AALBORG, Denmark – Lars Eller became the first Dane selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, in 2007. The 19-year-old has already represented his country at the men’s World Championship and plans to join the St. Louis Blues next season. IIHF.com sat down with the gifted Dane during the World U20 Championship, Division I, to ask some questions.
There is no question about it; in the last decade, Denmark is one of the most improved hockey nations. Once almost irrelevant in international hockey, the Danes are pushing to be a top nation in all three men’s categories, senior, U20 and U18.
Not only does Denmark produce good national teams, they develop top-end talent. In 2007, Lars Eller became the first Danish player to be selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft when the St. Louis Blues took the Danish forward as 13th overall.
This year, Mikkel Bødker was picked 8th overall by Phoenix and he is already scoring goals for the Coyotes. Eller and Bødker were teammates on the Frölunda Indians junior team in Sweden two years ago. While Eller decided to stay and play for Frölunda in the professional Elitserien, Bødker took his development to Kitchener in the Canadian junior league.
Eller plans to join his former Frölunda teammate in the NHL next season. Before this happens, Lars wants to promote the Danish juniors back to the U20 A-pool and, in February, win the Olympic qualification for Vancouver 2010 in Oslo, Norway.
IIHF.com’s Andy Ecker asked Eller for an interview at the ongoing IIHF World U20 Championship Division I Group B in Aalborg, Denmark.
At what age did you start playing hockey?
My father took me to the rink for the first time when I was two years old, so you can say I started early. My three brothers also played hockey which of course inspired me to become a player too. Hockey is the passion for the entire family. (Note: Lars’ father Olaf Eller is the coach of the Danish U20 national team.)
How satisfied are you with the tournament so far?
We have won the first three games and earned nine points, so we can’t complain about that. But we will now face the better teams and the whole team has to take the next step. Personally, I haven’t played at the level where I should play and I know that I have to improve.
How do you see your chances of earning promotion to the top pool?
I think the chances are really good as we promoted with the U18 team two years ago in Sanok, Poland. We have lot of experienced players and I think everybody on this team knows what’s needed to be promoted. We just have to bring our best game.
Did you expect such a tough game against Italy?
They worked very hard and it was a tough challenge for us, harder then we expected. But it’s a good sign that we are also able to win such games even if we did not play at the level which should. (Note: Denmark beat Italy, 2-1)
How is it for an Elitserien player and someone who has already played in the men’s World Championship to compete at the World U20 Championship Division I?
It’s a much, much different game. It is not as structured here as when you play on a professional team, it’s a lot more back and forth so it’s very hard to predict where the puck is going to be. Furthermore, you get more chances to score here. Overall, the game is still pretty fast and players have good skill.
What would you recommend to a Danish player to develop – to go to Sweden, like you, or to a Canadian junior league like Mikkel Bødker?
That’s a good question. It’s up to the individual. Players should listen what their heart is telling them. For me, it was the right choice to go to Sweden but both ways are good – there is not really a right or wrong. At the end of the day, everybody wants to play in the NHL, but there are different ways to make that happen.
How has your season with Frölunda been? What do you want to achieve this season?
I think we have a team which can compete for the championship, for sure.
For me, it has been a little bit up and down – especially when it comes to ice time. There are up and downs in a player’s career, but hard times like these can also tell something about the character of a player – the way he deals with the situation and if he is able to recover
Do think you will join the St. Louis Blues after this season?
I hope so, but right now all my attention is focused on this world championship and also on Frölunda, but I am planning to go over to their camp next year and see where it takes me.
What do you expect at the Olympic Qualification tournament in Oslo in February? Is it your goal to play in Vancouver 2010?
Yes it’s a big, big goal. It’s something we have talked about ever since the season started with the first camp with the national team this year. To play in the Olympics would be a huge thing for Denmark, something which our national team has never accomplished before. Norway will probably be the favourite team, playing the qualification at home, but we will try everything to make our team go to Vancouver.
Now some general questions: What do you think makes a good hockey player?
Hockey sense is probably the most important thing, to be a smart player
that can read where the puck is going to go. If you can understand that part of the game combined with good skating and a strong personality, then for sure you will be a good hockey player.
What are your hobbies and interests?
I play a lot of golf in the summer, also tennis and football and all kinds of sports. I also do like to listen to any kind of music.
What is your Christmas wish?
(Laughs) That we are going to qualify for the A pool with the junior team!
ANDY ECKER
Andy is the IIHF’s Sport Administration Manager responsible for the statistical service during IIHF events. He likes to combine his technical responsibilities at tournaments with interviewing players.
