Frederikshavn Goaltender Drafted to NHL

Danish ice hockey is celebrating another milestone as goaltender Anton Wilde was selected by the Dallas Stars in the sixth round of the NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old from Frederikshavn heard his name called as the 187th overall pick on Saturday night, marking him as the latest in a growing line of Danish players to enter the prestigious North American league.

Wilde, who played 13 games for Frederikshavn White Hawks in the top Danish league last season, has garnered significant attention for his performances with Denmark's youth national teams. As a 17-year-old, he was Denmark's starting goaltender at the U20 World Championship. His standout play continued at the U18 World Championship in April, where he made an impressive 52 saves on 54 shots in a game against the United States.

His selection makes Wilde the 28th Dane in history to be drafted into the NHL. He joins a notable group of Danish goaltenders, including Mads Søgaard, Frederik Dichow, and recent Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen. While being drafted is a crucial first step, it does not guarantee a career in the NHL; however, 15 out of the 17 Danes who have played in the league were drafted.

This marks the second time the Dallas Stars have drafted a Danish player, having previously selected defenseman Philip Larsen in 2008. Larsen went on to play 93 games for the Stars. The Dallas Stars, who won the Stanley Cup in the 1999-2000 season, reached the playoffs last season but were eliminated in the first round. Wilde, who has spent his entire career in Frederikshavn, is set to move to Sweden after the summer break to play for Linköping's top youth team.