Denmark Makes Bold Call to Sit Frederik Andersen vs. Team USA - But Is It the Right One?
As the road to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics heats up, Denmark finds itself staring down a juggernaut in Team USA - a roster stacked with elite offensive firepower. We're talking about a forward group that includes Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, and Auston Matthews.
That’s not just talent - that’s an avalanche waiting to happen if you can’t slow it down. So when Denmark announced that Frederik Andersen won’t be starting in net against the Americans, the hockey world collectively raised its eyebrows.
Let’s be clear: Andersen is no backup. He’s a proven NHL starter with the Carolina Hurricanes, a goalie who’s been through the grind and come out with wins on the other side. If you're facing a team that can roll out three top scoring lines and a power play that can punish even the smallest mistake, Andersen feels like the guy you want between the pipes.
But Denmark head coach Mikael Gath has opted to go a different route. His reasoning? It comes down to scheduling.
“We have a bad schedule,” Gath said. “We’re playing 9 o’clock against U.S., and then we play early against Latvia the day after, and we have three good goalies.”
It’s a strategic call - one that prioritizes the long game over the headline matchup. Gath is looking at the tournament as a whole, not just the daunting task of stopping Team USA. He’s trying to manage his goalie rotation in a way that gives Denmark the best shot at picking up points where they’re more likely to compete evenly - like against Latvia.
Still, it’s a gamble.
Team USA is riding high, and part of that is thanks to Mike Sullivan’s decision to start Connor Hellebuyck, who’s been nearly impenetrable with a 94.4% save percentage. That’s elite-tier goaltending, and it gives the Americans the kind of backbone that lets their forwards take risks and play fast.
Denmark, meanwhile, is coming off a tough loss to Germany - a game where Leon Draisaitl made his presence felt. In that matchup, Danish goaltending posted an 88.46% save percentage. That’s a significant gap when you’re trying to keep pace with a team like the U.S., which can bury you early if you don’t get key stops.
The bigger issue? Depth.
Outside of Andersen, Denmark doesn’t have the same luxury in net. Mads Søgaard, the Ottawa Senators prospect, is the next man up, and while he’s shown flashes, he doesn’t bring the same experience or consistency as Andersen.
And when you’re staring down Matthews snapping wristers from the circle or Tkachuk crashing the crease, experience matters.
So is Denmark resting Andersen in hopes of stealing a win against Latvia? Possibly. But it also means they’re conceding that a win against Team USA is a long shot - and that’s a tough message to send in a tournament where momentum and belief can carry a team further than expected.
This decision will be dissected no matter the outcome. If Denmark keeps it close or somehow pulls off a miracle, Gath looks like a genius. But if the Americans hang a crooked number on the scoreboard, fans and analysts alike will wonder if Andersen sitting was a missed opportunity to make a statement.
Either way, the spotlight is now squarely on Denmark’s crease - and the pressure just got a whole lot heavier.