30 Sharks: Johan Garpenlov
- Updated: February 15, 2021
En route to their dismal finish to their inaugural season, the San Jose Sharks acquired a key veteran late in the year who would ultimately help the club make the playoffs.
That veteran’s name was Johan Garpenlov.
Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1986, Garpenlov was a part of a promising team that had struggled mightily for two decades. Garpenlov even had a promising start to his NHL career, scoring 18 goals and 40 points for the Red Wings in his rookie campaign of 1990-91. However, after just a goal and an assist in 16 games the following season, the native of Stockholm, Sweden was traded to the expansion Sharks.
Garpenlov would spend parts of four seasons with the Sharks where he enjoyed great success before helping the Florida Panthers to their first-ever Stanley Cup Final in 1996.
In this exclusive for CaliSports News, I continue my “30 Sharks” series with Johan Garpenlov.
From Motown to the Bay
Being traded from a team on the rise like the Red Wings were to the NHL’s proverbial basement-dweller in the Sharks would be the furthest from ideal on paper. Johan Garpenlov, however, was excited for the opportunity to go to San Jose.
“I was very proud to be a part of an original six team and make it to NHL. My second year in Detroit was tough with not much ice time,” Garpenlov said. “For me, the trade was great. I got playing time in an offensive role with a great center, Kelly Kisio.
While his stay in Detroit may have been shorter than he would have liked, Garpenlov did not hesitate to give praise where it was due in helping two key figures with his start in the NHL.
“I have to thank [then-Detroit head coach and GM] Bryan Murray for believing in me,” the former NHLer reflected. “And [then-Detroit captain] Steve Yzerman for teaching me how to be an NHL player and how to prepare yourself to perform in the NHL.”
In San Jose, Garpenlov had an immediate impact.
After scoring 11 points in 12 games to close out the 1991-92 campaign, the former winger would follow that up with 22 goals and 66 points in 1992-93, his first full season with the Sharks. But, while the club finished the season with a dismal 11-71-2 record, good things were on the horizon.
Changes in Coaches, Philosophy and Success
Shortly following their 24-point campaign of 1992-93, the Sharks had fired head coach George Kingston, replacing him with 35-year-old Kevin Constantine, who brought to the team a new lease on life. More on that later, though.
San Jose’s new bench boss would pay immediate dividends.
On a club led by one of Garpenlov’s childhood idols, first-year Shark Sergei Makarov, the Sharks flourished, squeaking into the playoffs with a 33-35-16 record.
“It was a great year,” the 52-year-old fondly reflected. However, if anyone thought that making the playoffs would be the highlight of that season for the Sharks, they would be in for a surprise.
The Sharks opened the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs with the inevitable task of playing the Western Conference’s top seed, Garpenlov’s former team, the aforementioned Detroit Red Wings.
Overmatched on paper, the Sharks were barely given a chance to compete against the Red Wings much less winning. To their tremendous credit, though, the Sharks hung in there.
Jumping out to a 3-2 series lead, the Sharks were blown out 7-1 in Game 6 to give the Red Wings the advantage to close out the series on home ice. However, the Sharks jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Detroit came back to tie.
Then, with just over six minutes to go in regulation, Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood, out of his net to play the puck, shot it and ended up on San Jose’s Jamie Baker’s stick, who regained the Sharks’ lead. That was all the Sharks needed as they pulled off the monumental upset, eliminating the Red Wings.
“I played with my idols Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov, we made the playoffs and beat my old team, Detroit, in the first round,” Garpenlov recalled. “It was a great run with a tough ending when Toronto beat us in overtime. I had one shoot that hit the crossbar in overtime.”
Looking Back
When speaking to him, it was evident how grateful Johan Garpenlov was for his time in San Jose and for his contributions to a vastly improved Sharks team.
“For me, my time in San Jose was very important,” he beamed. “I proved that I could play in the NHL and be an important piece in a winning team. I took that feeling to the Florida Panthers and got a similar role on a line with Scott Mellanby and Rob Niedermayer. That Stanley Cup run in Florida was another great experience in my career.”
When thinking about his favourite moments with the Sharks, Garpenlov immediately thought of the 1994 playoff run, which included playing with his aforementioned idols.
“My favorite memories were when we made the playoff and that run,” the former NHLer remembered. “I got to play with my idols, Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov and at least play in front of the best fans in the NHL. The Shark Tank was the loudest arena and that helped us a lot when we played at home.”
Following two solid seasons with the Sharks, Johan Garpenlov would be traded during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season to the Florida Panthers.
Helping another expansion team to their first playoff berth, the current executive for the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation, would help the Panthers march all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996 before being swept by the Colorado Avalanche.
Having a veteran presence was nothing new for the San Jose Sharks but by 1993-94, said presence helped the organization turn a crucial corner in their growth. Johan Garpenlov was a significant part of the Sharks’ fortune reversal in the mid-90’s and is celebrated for his contributions to this day.
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