Frans Nielsen plays his 22nd pro season next season, how would you grade his career so far?

[Artorius Horus T]

Frans Nielsen has played pro hockey games for a very long time.
All time greatest Danish hockey player, by far.

He was drafted 87th overall by the Islanders in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Frans next season, is his 22nd as a pro hockey player.

Denmark, Elitserien(SHL), AHL, SM-Liiga and NHL.

2000-01 ->

Herning Blue Fox
Malmö Redhawks
Timrå IK
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
New York Islanders
Rauman Lukko
Detroit Red Wings

Total of 1352 pro games.
+ 91 games for team Denmark

258 goals
440 assists

50 international points (20 goals)


When his current contract is over, his career earnings in the NHL is about 50 million dollars (47.9)

Click to read more...

 

[Gurglesons]

B-. Very solid player, but he fell off over the last 5 years.

 

[Elvs]

In comparison to any person who ever gave hockey a shot? A very strong A. In comparison to other players in the NHL? I'd say a B-.

His contract stinks and he's washed up now, but for any new NHL fan reading this, Frans Nielsen was a very good middle six center in his prime. Underrated player and a Swiss (Danish) army knife.

 

[Oddbob]

Weird time to rate him. He was a good player, but that was more than 4 seasons ago. Right now, he is not an NHL player.

 

[MapleLeafs9]

Congrats on the long career but meh.

 

[ricky0034]

Weird time to rate him. He was a good player, but that was more than 4 seasons ago. Right now, he is not an NHL player.

yeah he flat out wouldn't be in the league at this point if not for his contract

but eh players fall off in their mid to late 30s all the time, he had a decent career all in all

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Top NHL 3C in his prime.

 

[biturbo19]

Tough time to "rate" his career, as he languidly plays his way out of the league with a whimper and an outsized contract and cap hit for an adieu. That's no doubt going to negatively impact people's perceptions of his career as a whole right now. In his prime, he was a good solid player, but never really "special". One of those guys who perpetually begs the question of whether they're "underrated", or just effective but actually not that worthy of note. I think that looking back after he's been retired for a while, people will probably remember him more fondly than right now...but i'm not sure by how much.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Very average

 

[GlitchMarner]

I know nothing about his European career.

I'd rate his NHL career a C+ or B-.

 

[sebsisles]

Was a very solid Islander, was almost automatic in the shootout. Definitely not the same player in Detroit but was a very solid Islander. Went with a B

 

[GreeningOil]

In comparison to any person who ever gave hockey a shot? A very strong A. In comparison to other players in the NHL? I'd say a B-.

His contract stinks and he's washed up now, but for any new NHL fan reading this, Frans Nielsen was a very good middle six center in his prime. Underrated player and a Swiss (Danish) army knife.

A career of any sort for 20+ years is very successful. I agree 100% at B- among NHL players

 

[Albatros]

I seriously doubt he was a pro in Denmark.

 

[Ignite111]

B-. Very solid player, but he fell off over the last 5 years.

You mean ages 33-37 while playing on Detroit. Hmm I wonder why?? I would have thought he would have gotten better

 

[islandersbob]

A-. Not a bad career for a slightly undersized 3C. Very good defensively with a small bit of Selke buzz. Top 15 player in his draft. Top 10 in his draft class in goals, assists and points. 1st great shootout player. Only thing keeping him from 1000 GP is that he didn't become a regular NHLer until age 24.

 

[jetsforever]

I'll give him "greatest Dane" for now but I wouldn't say "by far" since Ehlers will likely catch him in points within 3 seasons or so.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Nielsen was the ideal 3C. A guy who was defensively responsible, good on the PK, and who could also chip in 35+ points most seasons.

Not really sure how that translates into a letter grade.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

He was a low end 2C/High end 3C for a few years. He's been terrible for Detroit so I think that brings my grade down.

I'd give him a C overall. I'd have said B if he retired after 2019 or 2020.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

B+

impressive longevity for someone who didn't break in right away & had a good peak.

 

[hardcorehabs]

D+

 

[saintunspecified]

Nielsen showed how good a player can be relying mostly on savvy and dedication. Him and his Weird-Frans doppleganger (Filppula) were just good players. Good in the neutral zone defensively, good in the defensive zone, very good in odd-man rushes, but not otherwise creative, explosive, or dynamic. Actually Filppula was better in the O-zone, but not quite as good in transiton. Frans was also never that good at the dot, for a defensive center.

I don't doubt that if you could mix Frans's dedication and attention with Grabner's explosiveness you'd get an elite scorer.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

At his best Nielsen was a capable 2nd line forward. If he played on a top team he could've been part of some deep playoff runs as an elite 3C. +10 years in the NHL as a regular, close to hitting 500 points. Unfortunately it doesn't look like he's going to win anything and he's become irrelevant in his older days.

I don't know how the letter grade works exactly, but if the A's are from HOF superstar to hall of very good, then B- to B seems reasonable.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Solid b

 

[Thrasymachus]

Definitely a B

But an A+ in my heart. Frans was a class act during his time with the Islanders, and was a sneaky good 2 way forward

I will always have fond memories of his patented Danish backhand of doom

 

[PB37]

Solid player. Unspectacular but solid. 20+ years is also something the majority of players fail to achieve, hell of an accomplishment.