Obscure former Boston Bruins: Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson

As with any NHL franchise, roster turnover is very common and expected frequently. The Boston Bruins are no different, having gone through plenty of players, some who have played big roles, such as the Brad Marchand’s, Patrice Bergeron’s, and Zdeno Chara’s of the world.

But there are even more who have had smaller roles. That’s the point of this latest series. We’ll be highlighting some obscure former members of the Boston Bruins throughout the years. After talking about Simon Gagne and Brian Gionta to start, the next edition takes a look at Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson.

The player known as JFK was chosen by the Bruins in the second round of the infamous 2015 draft out of Boston University. We all remember who the Bruins took in the first round, so I’ll spare you the reminder. JFK only played part of one NHL season in a puzzling career trajectory.

The only contract Forsbacka Karlsson ever signed in the NHL was a three-year entry level deal prior to the 2016-2017 season. He debuted in 2016-2017 with a one game sample before spending 2017-2018 in Providence.

Forsbacka Karlsson then got his only extended NHL shot in the 2018-2019 season. He played in 28 games, recording three goals and six assists while averaging 11:48 of ice time per game. He ended up hitting a wall and was re-assigned to Providence in January, where he stayed for the rest of the season.

After the season ended, as a pending RFA, Forsbacka Karlsson opted to return to his home country of Sweden to play with the Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL on a two-year contract, citing family reasons. Don Sweeney and the Bruins were supportive of his decision.

As far as I can tell, Forsbacka Karlsson has not played hockey since his contract in Sweden expired, which marks the end of a once promising career that took some crazy turns along the way. He was never able to fully establish himself in the NHL and eventually returned to his home country. Wherever he is now, I wish him all the best in whatever he is doing.