Herning Blue Fox

• Danish champion 1973, 1977, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012
• Danish runners-up 1975, 1985, 1990, 1993, 2000 and 2009
• Danish Cup winners 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2012

The Herning Blue Fox are a professional Danish ice hockey club from Herning, Herning was founded in 1947 as Ishockey Club. The team plays in the 2011/12 season in the AL -Bank Ligaen. Play their home games, the club, the previous 16 - times won the championship in the 4105 -seat hockey arena KVIK from.

• 2.1 Current squad of 2012/13 season
• 2.2 Known former players
• 2.3 Internal club records

History

1940-1965: Beginnings & foundation

Since the end of World War II much skating sport was operated in Herning. Once in the winter the lakes froze over in Herning and nearby places, they were used by the inhabitants, especially for skating but also for hockey. On 5 February 1947, some enthusiastic amateur hockey players met in a restaurant in Herning and joined to a club together - the Herning Ishockeyklub ( HIK ). Among the founding members were, among others, Kai Lassen, an electrician who later also play an important role in the foundation of the Danish Ice Hockey Union ( '' Danmarks Ishockey Union '') played, and the first president of HIK, Hugo E. Madsen. In the first two decades of the club's history there were only loosely meeting to play but no team that participated in a regular game mode. This was mainly the uncertainty of whether a football-playing ice would be available on the weekends, since had to continue to be played on frozen lakes. How frequently games had to be canceled shortly before the game, as the ice began to thaw on the lakes, especially on the lake at Ringkøbingvej. This only changed when the 1965 Herning Halls, an exhibition center on the outskirts of Herning have been completed. In the hall E and was the first artificial ice rink of the city, which the home ground of HIK was from the 1965/66 season. In the same building at this time also the first time a club house was decorated.

1965-1973: Rise to the top club

With these new opportunities created it was the HIK possible to lift the Hockey in Herning to a new level. The membership grew to strong and it was a youth department opened in order to better promote the hockey talent. Already in the following season 1966/67, the team was able to move up to the Elite series, the then major league in the Danish Ice Hockey. Due to the sharp increase in viewership for the first time and ingested entrance fees also the first foreign professional could be required: The American Greg Wentz transferred in 1971 to the HIK and led the team in the season 1972/73 to the first championship. Also the team was Frits Nielsen, who would return to the HIK in a later chapter of the club's history. As one of the first clubs in Denmark, Herning gave their players a masters premium - a holiday with the players' wives in Mallorca. However, it was not possible to HIK despite the now excellent financial opportunities to repeat the championship immediately. Half the champion team was poached by other clubs and only four years later, the HIK won the title for the second time - and thanks to an excellent integration of junior players. Since the champion team played two foreign professionals began a debate on the regulation of foreigners bodies in Denmark for the first time.

1973-1988: Descent & hall construction

After the second title from the HIK slipped briefly - low point was the descent into the first division in the 1981 season / 82nd In the summer of 1982, then began the tenure of Frits Nielsen as coach, who returned to the HIK after the end of his active career. Nielsen led Herning 1984 for promotion back to the elite series and expanded in the following years a strong team on. In addition to many local young players Nielsen also brought some stars to Herning, so among other things, the former Finnish national team Seppo Repo. In the season 1986/87 the HIK finally won the third title. It should be the last title win in Hall E of the Herning Halls: Already in the years before there were often disputes between the HIK and the hall operator who needed the hall e often than exhibition hall. So choosing the leaders of HIK, to build their own hall. 1988 was finally the '' Herning Isstadion '' opened, which completely owned by the club and in the club since the office is located.

1988-1998: Six championships in ten years

In the same year there was another important point in the club's history: Coach Nielsen had the opportunity to commit to a young player from the United States, of which he had experienced but until then just about anyone. He took the risk and ordered the then 26 -year-old Todd Bjorkstrand, who had previously played in North America only in the lower class International Hockey League. At this time, none of the managers knew that Bjorkstrand would spend the rest of his career in Herning and would break into the elite series in the course of this almost all records. After his playing career, he moved behind the bonds of Blue Fox, where he is responsible as a trainer today. In the following years the HIK had its most successful period - 1991-1997 the club won five championships. Many quality players, including former Finnish international Petri Skriko at this time were the pillars of the team. In addition, enhanced 1993, the former Polish national team coach Adam Wozninski the team in the role of assistant coach, where he has remained loyal to the club to this day. 1996 Nielsen left the HIK, his successor behind the band were - as so often in Herning - old acquaintances: Seppo Repo ( 1996-1999) and Petri Skriko (1999-2001) continued the successful work and picked up three more championships to Herning.

1998 to present: Herning Blue Fox

On 1 October 1998, the Blue Fox Herning A / S was founded and the first team spun off into this joint-stock company, which was a further step towards the professionalization of HIK. The main shareholder is since the local club Herning IK in which to continue the 2nd team and the youth department are included. 2002 ended Bjorkstrand his career as a player and immediately took over the post of coach of the Blue Fox, which he still holds today. To date, he holds several club both internal as well as league -wide records. For example, his 627 goals and 1,199 points scorer his unmatched today. In his previous tenure, he won with the Blue Fox so far six league titles ( last in the previous season 2011/12 ) and reached a second time the play-off final.

Teams & players

Current squad of 2012/13 season

(As of 30 August 2012)

Well-known former players

(Team affiliation, position, and triumph in brackets )

• Finland Seppo Repo (1986-1987, Storm, a championship )

• United States Todd Bjorkstrand (1988-2002, storms, seven championships)

• Finland Petri Skriko (1993-1999, storm, four championships)

• Denmark Christoffer Kjærgaard (1997-2008, storms, six championships)

• Finland Pekka Tirkkonen (2004-2008, storm, three championships )

• Canada Todd Simpson (2004-2005, defense, a championship )

Internal club records

Venues

After the founding of the Herning IK the teams of the club initially played on frozen lakes in the surrounding areas, such as the Teglværksgraven at Ringkøbingvej. Before the season 1965/66 the club moved to the Herninghallerne ( MCH Messe Center Herning, Hall E ), and there was its home games. After 1988, the Herning Isstadion was completed, this was the new home of the club. In the 2000s, the kitchen manufacturer KVIK bought the naming rights, so that the ice rink since KVIK hockey arena is called.

Home club

Since the spin-off of the first team in a Danish public limited company in 1998, all the other teams of the clubs are organized in the local club Herning IK continue. In addition to the amateur team that participates in a lower Danish league in the game mode, especially the youth teams are an important part. Since establishment of the HIK Club is considered one of the best talent pools in Denmark. Many of the stars of the AL-Bank Ligaen were trained in Herning. Especially in recent years, moreover, the number of Herning players who move to North America or one of the stronger European leagues ( Elitserien, SM- liiga, DEL, etc.), increased greatly, which is a result of good young talent of the parent association.

European games

• 2000/ 01: The game was stopped after 27.min due to technical problems on the ice and makes no scoring.