{{Infobox Pro hockey team | current = | text_color = #000000 | bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#004579 5px solid; border-bottom:#FDB813 5px solid; | team = Herning Blue Fox | logo = HBF Logo23.png | logo_size = 220px | city = Herning | league = Metal Ligaen | conference = | division = | founded = 1947 | arena = KVIK Hockey Arena<br />(Capacity: 4,105) | uniform = | colors = {{Color box|#004579}} {{Color box|#FDB813}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF}} | gm = | coach = Garth Murray | captain = Morten Poulsen | owner = | website = [http://bluefox.dk/ www.bluefox.dk] <!---Franchise history---> | name1 = | dates1 = | name2 = | dates2 = <!---Championships---> |reg_season_titles = |championships1_type = Danish Champions | championships1 = '''17''' (1973, 1977, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2026 ) }}
'''Herning Blue Fox''' is a Danish professional ice hockey team based in Herning, Denmark, playing in the 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 which has a capacity of 4,105 spectators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurohockey.com/club/313-herning-ik.html|title=Herning IK|website=Eurohockey.com|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurohockey.com/arena/755-kvik-hockey-arena.html|title=Kvik Hockey Arena|website=Eurohockey.com|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=250|title=Kvik Hockey Arena|website=Bluefox.dk|access-date=24 November 2016|archive-date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012211044/http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=250|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The club has won the Danish championship 16 times with the last title coming in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=251|title=History|website=Bluefox.dk|access-date=24 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012113405/http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=251|archive-date=12 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Club history== ===2015–2016: Mario Simioni era=== thumb| '''''2015–2016 season'''''
After the departure of long-time head coach Todd Bjorkstrand, Herning signed Mario Simioni to take the helm of the club. Simioni led the team to the playoffs where they faced the fifth-ranked Odense Bulldogs 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. 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 league final.
In the finals, Herning Blue Fox was set to clash with the Esbjerg Energy. 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 of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany as an assistant to Serge Aubin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=981:forgyldt-tr%C3%A6ner-til-herning-blue-fox&Itemid=196|title=Forgyldt træner til Herning Blue Fox|website=Bluefox.dk|access-date=2016-05-03|archive-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002113/http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=981:forgyldt-tr%C3%A6ner-til-herning-blue-fox&Itemid=196|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===2016–present: Return of Todd Bjorkstrand===
'''''2016–2017 season'''''
In May 2016, Herning Blue Fox signed former head coach Todd Bjorkstrand. Bjorkstrand returned to the club after leaving in 2014 to coach the Graz 99ers of the Erste Bank Hockey League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1341:todd-bjorkstand-tilbage-p%C3%A5-heden&Itemid=196|title=Todd Bjorkstand tilbage på Hedene|website=Bluefox.dk|access-date=2016-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160714083628/http://bluefox.dk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1341:todd-bjorkstand-tilbage-p%C3%A5-heden&Itemid=196|archive-date=2016-07-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Season by season record== ''This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by Herning Blue Fox.''
{| class="wikitable plainrow" style="text-align: center" |+ Seasons of Herning Blue Fox<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/138/herning-blue-fox|title=Herning Blue Fox|website=Eliteprospects.com|access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> |- !Season !Rank !GP !W !L !OTW !|OTL !Pts !Postseason |- !style=text-align:center|2011–12 |bgcolor=#D2A56D|3rd |40 |23 |14 |2 |1 |74 |bgcolor=gold|Champion |- !style=text-align:center|2012–13 |bgcolor=gold|1st |40 |24 |8 |4 |4 |84 |Quarter final loss |- !style=text-align:center|2013–14 |bgcolor=silver|2nd |40 |25 |7 |4 |4 |87 |bgcolor=silver|Final loss |- !style=text-align:center|2014–15 |bgcolor=gold|1st |36 |24 |6 |0 |6 |78 |Bronze medal game loss |- !style=text-align:center|2015–16 |4th |45 |21 |15 |4 |5 |76 |bgcolor=silver|Final loss |- |}
==Players== ===Current roster=== <small>Updated 1 October 2024.</small>
{{ice hockey team roster}} <!--List of Players-->
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Aleksi | last = Ainali | dab = | num = 44 | pos = C | nat = FIN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1995 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 12 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Vihti, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Marcus | last = Almquist | dab = | num = 87 | pos = C | nat = DEN | s/g = R | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 13 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Rødovre, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Lukas | last = Bang | dab = | num = 29 | pos = LW | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2002 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 23 | acq = 2020 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Jesper | last = Bank Olesen | dab = | num = 8 | pos = D | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 29 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Mathias | last = Bau Hansen | dab = | num = 50 | pos = W | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1993 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 3 | acq = 2020 | birthplace = Glostrup, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Magnus | last = Carlsen | dab = Magnus Carlsen (ice hockey) | num = 89 | pos = LW | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 26 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Rødovre, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Oskars | last = Cibuļskis | dab = | num = 27 | pos = D | nat = LAT | s/g = L | birthyear = 1988 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 9 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Victor | last = Čubars | dab = | num = 13 | pos = W | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 8 | birthday = 22 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Hvidovre, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }} <!-- {{Ice hockey team player | first = Viggo | last = Damgaard | dab = | num = 21 | pos = D | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 6 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Malmö, Sweden | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}-->
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Martin | last = Eskildsen | dab = | num = 19 | pos = LW | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 17 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Vejle, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Jānis | last = Fecers | dab = | num = 30 | pos = G | nat = LAT | s/g = L | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 24 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Riga, Latvia | inj = no | cap = | fa = }} <!-- {{Ice hockey team player | first = Tomas | last = Gravgaard | dab = | num = 31 | pos = G | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 8 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}-->
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Petter | last = Hansson | dab = Petter Hansson (ice hockey) | num = 14 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2020 | birthplace = Gislaved, Sweden | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Jacob | last = Jessen | dab = | num = 5 | pos = D | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 8 | birthday = 4 | acq = 2018 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Emil | last = Kristensen | dab = | num = 28 | pos = D | nat = DEN | s/g = R | birthyear = 1992 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 20 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Esbjerg, Denmark | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Hjalte | last = Kruse Thomsen | dab = | num = 38 | pos = LW | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Simon | last = Lafrance | dab = | num = 88 | pos = C | nat = CAN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 12 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Joachim | last = Linnet | dab = | num = 73 | pos = LW | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1993 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 11 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Christian | last = Mieritz | dab = | num = 81 | pos = D | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1997 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 30 | acq = 2022 | birthplace = Rødovre, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Jacob | last = Nordqvist | dab = | num = 15 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = R | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 12 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Gothenburg, Sweden | inj = no | cap = | fa = }} <!-- {{Ice hockey team player | first = Karlis | last = Peca | dab = | num = 12 | pos = F | nat = LAT | s/g = R | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 23 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}-->
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Derian | last = Plouffe | dab = | num = 11 | pos = C | nat = CAN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1995 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 15 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Shawville, Quebec, Canada | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Maksim | last = Popovic | dab = | num = 71 | pos = F | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 1 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herlev, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Morten | last = Poulsen | dab = | num = 38 | pos = LW | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1988 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 9 | acq = 2018 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = C | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Mathias | last = Seldrup | dab = | num = 43 | pos = G | nat = DEN | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 21 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }} <!-- {{Ice hockey team player | first = Kasper | last = Simonsen | dab = | num = 24 | pos = D | nat = DEN | s/g = R | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 24 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Herning, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}-->
{{Ice hockey team player | first = Brett | last = Thompson | dab = Brett Thompson (ice hockey) | num = 9 | pos = C | nat = CAN | s/g = R | birthyear = 1991 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 31 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
|}
===Retired numbers=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |+ style="background:#004579;border-top:#FDB813 3px solid;border-bottom:#FDB813 3px solid; color:#FFFFFF;" | Herning Blue Fox retired numbers |- ! width=40px | No. ! width=130px |Player ! width=40px |Position ! width=120px |Career |- | '''3''' || Svend Laugesen|| D || 1975–1993 |- | '''22''' || Todd Bjorkstrand|| C || 1988–2002 |}
===NHL alumni=== * Frederik Andersen * Oliver Bjorkstrand * Nicklas Jensen * Frans Nielsen * Peter Regin
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://bluefox.dk/}}
{{Metal Ligaen}} {{Herning Municipality}}
Category:Ice hockey teams in Denmark Category:Sport in Herning Category:1947 establishments in Denmark Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1947