 series lead, Esbjerg won three straight games to win the finals—their first since 2004.
After his first season with Herning, Simioni left the club to join the coaching staff of the Hamburg Freezers
The Hamburg Freezers were a German professional men's ice hockey club from Hamburg, Germany that played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The club announced its withdrawal from the DEL and ceased operations on 24 May 2016 when Anschutz Entertainment ...
of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga
The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called "PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga") (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a German professional ice hockey league and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in ...
(DEL) in Germany as an assistant to Serge Aubin.
2016–present: Return of Todd Bjorkstrand
''2016–2017 season''
In May 2016, Herning Blue Fox signed former head coach Todd Bjorkstrand. Bjorkstrand returned to club after leaving in 2014 to coach the Graz 99ers of the Erste Bank Hockey League
The ICE Hockey League (International Central European Hockey League), known as the win2day ICE Hockey League for sponsorship reasons, is a Central European hockey league that also serves as the top-tier ice hockey league in Austria, it currently f ...
.
Season by season record
''This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by Herning Blue Fox.''
Current roster
Updated February 20, 2019
Retired numbers
*22 Todd Bjorkstrand, C, 1988–2002
NHL alumni
* Frans Nielsen
Frans Nielsen (born 24 April 1984) is a Danish former professional ice hockey Forward who played with the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nielsen was the first Danish citizen to play in the NHL.
...
* Peter Regin
Peter Regin Jensen (born 16 April 1986) is a Danish professional ice hockey player who plays for Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the third round (87th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry ...
* Frederik Andersen
Frederik "Freddie" Andersen (born 2 October 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Andersen was a ...
* Nicklas Jensen
Nicklas Jensen (born 6 March 1993) is a Danish ice hockey winger. He is currently playing for SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the National League (NL).
After beginning his career with Danish team Herning Blue Fox at the junior and men's level, Je ...
* Oliver Bjorkstrand
Oliver Bjorkstrand (born 10 April 1995) is a Danish professional ice hockey forward for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bjorkstrand was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round, 89th overall, of the 2013 N ...
References
External links
*
{{Herning Municipality
Ice hockey teams in Denmark
Sport in Herning
1947 establishments in Denmark
Ice hockey clubs established in 1947