Author’s Note: On Jan. 23, 2025, Josefine Jakobsen officially announced her retirement from professional ice hockey due to lingering concussion issues. In this press release from Brynäs IF, Jakobsen and Brynäs sports manager Erika Grahm, share some brief words about her decision. While it happened earlier than she would have hoped, she remains positive in her conversations about the future as she still feels like she has much more to give to the sport she loves.
The piece will remain as written to provide perspective on how quickly a professional athlete’s career can change and the importance of advocating for an athlete’s health. Particularly with head injures, sometimes the body will simply not allow a return to sport. Many athletes are forced or force themselves to play through injuries, but at the end of the day there is a long life to live after sport. With countless opportunities to remain involved in hockey outside of playing, and we know that no matter where Jakobsen ends up she will make a lasting impact – just as she has done for the last two decades.
Congratulations on a legendary playing career, Josefine Jakobsen!
Missed part one? Get caught up here!
Every team has their rock, and for Denmark, it’s been Josefine Jakobsen. Relied upon to produce points with the versatility and confidence to play defense or forward depending on the team’s needs, Jakobsen played a large role in the Danes’ journey from IIHF Division 2 to their first-ever Olympic appearance.
“Denmark without Josefine Jakobsen is a much lesser team.” —Peter Elander on Jakobsen’s retirement from the national team
When asked about her experience with the national team at such a young age, Jakobsen shared how the older women, like the SDHL players, created a welcoming and comfortable environment for her. “I think the transition from my club team to the national team was easy,” Jakobsen says, “because I had a lot of, like, older girls to look up to. I played with some of the best players in Denmark at the time and they formed me as a hockey player and as a person.”
Jakobsen never underestimated the influence of those around her, a mindset she carried as she grew into leadership positions herself. She adds, “that’s something I really—because, as you know I’ve been the captain for Denmark for the past couple years but when I was 18, I didn’t say a word, I was shy. So, like the development I’ve gone through just because of the hockey and the people I’ve met.”
Jakobsen went on to explain the evolution of the Danish national program over the years: “When I started first on the national team, it was an elite environment for a couple years, then after that there were some years where…we were only together for one camp during each season and then we went to play the worlds. So it’s not like you had these demands.”
But things changed in 2018 when the Danish Ice Hockey Union decided to hire three Swedish coaches, all of whom had prior affiliation with the rise of Luleå, the current reigning SDHL champions. The new leadership helped the Danes earn their first ever promotion to the top division, but their historic appearance was delayed due to the cancellation of the IIHF Women’s World Championship in 2019.
But perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. The Danish Ice Hockey Union now had an entire year to curate a team for the Olympic qualifiers, which included hiring the largest support staff ever assembled for their national program.
“When it came to 2019, it turned the page and got more serious,” Jakobsen says. “Obviously you always train and plan to go to Olympics, but then when we came to 2019 it was a whole different focus because the federation started hiring other coaches. Not just working with coaches from home, Swedish coaches and [that] showed us that we want to do this.”
As if destined by the universe, the Danish Ice Hockey Union hired the one Swedish coach who supported Jakobsen’s development throughout her entire career and brought her to the NCAA. That’s right: after returning to Sweden in 2018 from his 8-year collegiate coaching stint, Peter Elander joined the Danes in their quest to the Olympics.
Reunited with her mentor, Jakobsen unquestionably donned the “C” to represent the new identity of Danish women’s hockey as the team embarked on their greatest and most challenging mission thus far.
On November 14, 2021, with two seconds left in their Olympic qualifier match, four Danes went down to block a final shot from Team Germany. The single regulation point qualified Team Denmark and after 14 long years, Jakobsen was an Olympian.
Jakobsen’s resolve for her Olympic dream is illustrated beautifully by an anecdote shared by Elander:
“2012, in Grand Forks at the University of North Dakota where Josefine played at the moment, my wife asked her, ‘What would you do in 10 years?‘ Josefine answered, ‘I will play in the Olympics for Denmark!’ At the moment that Denmark would be in the Olympic Games was an impossible dream. So when Denmark played in November 2021 and I was happy coaching the team I was more happy for Josefine and that her lifelong dream was fulfilled after such a long and hardworking career.”
There’s no doubt about the hours and years of hard work that led Jakobsen to accomplish every single one of her goals. It’s heartbreaking that so many dreams in sports go unrealized, so it’s stories like Jakobsen’s that provide the motivation and inspiration for athletes to feel like things can be possible. Sure, coincidence and luck are always involved, but the stars can only align themselves. They can’t give their all physically and mentally for 14 years on and off the ice to become an Olympian. That responsibility was on Jakobsen and her team and they both rose to the occasion.
But Jakobsen had one more magical moment with Team Denmark after the Olympics. Denmark was hosting the Women’s World Championship in 2022, giving the Danes the opportunity to play in the highest division of women’s hockey on home ice. Nothing can top the Olympics, but scoring a goal in your home country with your family watching in-person is certainly a close second.
“You know for a long time you felt like the Olympics were far away but then it happened, so never give up on your dreams” —Josefine Jakobsen
“It’s emotional too,” Jakobsen says, “because for me now as you get older you get perspective on things and like I have not lived at home since I was 15, right? So obviously that was awesome and I’ve never taken it for granted that I got that opportunity to play in front of my family.” Jakobsen continues, sharing how much it meant to her to have her family there: “My mom and dad have been traveling around following me everywhere but not like, my whole family. Even my brother could be there for a game. He also plays himself, so it’s not easy for him. We don’t really watch each other a whole lot other than TV. So, yeah, my nephew, niece, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa!”
Fun fact: the same year as the women’s team, the Danish men’s national team also qualified for the Olympics for the first time, so Jakobsen and her brother, Julian, became Olympians in the same year. What a unique and special moment for the Jakobsen family to share.
The team was relegated back to Division IA for the World Championship in August 2023 in Shenzhen, China, but quickly earned promotion back to the top division. That meant Team Denmark would play another World Championships in April at the 2024 tournament in Utica, New York.
Jakobsen, now 32, started to feel the mental and physical toll of staying at peak condition for nearly 3 years straight. I asked her to discuss what led to her decision from her own perspective and what comes next for her.
“I still have a lot of hockey in me, but I’m going to focus fully on doing this.“ —Jakobsen
Jakobsen says, “It takes a lot of energy when you have to travel and the SDHL, it’s a tough league and it’s getting better and better… and another thing is that we have played the world championship in August three years in a row now and that’s taken a lot of energy from me because we have to train throughout the whole summer and then you start a season with the world championship—that’s hard.”
It’s easy to forget that in-between Olympic qualifiers, World Championships and the Olympics, players like Jakobsen also compete in a full SDHL season and playoffs. “I think the year where we played Calgary World Championship in August and we played the Olympic qualification in November. Jakobsen continues, “We had games at Christmas, played in the Olympics in February—so, it’s just been going on and going on.”
Normally, players get four months off after the World Championships to recover and start training for the start of the next professional season. At a certain age, it takes longer to recover physically. Smart players realize this quickly and start focusing more on recovery, nutrition, stretching and anything else they can do to keep the body functioning and healthy. For Jakobsen, she felt it might not be optimal to give her energy to two teams, but was sure to mention that she’s not done with hockey. She signed a two-year deal with Brynäs and wants to earn a fourth SDHL championship.
“For me I’ve always, you know hockey first, so now it’s more at a point where I need these breaks to be, you know, recharge, to be with Brynäs, or even be with friends and family,” Jakobsen says. “It’s just been so much mentally, it’s been draining and I don’t do things like 50%, I do things 100%.
So I came to a point where deep inside I will never be done with the national team, but I think you have to be true to yourself too. It’s just not one thing that leads to this decision there’s more and as I said I want to do things 100%.”
Unfortunately, Jakobsen got a concussion shortly after signing with Brynäs and has only been able to play in 2 SDHL games so far. She remains positive, though, seemingly prohibiting herself from retiring altogether because of an injury. It was, however, another one of the ingredients that led to her stepping back from Team Denmark.
“With my concussion last year, I chose to talk to a sport psychologist and that’s when I—there was just more, I won’t say negatives, than positives, but obviously it’s, it’s taking more energy than I have for the national team,” Jakobsen says. “So a lot of different reasons why, but I’m still working my way back and hopefully I’m going to play — that’s the plan.”
Jakobsen offers a vulnerable and authentic reflection on being an athlete of her age who has given so much of her life to her sport:
“I put so much time and sacrificed a lot of my life and you know as I said when you get older you get perspective, like perspective on things. I’ve missed weddings, funerals, birthdays, all these things with my family, so that’s just… it was a very hard decision and I think it’s going to take me a while before I realize it, but I still have a lot of hockey in me but I’m going to focus fully on doing this.”
She concludes with a laugh, “I’ve always thought I’m gonna play hockey forever, but that’s not happening, unfortunately!”
The Danes’ journey to the Olympics is a reflection of the legacy Jakobsen leaves with them—a testament to looking at the big picture, maximizing opportunities and then rising to the occasion. By looking at the big picture, which for her was and is “to be the best,” she decided she needed to be in Sweden. Then, she knew she needed to stand out to get the attention of the NCAA. From there, she knew the level and commitment required of her and her team to achieve their goal of an Olympic qualification. That influence and experience from Jakobsen surely helped Team Denmark push through those three years of non-stop peak hockey performances.
This is why some of the best stories in women’s hockey come from countries like Denmark and players like Jakobsen, because there is nothing behind her motivation other than pure passion. Her journey showcases the remarkable resilience of women who can achieve great things even without significant resources. It also underscores how must more they can accomplish when given an opportunity to thrive in the right environment.
Jakobsen points this out herself by mentioning everyone that supported her along the way. The biggest appreciation, however, goes to her family. “I’ve never played hockey for the money,” Jakobsen says, “it’s always been for the love of the sport. “My mom and dad have been a huge support financially. It’s not until the the last couple of years I actually could make a living of playing hockey, so they have been my biggest supporters.”
When asked if she had any thoughts about life after hockey, she answered, “people ask me, like my dad says you have to find something to do after hockey and I’m like I don’t know, all I know is hockey! I’m sure we’ll end up within hockey, leadership, coaching – but I feel like I’m not going to stress about it.”
Even with all of her accomplishments, a laundry list of career awards, captain of an Olympic team, she adds with gracious humility, “I still have hockey in me. I want to show Brynäs why they signed me.”
So, although Team Denmark won’t have Jakobsen physically with them on the ice at this upcoming World Championships, her influence on the team will remain visible for years to come. Meanwhile, she continues to work on getting back on the ice for another shot at the SDHL title, but looks forward to having a little more time to live a life outside of hockey.
Although Jakobsen isn’t set on her plans after hockey, the women’s hockey world would be lucky to have her in coaching or a leadership role to pass her expertise and knowledge to the next generation.