Johan Garpenlöv

Who is Johan Garpenlöv?

Johan Garpenlöv is a Swedish former ice hockey left winger. He also starred for several years in his native Sweden. He was drafted in the fifth round, 85th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.

The Stockholm native began with the Nacka HK squad in the second division and represented Sweden at the European Junior Championships in 1985 and 1986. He joined the prestigious Djurgårdens IF club of Elitserien in 1986–87 and helped them win consecutive championships in 1989 and 1990. Garpenlöv also played on the Swedish squad which won the bronze medal at the 1987 World Junior Championships, and he competed at the 1988 tournament as well.

A few months after aiding Sweden's silver medal performance at the 1990 World Championships, Garpenlöv made his NHL debut with the Red Wings. He scored 39 points as a rookie in the 1990–91 season, including a four-goal game against the St. Louis Blues on 23 November 1990. After the season, he notched four goals at the 1991 Ice Hockey World Championships to help his country win the gold medal.

During the 1991–92 season, Garpenlöv was traded to the San Jose Sharks. Following the season, Garpenlöv was a member of Sweden's World Championship team for the second consecutive year. Garpenlöv scored 22 goals for the Sharks in the 1992–93 season. In 1993–94, he and his linemates, Sergei Makarov and Igor Larionov, helped the club come within a game of reaching the Western Conference Finals.