Mikkel Bødker Explained

Mikkel Bødker
Birth Date:16 December 1989
Birth Place:Brøndby, Denmark
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:210
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Left
Played For:Frölunda HC
Arizona Coyotes
Lukko
Colorado Avalanche
San Jose Sharks
Ottawa Senators
HC Lugano
HV71
Ntl Team:DEN
Draft:8th overall
Draft Year:2008
Draft Team:Phoenix Coyotes
Career Start:2006
Career End:2023

Mikkel Bødker (surname alternately spelled Boedker; born 16 December 1989) is a Danish former professional ice hockey right winger. He was selected eighth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, making him the highest-ever drafted Danish player. He also featured on the cover of the video game NHL 10 in Denmark and Norway.

Playing career

Bødker was brought up in the highly regarded youth hockey program of Rødovre SIK. In 2005, at the age of 15, he moved to Frölunda HC in Sweden, where he played on Frölunda's junior team. He had an impressive 2006–07 season with 49 points (19 goals and 30 assists) in 39 games. The team won the national junior championships, and Bødker also made his debut with the men's team in the Swedish Elite League.

After the season, Bødker was drafted by the Kitchener Rangers in the 2007 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft, and he joined the team for the 2007–08 season. He had a successful first season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he played on the Rangers' second line. He scored 29 goals and 44 assists for a total of 73 points in 62 regular season games. He enjoyed even more success in the playoffs, with 35 points in 20 games en route to helping the Rangers win the OHL playoff championship. In the Memorial Cup, he had six points in five games as the Rangers finished runner-up, losing in the finals to the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Spokane Chiefs.

Bødker was selected 8th overall by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Arizona Coyotes in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.[1] He made his Coyotes debut in the 2008–09 season and scored his first NHL goal on 12 October 2008, against Jean-Sébastien Giguère of the Anaheim Ducks.[2] Bødker also played in the NHL YoungStars Game in 2009 at the year's All-Star weekend festivities in Montreal, Quebec.[3]

In the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, Bødker had an impressive showing, scoring two straight overtime-winning goals in Games 3 and 4 of the first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks.[1] The Coyotes would go on to a franchise-record-setting playoff run to the Western Conference Finals, where the team ultimately lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings in five games.[4] Bødker scored four goals and four assists during the Coyotes' playoff run. Due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Bødker went overseas to find work and signed with Rauman Lukko of the Finnish League.[5]

In the following lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Bødker had seven goals and 26 points. A restricted free agent following the season's end, Bødker signed a two-year agreement to keep him in Arizona.[6] In the first year of his new contract, the 2013–14 season, he established career-highs in goals, assists and points (19, 32, and 51 respectively) in 82 games.[7] On 15 October 2014, Bødker scored his first career NHL hat-trick against the Edmonton Oilers to lead the Coyotes to a 7–4 victory.[8] He finished the season with 14 goals and 28 points in 45 games before undergoing surgery to have his spleen removed that ended his season.[9]

Following the 2014–15 NHL season, Bødker became a restricted free agent under the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Arizona Coyotes made him a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights and, on 5 July 2015, Bødker filed for salary arbitration.[10] However, on 7 July 2015, the Coyotes and Bødker reached a one-year agreement that avoided going to arbitration.[11]

In the 2015–16 season, Bødker became the first player in franchise history to record two hat tricks in one season against the same team, Bødker's target being the Ottawa Senators.[12] His first came against the Senators in Ottawa on 24 October 2015 in a 4–1 win, ending the Coyotes four-game winless streak.[13] His second hat trick against the Senators came on 28 November 2015 in Arizona in a 4–3 win.[12] A possible free agent in the offseason, on 29 February 2016, Bødker was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Alex Tanguay, Conner Bleackley and prospect Kyle Wood, to assist the Avalanche in their playoff pursuit.[1] [14] At the time of the trade, Bødker was fifth in team goals with 13 and third in points with 39.[1] Ultimately though, Colorado would not qualify for the postseason.[15] He added four goals and 12 points with the Avalanche.[16]

With the Avalanche unable to come to terms with Bødker, he left as an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, signing a four-year $16 million contract with Stanley Cup finalists, the San Jose Sharks on 1 July 2016.[16] [17] In the following season Bødker scored a hat trick in a 5–3 over the Edmonton Oilers on 10 January 2017.[18] In the 2017–18 season he had a two-goal game that helped the Sharks beat the Dallas Stars on 18 February 2018.[19] On 8 March he scored the Sharks first power play goal in two months in a 2–0 win over the St. Louis Blues.[20]

On 19 June 2018, he was traded by the Sharks alongside Julius Bergman and a sixth-round pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Mike Hoffman, Cody Donaghey and a fifth-round pick in the 2020 Draft.[21] Bødker saw reduced use in Ottawa. In the 2019–20 season, his final season with the Senators, he appeared in only 20 games before the season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]

On 19 May 2020, Bødker agreed to a two-year deal with HC Lugano of the National League (NL), beginning in the 2020–21 season.[23] He then signed a one-year contract with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), as announced by the club on 26 June 2022.[24] Bødker announced his retirement from professional ice hockey on 23 May 2023.[25]

International play

Bødker's older brother Mads is a former defenceman with SønderjyskE Ishockey in the Danish league Metal Ligaen and a regular player with the Danish national team. The two brothers teamed up on the Danish junior national team at the 2007 Division I World Junior Championships and helped Denmark gain promotion to the top division for the first time. Playing against opponents up to two years older, Mikkel Bødker scored one goal in five games.

Bødker again played for Denmark at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He finished second in team scoring behind Lars Eller, notching two goals and four assists in six games.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2004–05Rødovre SIKDNK.210110
2005–06Frölunda HCJ18 Allsv5202020110
2005–06Frölunda HCJ203798172221230
2006–07Frölunda HCJ18 Allsv3325265492
2006–07Frölunda HCJ203919304914865116
2006–07Frölunda HCSEL20000
2007–08Kitchener RangersOHL622944731420926352
2008–09Phoenix CoyotesNHL7811172818
2009–10Phoenix CoyotesNHL141230
2009–10San Antonio RampageAHL641127384
2010–11San Antonio RampageAHL361222348
2010–11Phoenix CoyotesNHL3441014840 1 1 2
2011–12Phoenix CoyotesNHL8211132412164480
2012–13LukkoSM-l2921123310
2012–13Phoenix CoyotesNHL487192612
2013–14Phoenix CoyotesNHL8219325120
2014–15Arizona CoyotesNHL451414286
2015–16Arizona CoyotesNHL6213263910
2015–16Colorado AvalancheNHL1848122
2016–17San Jose SharksNHL811016261041122
2017–18San Jose SharksNHL7415223712101566
2018–19Ottawa SenatorsNHL71728356
2019–20Ottawa SenatorsNHL202240
2020–21HC LuganoNL511817351840004
2021–22HC LuganoNL44420248
2022–23HV71SHL4156118
NHL totals709118209327116346111710

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2005DenmarkWJC1810th61126
2006DenmarkWJC D114th51342
2006DenmarkWJC18 D113th52244
2007DenmarkWJC D111th510114
2007DenmarkWJC18 D111th547114
2008DenmarkWJC10th62462
2009DenmarkWC13th63144
2011DenmarkWC11th63142
2013DenmarkWC12th70330
2014DenmarkWC13th72242
2016DenmarkOGQDNQ31124
2016Team EuropeWCH20000
2018DenmarkWC10th40442
2019DenmarkWC11th71452
2021DenmarkWC12th30440
2021DenmarkOGQQ3 0 0 0 0
2022DenmarkOG7th5 1 1 2 0
Junior totals269132230
Senior totals5311213216

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Coyotes trade Mikkel Boedker to Colorado Avalanche . McLellan . Sarah . Azcentral.com . 29 February 2016 . 12 October 2023.
  2. Web site: Doan's two goals, rookies lead Coyotes past Ducks . . 12 October 2008 . 29 June 2010.
  3. Web site: 2009 YoungStars Game -- Complete roster . ESPN . 24 January 2009 . 12 October 2023.
  4. Web site: The little engine that almost did: Perspective on the 2012 playoff run . The Athletic . Morgan . Craig . 21 May 2020 . 12 October 2023.
  5. Web site: Coyotes play waiting game as lockout drags on . Fox Sports . 11 October 2012 . 13 October 2023.
  6. Web site: Coyotes sign Danish winger Boedker to 2-year deal . AP News . Associated Press . 7 September 2013 . 12 October 2023.
  7. Web site: Arizona Coyotes confidential with Mikkel Boedker . azcentral.com . McLellan . Sarah . September 20, 2014 . October 12, 2023.
  8. Web site: Mikkel Boedker's hat trick for Coyotes helps keep Oilers winless . ESPN . Associated Press . 15 October 2014 . 13 October 2023.
  9. Web site: Arizona Coyotes winger Mikkel Boedker files for salary arbitration . azcentral.com . McLellan . Sarah . 5 July 2015 . 13 October 2023.
  10. Web site: Twenty-three players elect salary arbitration . https://web.archive.org/web/20150706220626/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=773987 . dead . 6 July 2015 . . 5 July 2015 . 5 July 2015 .
  11. Web site: Boedker, Coyotes Avoid Arbitration, Reach One-Year $3.75 Million Deal . The Hockey News . Clinton . Jared . 7 July 2015 . 13 October 2023.
  12. Web site: Boedker gets another hat trick against Ottawa in 4-3 win . ESPN . Associated Press . 29 November 2015 . 13 October 2023.
  13. Web site: Mikkel Boedker has hat trick, Coyotes beat Senators 4-1 . ESPN . Associated Press . 24 October 2015 . 13 October 2023.
  14. Web site: Coyotes Acquire Tanguay, Bleackley & Wood from Colorado in Exchange for Boedker . . 29 February 2016.
  15. Web site: Colorado Avalanche eliminated from playoffs after Winnipeg win . The Denver Post . Frei . Terry . 4 April 2015 . 13 August 2023.
  16. Web site: Sharks sign Mikkel Boedker to four-year, $16 million contract . Sportsnet . 1 July 2016 . 13 October 2023.
  17. Web site: Sharks sign forward Mikkel Boedker . https://archive.today/20160702083308/http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=888374 . dead . 2 July 2016 . . 1 July 2016 . 2 July 2016.
  18. Web site: Boedker's hat trick leads Sharks to 5-3 win over Oilers . ESPN . Associated Press . 11 January 2017 . 13 October 2023.
  19. Web site: Boedker scores twice to help Sharks beat Stars 5-2 . ESPN . Associated Press . 18 February 2018 . 13 October 2023.
  20. Web site: Boedker Scores on Power Play in Sharks' 2-0 Win Over Blues . CBS News . 8 March 2018 . 13 October 2023.
  21. Web site: Senators acquire Boedker, Bergman and a 6th-round pick from San Jose . Ottawa Senators . NHL.com . 19 June 2018 . 19 June 2018.
  22. Web site: Mikkel Boedker signs two-year deal with Lugano in Swiss league starting next season . Garrioch . Bruce . 19 May 2020 . 13 October 2023.
  23. Web site: HC Lugano signs Mikkel Bødker to a two-year contract. swisshockeynews.ch. 19 May 2020. 19 May 2020.
  24. Web site: Mikkel Bödker klar för HV71 . Mikkel Bödker Ready for HV71 . Swedish. hv71.se. 25 July 2022. 26 June 2022.
  25. Web site: Glenthøj . Joachim . Bødker stopper karrieren . Bødker ends his career . sport.tv2.dk . 25 May 2023 . da-DK . 23 May 2023.