Lars Johansson

Lars Johansson (born on July 11, 1987 in Avesta) is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing under contract with the CSKA Moskva of the KHL. His brother Martin is a skier and orienteer.

Club career
Johansson began his junior career with the Avesta BK organisation. In 2004 moved Johansson to the Mora IK organisation. Johansson was written on the roster of the Mora IK of the Elitserien in the 2006-07 season. He was the second goalie in a few games with the team but did not make an appearence in the net. In this season played Johansson 32 regular season games and 2 play-off games with the Mora IK under-20 team.

Johansson made his senior debut during the 2007-08 season. He played 10 games with the Mora IK of the Elitserien and also was the second goalie of the team during the Kvalserien SHL where the team failed to stay in the Elitserien and was demoted to the HockeyAllsvenskan for the next season. He also played 9 games with the Mora IK under-20 team.

During the 2008-09 season played Johansson 4 games with the Mora IK under-20 team, 8 games with the Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan and 2 games with the IFK Munkfors of the Division 1.

Johansson then continued with the Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan during the next season. He even stayed there for the 2010-11 season when he played 34 regular season games and 8 Kvalserien SHL games with the Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan and also played 1 game with the Mora IK under-20 team.

In 2011 - 2013 played Johansson with the VIK Västerås HK of the HockeyAllsvenskan. In his second season with the team has Johansson best goals against average (1.88) and best save percentage (.937) in the HockeyAllsvenskan.

In 2013 moved Johansson to the Frölunda HC of the SHL (formerly Elitserien). He stayed there until 2016. In the 2015-16 season had Johansson most shutouts (7), best goals against average (1.74) and best saves percentage (.927) in the whole SHL, he was named the SHL Goaltender of the Year and thanks to him became Frölunda HC the SHL champion and the Champions Hockey League champion.

On May 23, 2016, Johansson signed as an undrafted free agent to a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. In the 2016-17 season, his first on North American soil, Johansson was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. After 16 games with the IceHogs, Johansson was called up to backup Scott Darling after Corey Crawford's appendectomy on December 4, 2016. He was returned without making an NHL appearance, and played out the remainder of the season with the IceHogs.

On July 3, 2017, Johansson left the Blackhawks organization in agreeing to a one-year deal with Russian club, CSKA Moskva of the KHL. In the 2017-18 season had Johansson the best goals against average (1.31) in the whole KHL and was named the KHL Goaltender of the Month in April 2018 and the KHL Goaltender of the Week on December 11, 2017 and during the Gagarin Cup semifinals. Johansson decided to continue with the CSKA Moskva and in the next season he was selected to play in the 2019 KHL All-Star Game, was named the KHL Goaltender of the Week on October 8, 2018 and helped the CSKA Moskva win the Gagarin Cup. In the 2019-20 season, his third with the CSKA Moskva, had Johansson the best goals against average (1.40) in the KHL. His contract with the CSKA Moskva expires after the 2020-21 season.