Garin Bjorklund

August 2023 – Bjorklund missed the entire 2023-24 season, aside from one game to end the season, with a mystery injury that was unreported until July. In September/October he “tweaked” his back in training camp, which lingered until the pain became too much. He ended up with herniated discs in his back that required surgery (full story here). Bjorklund will have a full off season of training and health as he looks to gear up for the 2023-24 season. He will be in tough to start in the AHL as Shepard will likely be the starter and Stevenson played a majority of ECHL play with Bjorklund out. He should be the split starter with the String Rays in the ECHL competing with Gibson for starts. Pat Quinn

February 2023 – Bjorklund has apparently been injured all season and finding information about it is minimal. Best I have found out is that he was on placed on IR in late October and has not played a game all season. It may be a back injury. Hoping for a speedy recovery and some (any?) information soon from the Capitals organization. Pat Quinn

October 2023 – It appears as though Bjorklund is done with the WHL and was assigned to the ECHL Sting Rays to play alongside Clay Stevenson. Pat Quinn

September 2022 – The Medicine Hat Tigers were the worst WHL team last season going 11-53-4 with eight of those wins coming from Bjorklund. Safe to say you cannot save a team like that no matter how good you are in net. The Capitals signed him to a three-year ELC on April 29 as the Capitals believe in him. If the Tigers improve, Bjroklund’s will be a reason why but they need to get him help, or the Capitals need to work to get him a new team. Pat Quinn

January 2022 – Bjorklund is having a tough first full WHL season playing for a poor Medicine Hat Tigers team. His record is 5-14-2 with an 0.893 sv%. The team itself is dead last in the WHL at 7-22-3 and the poor record is largely due to a poor team in front of him. He often stands out for a few big saves a game but ultimately cannot keep the opposition at bay the whole time. He has had some poor games too, as consistency with young goalies is always an issue. The Capitals have plenty of time for him to develop, so hopefully he can either move on to a better team, or a different league, soon. Pat Quinn

May 2021 – Bjorklund was able to get in 22 games during the uncertain 2020-2021 year. He played in four AJHL games and then managed to start 18 games again for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the AHL. Bjorklund managed to post a 0.921 save percentage for a Tigers’ team that can often serve up pizzas in the defensive zone. He has already improved over last season and he still likely has one more year in the WHL. Pat Quinn

October 2020 – The Capitals selected Bjorklund #179 overall. He is an athletic goalie with great conditioning who can make highlight reel saves with ease. Bjorklund may be another NHL starter goalie in the Capitals seemingly endless goalie factory. Pat Quinn