Denmark

Denmark is a country in Northern Europe. Copenhagen is the capital and largest city.

History of hockey in Denmark
The first games of ice hockey were played in Denmark in the early 1900s. Denmark did not join the IIHF until April 27, 1946, and the Danmarks Ishockey Union was founded three years later, in 1949.

The first Danish championship was held during the 1954-55 season. The league, presently known as the AL-Bank Ligaen for sponsorship reasons, currently contains eight teams. The Danish Division 1 operates as the second level of ice hockey in the country. The Danish Cup was first played in 1997, and has been held annually since the 2001-02 season.

The men's national team made its international debut at the 1949 World Ice Hockey Championships in Stockholm. In their first international game, they lost to Canada by a score of 47-0, a result which is still a record for the top-division of the World Championship. The Danes did not participated in the World Championships again until 1962, when they played in the B Pool. The country finally made its return to the top level of international hockey in 2003, when they finished in 11th place. They have participated in the top division every year since 2003. The country has never qualified for the Olympics.

The women's national team first participated at the IIHF European Women's Championships in 1989. Their best result at the now-defunct competition was a bronze medal in 1991. They first took part in the Women's World Championships in 1992, with their best finish being 7th place in their first appearance. They have not yet managed to qualify for the Olympics.

The junior national team first participated in the World Junior Championships in 1979. Their best finish was 10th place in the 2008 world juniors.