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Team Denmark's family trio

QMI Agency, Dec 27 2011

They might as well be hockey's first family of Denmark.

With head coach Todd Bjorkstrand and his two sons, Patrick and Oliver, all with the national team at the 2012 World Junior Championships, they're representing both nation and name in Edmonton this week.

After growing up in the U.S. hockey hub of Minneapolis, Todd spent time in the minor pro leagues before leaving the continent to pursue a 12-year career in the Danish Super League with Herning.

Both his sons were born there.

"At the time, I was playing in the IHL, so it was an opportunity to go over there for one year and move on, but that didn't happen," said Todd, who moved from the ice to behind the bench of the Herning Blue Foxes after notching 1,100 career points and four league MVP honours.

"I signed for another year and met my wife (Janne). We got married, and I've been over there for 21 years now."

The last two of which he has spent coaching the junior national squad, which was joined by 16-year-old Oliver this year to complete the family's international trifecta.

"It's a special feeling," said the 5-foot-10, 156-pound Oliver. "Me and Patrick, we play on the same line in Denmark and my dad's the coach there also, so we're used to it. It helps a lot."

As does having their father's footsteps to follow as they pursue pro careers.

"It's special, with your dad and what he's accomplished," said Patrick, 19.

"You always try to live up to that, but I have never really felt that much pressure and he's never really put that much pressure on me.

"He just wants me to be happy and love what I do. I want to do well, so I put a lot of pressure on myself."

Determination is a trait the brothers share.

"We both want to make it to the NHL," said Patrick.

"It's a long road, but we want to do what it takes … and I think we can accomplish it if we work hard."

And the world junior championship offers them a big step in the right direction.

"It's been unbelievable," Patrick said. "I've never been in a hockey stadium this packed."

Opening night of the tournament saw Denmark lose 11-3 to the U.S. in a game that featured both homelands of the Bjorkstrands.

"I'm from Minnesota, I'm a hockey player. They've been around it their whole lives and everything," said Todd, who reunites with family members in the U.S. as often as possible.

"We go there every summer. I love it in Minnesota," said the 6-foot, 191-pound Patrick.

"It's like a second home, I think."

Communication is key to the success of their father/ coach relationship — though the Bjorkstrands use different languages to achieve it.

"I've always spoken English," Patrick said.

"My dad, he started when I was a little kid and I speak Danish to my mom and English to my dad. He can speak Danish, but of course he prefers English.

"We've always been used to it, it's just natural for us."

While Todd understands the language of his transplanted home, he said he runs his practices in English. It's not due to a lack of effort — he made a courageous-but-accent- challenged attempt to speak Danish early on — but has since been urged to stick with his mother tongue.

"Most players speak English," Oliver said. "So they know what he says and I don't think it's a problem."

HOCKEY HOME: Herning,

Denmark, is not only home to the Bjorkstrands, but also the country's oldest and newest NHL draftees. Frans Nielsen was taken 87th overall in 2002 by the New York Islanders, while Oshawa Generals right winger and current junior national team member Nicklas Jensen was taken 29th overall by the Vancouver Canucks this year.