The 2017–18 Odense Bulldogs season is the 27th season in the Danish Hockey League since the team was promoted in 1990.
Following a semifinal exit the year before, head coach Peter Johansson left the club along with other star players, such as 16/17 league leading goalie Tadeas Galansky. Two time topscorer Dale Mitchell, was the only foreign player to extend his contract, making it his fourth year in a row as a Bulldog.[1]
Bulldogs signed 55-year old Finnish Kari Rauhanen as head coach.[2] But after only ten regular season games, he decided to stop due to "personal matters". The board immediately hired Mikael Gath as new head coach.[3]
Midway through the season, Bulldogs fired star-player Anthony Camara due to unacceptable behaviour.[4]
Significant events
September 23: The board presents a financial deficit on 1.5 million DKK .[5]
October 11: Head coach Kari Rauhanen quits his job due to personal reasons, and Mikael Gath was hired as new head coach.[3]
January 3: Anthony Camara gets fired due to unacceptable behaviour.[4]
February 12: Goaltender Robin Rahm leaves the club due to illness in near family. Hannu Toivonen signs as new goalie.[6] [7]
February 27: The board presents that club desperately need one million DKK in one day to avoid bankruptcy.
March 1: The board successfully reached 1.052.000 DKK before deadline.
Preseason
The preseason was scheduled for five games, from August 18 to September 1.[8] It should have been six games, but was shortened to five because of a cancel from Gamyo d'Épinal . Odense were supposed to host a four team-tournament between themselves, Rungsted Seier Capital , Eispiraten Crimmitschau and of course Épinal. But the French team did not want to participate anyway, so the tournament was rescheduled to a three team-tournament.[9]
Bulldogs won four out of their five pre-season games. The only loss was against Rødovre Mighty Bulls , were they lost 3–0 on away ice.[10]
Schedule and results
2017–18 Game Log: 3–1–0–1 (Home: 2–1–0–0; Road: 1–0–0–1)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
1
18 August
Rungsted
3–5
Odense
1–0–0–0
2
22 August
Odense
3–1
Hvidovre
2–0–0–0
3
29 August
Rødovre
3–0
Odense
2–0–0–1
4
31 October
Odense
2–1
Rungsted
OT
3–0–0–1
5
1 September
Odense
5–2
Crimmitschau
4–0–0–1
Regular season
League table
Updated to match(es) played on 27 February 2018. Source:
Metal Ligaen
Schedule and results
The 2017–18 regular season schedule were published on July 5, 2017.[11]
2017–18 Game Log: 22–2–7–19, 77 Points (Home: 12–2–4–7 ; Road: 10–0–3–12)
September: 4–0–2–2, 14 Points (Home: 3–0–1–0 ; Road: 1–0–1–2)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
Report
1
8 September
Odense
5–1
Aalborg
Rahm
1,625
1–0–0–0
3
Report
2
12 September
Gentofte
5–2
Odense
Rahm
257
1–0–0–1
3
Report
3
17 September
Odense
2–3
Hvidovre
OT
Rahm
904
1–0–1–1
4
Report
4
19 September
Rødovre
2–0
Odense
Rahm
658
1–0–1–2
4
Report
5
22 September
Odense
5–2
Frederikshavn
Rahm
1,282
2–0–1–2
7
Report
6
24 September
Frederikshavn
2–3
Odense
Rahm
1,034
3–0–1–2
10
Report
7
26 September
Herlev
5–4
Odense
OT
Lauridsen
515
3–0–2–2
11
Report
8
29 September
Odense
7–3
Esbjerg
Rahm
1,504
4–0–2–2
14
Report
October: 3–1–0–2, 14 Points (Home: 3–1–0–1 ; Road: 2–0–0–1)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
Report
9
1 October
Herning
2–4
Odense
Rahm
1,736
5–0–2–2
17
Report
10
13 October
Aalborg
4–1
Odense
Rahm
1,819
5–0–2–3
17
Report
11
17 October
Odense
3–2
Gentofte
SO
Rahm
1,140
5–1–2–3
19
Report
12
24 October
Odense
1–5
Rødovre
Rahm
837
5–1–2–4
19
Report
13
27 October
Odense
2–0
Rungsted
Rahm
1,402
6–1–2–4
22
Report
14
28 October
Rungsted
3–4
Odense
Rahm
702
7–1–2–4
25
Report
15
31 October
Odense
5–1
Herlev
Rahm
789
8–1–2–4
28
Report
November: 4–1–0–2, 14 Points (Home: 1–1–0–1 ; Road: 3–0–0–1)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
Report
16
3 November
SønderjyskE
1–7
Odense
Rahm
3,142
9–1–2–4
31
Report
17
5 November
Odense
2–1
Herning
OT
Rahm
1,205
9–2–2–4
33
Report
18
14 November
Hvidovre
2–4
Odense
Rahm
425
10–2–2–4
36
Report
19
17 November
Odense
4–0
SønderjyskE
Rahm
2,567
11–2–2–4
39
Report
20
21 November
Esbjerg
4–1
Odense
Rahm
1,312
11–2–2–5
39
Report
21
24 November
Odense
2–3
Aalborg
Rahm
1,399
11–2–2–6
39
Report
22
26 November
Gentofte
2–4
Odense
Rahm
176
12–2–2–6
42
Report
December: 5–0–2–3, 17 Points (Home: 3–0–1–1 ; Road: 2–0–1–2)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
Report
23
1 December
Rødovre
3–7
Odense
Rahm
1,053
13–2–2–6
45
Report
24
3 December
Frederikshavn
1–2
Odense
Rahm
1,077
14–2–2–6
48
Report
25
5 December
Odense
4–2
Rungsted
Rahm
937
15–2–2–6
51
Report
26
8 December
Herlev
3–2
Odense
OT
Rahm
412
15–2–3–6
52
Report
27
12 December
Odense
3–0
SønderjyskE
Rahm
1,001
16–2–3–6
55
Report
28
15 December
Herning
7–3
Odense
Rahm
1,626
16–2–3–7
55
Report
29
16 December
Odense
0–1
Hvidovre
OT
Rahm
876
16–2–4–7
56
Report
30
19 December
Odense
4–2
Esbjerg
Rahm
996
17–2–4–7
59
Report
31
22 December
Aalborg
6–2
Odense
Rahm
2,003
17–2–4–8
59
Report
32
30 December
Odense
2–3
Rødovre
Rahm
1,825
17–2–4–9
59
Report
January: 3–0–2–5, 11 Points (Home: 2–0–1–2 ; Road: 1–0–1–3)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
Report
33
2 January
Odense
4–5
Frederikshavn
SO
Rahm
777
17–2–5–9
60
Report
34
5 January
Rungsted
5–0
Odense
Rahm
852
17–2–5–10
60
Report
35
7 January
Odense
3–2
Herlev
Rahm
812
18–2–5–10
63
Report
36
9 January
SønderjyskE
4–3
Odense
SO
Rahm
2,372
18–2–6–10
64
Report
37
12 January
Odense
3–1
Gentofte
Rahm
1,725
19–2–6–10
67
Report
38
14 January
Odense
2–3
Herning
Rahm
1,088
19–2–6–11
67
Report
39
16 January
Hvidovre
1–4
Odense
Rahm
432
20–2–6–11
70
Report
40
23 January
Esbjerg
3–1
Odense
Rahm
1,134
20–2–6–12
70
Report
41
26 January
Odense
1–4
Aalborg
Rahm
1,416
20–2–6–13
70
Report
42
28 January
Gentofte
2–1
Odense
Rahm
382
20–2–6–14
70
Report
February: 2–0–1–5, 7 Points (Home: 1–0–1–2 ; Road: 1–0–0–3)
#
Date
Home
Score
Visitor
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
Report
43
1 February
Rødovre
6–0
Odense
Rahm
2,645
20–2–6–15
70
Report
44
6 February
Frederikshavn
3–7
Odense
Rahm
1,243
21–2–6–15
73
Report
45
9 February
Odense
2–3
Rungsted
OT
Rahm
1,622
21–2–7–15
74
Report
46
11 February
Herlev
6–2
Odense
Rahm
420
21–2–7–16
74
Report
47
20 February
Odense
2–5
SønderjyskE
Toivonen
1,494
21–2–7–17
74
Report
48
23 February
Herning
8–2
Odense
Toivonen
1,815
21–2–7–18
74
Report
49
25 February
Odense
2–1
Hvidovre
Toivonen
998
22–2–7–18
77
Report
50
27 February
Odense
1–6
Esbjerg
Toivonen
777
22–2–7–19
77
Report
Legend :
Win (3 points)
Overtime/Shootout win (2 points)
Loss (0 points)
Overtime/Shootout loss (1 point)
Player statistics
Updated 25 January
Skaters
Regular Season[12]
Player
GP
G
A
Pts
+/−
PIM
Dale Mitchell
47
21
33
54
0
73
Søren Nielsen
45
18
20
38
+6
36
Anthony Camara
27
15
22
37
+3
114
Rasmus Bjerrum
46
10
19
29
–7
28
Sebastian Ehlers
44
5
21
26
–1
16
Jacob Johnston
48
10
15
25
–9
36
Yannick Vedel
48
13
9
22
+2
12
Martin Larsen
48
8
12
20
+11
92
Nick Walters
48
5
14
19
+12
24
Henrik Nielsen
39
7
10
17
+9
30
Dylan Walchuk
48
3
13
16
–6
20
Jonas Hansen
48
5
7
12
+2
12
Andreas Pedersen
48
1
10
11
–6
30
Asger Petersen
40
4
4
8
+2
6
Ned Lukacevic
8
3
5
8
+6
–5
Jamie Lewis
30
1
6
7
–1
24
Mads Schaarup
48
1
6
7
–6
45
Nicolai Eriksen
30
2
2
4
–2
9
Frederik Sørensen
40
2
2
4
–8
32
Rasmus Knudsen
23
1
3
4
0
10
Jakob Wittendorf
42
3
0
3
–2
2
Lucas Bjerre Rasmussen
11
0
0
0
+1
4
Christian Larsen
37
0
0
0
–2
10
Goaltenders
Player of the Month
September: Søren Nielsen
October: Robin Rahm
November: Dale Mitchell
December: Yannick Vedel
January: Robin Rahm
February: Ned Lukacevic
References