Henrik Karlsson
Born (1983-11-27) 27 November 1983
Stockholm, Sweden
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Södertälje SK
Färjestads BK
Calgary Flames
Skellefteå AIK
Avangard Omsk
Jokerit
Barys Astana
National team  Kazakhstan
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 20022021

Henrik Bjorn Karlsson (born 27 November 1983) is a Swedish-Kazakhstani former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 26 games in the National Hockey League with the Calgary Flames during the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2002 to 2021, was spent in Sweden and then in the Kontinental Hockey League. Internationally Karlsson, who was born in Sweden, played for the Kazakhstani national team at two World Championships.

Playing career

A player undrafted in the NHL, Karlsson spent the majority of the 2008–09 season in the HockeyAllsvenskan with the Malmö Redhawks, but appeared in seven games in the Elitserien with Södertälje.[1] He was signed as a free agent by the San Jose Sharks prior to the 2009–10 season,[2] but was returned to Sweden and took up starting duties with Färjestad.[1] Karlsson appeared in 34 games, posting four shutouts and a 2.45 goals against average. He suffered an injury late in the season that prevented him from playing in the playoffs as Färjestad was eliminated in the first round.[3] He finished fourth in the league save percentage and tied for second in shutouts.[4]

Facing bleak prospects of playing with the Sharks in 2010–11, he contemplated signing with a team in the Kontinental Hockey League before his NHL rights were dealt by the Sharks to the Calgary Flames for a sixth round pick at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.[5] The Flames quickly signed Karlsson to a new one-year contract,[6] and was expected to compete for the backup role to starter Miikka Kiprusoff.[5] He described the chance to play in the NHL as "a dream come true".[3]

Karlsson made his NHL debut on 22 October 2010, a 6–2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. He became only the third goaltender in Flames' franchise history (after Jim Craig and Tyler Moss) to win his first game.[4] He appeared in 17 games as the Flames' backup, finishing with a 4–5–6 record and a goals against average of 2.38. Following the season, he re-signed with the team, agreeing to a two-year deal worth $1.725 million.[7] Karlsson struggled early in the 2011–12 NHL season, failing to win his first five decisions before suffering a torn medial collateral ligament in a game against the Vancouver Canucks on 4 December that caused him to miss two months of play.[8] When he returned to action, he was often passed over for third goaltender Leland Irving when the team wanted to rest Kiprusoff, and consequently appeared in only nine games during the season. He started the final game of the year, a 5–2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. It was his only win of the season, and his first since 21 January 2011.[9]

On 21 January 2013, Karlsson was traded by the Flames to the Chicago Blackhawks for a seventh round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.[10] The Blackhawks immediately assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.[11] He was recalled that season during the playoffs. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup that season, but he did not qualify to have his name on the Stanley Cup.

On 25 June 2013, Karlsson left North America and returned to Sweden signing a one-year contract with Skellefteå AIK of the SHL.[12] However, he left during the 2013-14 season and accepted an offer from Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL),[13] where he stayed for the remainder of the campaign. Karlsson then embarked on a two-year stint with fellow KHL side Jokerit of Helsinki, Finland. After the conclusion of the 2015–16 season, he moved on to Barys Astana, also competing in the KHL.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTOTLMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2000–01 Hammarby IF J18 SWE U18 2120703.50.883
2000–01 Hammarby IF U20 SWE U20 137065604.76.893
2001–02 Hammarby IF U20 SWE U20 2313569704.34.886
2002–03 Botkyrka HC SWE-3 2.58.913
2003–04 Botkyrka HC SWE-3 212.49.914
2004–05 IK Oskarshamn SWE-2 116132512.45.914
2004–05 Olofströms IK SWE-3 160010.001.000
2005–06 IK Oskarshamn SWE-2 101025204.54.850
2006–07 IF Hammarby SWE-2 3511174189311113.52.895
2007–08 IF Hammarby SWE-2 294241169210913.86.902
2007–08 Malmö Redhawks SWE-2 3300180802.67.913
2008–09 Malmö Redhawks SWE-2 321615018887742.38.923
2008–09 Södertälje SK SWE 73304101702.49.929
2009–10 Färjestad BK SWE 341815019347932.45.914
2010–11 Calgary Flames NHL 174568383602.58.908
2011–12 Calgary Flames NHL 91424552403.17.900
2011–12 Abbotsford Heat AHL 4220239902.26.903
2012–13 Rockford IceHogs AHL 18115010074802.86.898
2013–14 Skellefteå AIK SWE 19115010443732.13.917
2013–14 Avangard Omsk KHL 82403571302.18.917
2014–15 Jokerit KHL 392413223408232.10.922 9455492012.18.924
2015–16 Jokerit KHL 452514425798942.07.924 6243601702.83.894
2016–17 Barys Astana KHL 4625191260411072.53.920 10466382802.64.917
2017–18 Barys Astana KHL 4518223243711042.71.912
2018–19 Barys Astana KHL 452513425498652.02.928 11455652402.55.911
2019–20 Barys Nur-Sultan KHL 20125010143722.19.925 10020000.001.000
2020–21 Barys Nur-Sultan KHL 291610316746432.29.927 20177604.72.854
NHL totals 2659812926002.79.905

International

Year Team Event GPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
2018 Kazakhstan WC IA 53203001012.00.937
2019 Kazakhstan WC IA 4400244601.48.916
Senior totals 97205441651.76.930


References

  1. 1 2 Meltzer, Bill (23 September 2009). "Farjestad familiar with challenges of defending title". National Hockey League. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  2. "San Jose Sharks sign goalies Henrik Karlsson, Thomas Greiss". National Hockey League. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  3. 1 2 Cruikshank, Scott (27 June 2010). "Flames land big goalie". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  4. 1 2 Hanlon, Peter; Kelso, Sean; Ahrens, Janette; Buer, Greg (2011). 2011–12 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 81.
  5. 1 2 Board, Mike (26 June 2010). "A new understudy for Kiprusoff". Calgary Flames Hockey Club. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  6. "Flames sign G Karlsson to one-year contract". The Sports Network. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  7. "Flames re-sign goaltender Karlsson to two-year deal". The Sports Network. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  8. "Flames' Karlsson sidelined with MCL tear". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  9. MacFarlane, Steve (8 April 2012). "Flames Snapshots". Calgary Sun. p. S9.
  10. "Flames trade Karlsson to Blackhawks for 7th round pick". The Sports Network. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  11. "Blackhawks acquire goaltender Henrik Karlsson from Calgary". Chicago Blackhawks. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  12. "New goaltender ready for Skellefteå AIK" (in Swedish). Skellefteå AIK. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  13. "Henrik Karlsson lämnar Skellefteå". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
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