Frank Janssen

Frank Janssen made his debut in the Nijmegen-squad during the 1983-1984 season. In that memorable season the Nijmegen-side managed to clinch the Championship-title, defeating Heerenveen in the finals, with an all Nijmegen team together with three strong import-players: Willie Desjardins
and Don Fraser. At that time Frank Janssen was only a 15 year-old rookie who could not foresee that he would be the most price-winning player ever in the history of Nijmegen.

Janssen completed, together with Speel and Kruger, for many years (from 1993 onwards)the first line of Nijmegen’s offence. Strong skills were his speed and his ability to never neglect the defensive aspect of the game. Janssen played almost his entire career for Nijmegen only to play for Utrecht during the 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 campaign. Janssen has won the championship with Utrecht during both seasons. He always said that he learned a lot of his coach at that time, the excentric (former New Jersey Devils assisant coach), Doug McKay. Furthermore he enjoyed a lot playing with former NHL-players like Paul Houck and the highly talented Kip Noble.

He returned to Nijmegen in the 1992-1993 season and never left again. He was one of the players who helped to save hockey in Nijmegen after the financial troubles. This was after the terrible 1993-1994 season, after which he continued to play for this club even though they could not pay him one cent.

Frank Janssen’s achievements are unmatched by any former Nijmegen-born player. He became champion of Holland 9 times with Utrecht(2) and Nijmegen(7). Also did he score a total of 484 points in the Dutch league.

Janssen officially retired at the end of the 1999-2000 season but returned together with Robert Herckenrath to clinch another play-off spot in the 2000-2001 season. His final departure was in the 2001-2002 in a game against Heerenveen in which he ended in style: with a goal. Furthermore Frank Janssen was a solid member of the Holland-team in more than 80 appearances for the Dutch-side. In those games for Holland he scored 10 goals and 8 assists for a total of 18 points.