Erik Karlsson

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Defence
shoots = Right
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11.3
weight_lb = 163
nationality = Sweden
birth_date = Birth date and age|1990|05|31|mf=y
birth_place = Landsbro, Sweden
career_start = 2008
draft = 15th overall
draft_year = 2008
draft_team = Ottawa Senators
league = SEL
team = Frölunda HC


image_size =

Erik Karlsson (born May 31, 1990) is a professional Swedish ice hockey defenceman for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien. In 2008 he was drafted 15th overall by the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Karlsson made his Elitserien debut for Frölunda on March 1, 2008, playing eight minutes and forty-eight seconds during a sold out home game in Scandinavium, against league leaders HV71. Karlsson scored the game winning goal, with a slapshot off a faceoff, in overtime during a man advantage. The win secured a playoff berth for Fröunda with three games remaining of the regular season.

Karlsson finished the season with Frölunda's J20 team playing in the J20 SuperElit playoffs, where Frölunda took home the Anton Cup when they won two to one in games against Brynäs IF in the Swedish Junior Ice Hockey Championship final.

Prior to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft Karlsson was ranked fourth among European skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting Service. [cite web |url=http://www.nhlentrydraft2008.com/playersEuroSkaters.aspx |title=European Skaters |accessdate=2008-09-03 |year=2008 |publisher=National Hockey League] He was drafted 15th overall by the Ottawa Senators, in front of their hometown fans at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, where the draft was held. The selection was made by Ottawa's Captain; Daniel Alfredsson, a native of Gothenburg who played for Frölunda before entering the NHL. Ottawa's General Manager Bryan Murray traded Ottawa's first round pick, 18th overall, and their third round pick in 2009 to the Nashville Predators for their first round pick, 15th overall, afraid that another team would pick Karlsson before them.

A few weeks before the 2008–09 Elitserien season premiere, Frölunda announced that Karlsson was brought up to the senior team as a regular roster player. [cite web |url=http://frolundaindians.com/notice/notice_read.asp?id=2087&typ=arkiv |title=#65 Erik Karlsson till A-truppen |accessdate=2008-09-04 |last=Gyllander |first=Peter |date=2008-08-25 |publisher=Frölunda HC |language=Swedish]

International play

Karlsson was selected by the directorate as the tournament's best defenseman at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships. [cite web |url=http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/148/IHM148000_85I_1_0.pdf |title=BEST PLAYERS SELECTED BY THE DIRECTORATE |accessdate=2008-07-01 |date=2008-04-23 |format=PDF |publisher=IIHF] He was the tournaments plus/minus leader with a plus-eight rating, [cite web |url=http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/148/IHM148Z11_85G_1_0.pdf |title=PLUS-MINUS LEADERS |accessdate=2008-07-01 |date=2008-04-23 |format=PDF |publisher=IIHF] and he led team Sweden in assists, finishing third overall in the tournament, with seven in six games, [cite web |url=http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/148/IHM148Z11_85D_1_0.pdf |title=ASSIST LEADERS |accessdate=2008-07-01 |date=2008-04-23 |format=PDF |publisher=IIHF] which also tied him for first place in defensemen scoring. [cite web |url=http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/148/IHM148Z52_85E_1_0.pdf |title=DEFENSEMEN SCORING LEADERS |accessdate=2008-07-01 |date=2008-04-23 |format=PDF |publisher=IIHF]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

*Eliteprospects|9878
*Hockeydb|112742
*Eurohockey|101007