Henrik Karlsson Jersey And Autograph Card

It's time to get cracking on #35 in my Flames Numbers Project, Henrik Karlsson.

Back when Miikka Kiprusoff was the best goalie in the world, the Calgary Flames had two youngsters they thought would one day be able to relieve him when he retired, Leland Irving and Karlsson.

Considering Irving is currently playing in Finland (for the Kouvola KooKoo) and Karlsson is with the KHL's Astana Barys this year (2.64 GAA and .918 save percentage with 6 shutouts in 39 games so far with former NHLers such as Kevin Poulin, Nigel Dawes, Dustin Boyd, Brandon Bochenski, Martin St-Pierre, Kevin Dallman, Cam Barker, and Vitaly Kolesnik), one can assume they were wrong.

However, since leaving for Europe, Karlsson has posted elite-level numbers:

From HockeyDB

Goalies usually take longest to develop (compared to forwards, who may be NHL-ready by 18-22, and defensemen, who usually enter their prime around 24-26), and large-sized players as well; Karlsson was both, standing at 6'5" and weighing 215 pounds, though he moves quickly and has a good glove hand.

He's now 33; I'd give him a shot as an NHL backup, for two or three years. A couple of teams are either thin at the position or have poor luck with their goaltending this year; it wouldn't hurt to look at other options for next season...

Here he is wearing the Flames' current red (home) uniform:

That's the "all dressed version" of card #185 from Upper Deck's 2010-11 SPX set - his rookie card - which includes both an on-sticker blue-sharpied autograph and a big, black, event-worn (rookie photo shoot) jersey swatch. And not a cheap jersey; the card specifies: "Authentic Jersey". Thanks, UD. The card is numbered 521/799 and was pulled from a multi-sport repack box.