Johan Harju

Junior Career

Johan Harju spent his entire career in Sweden with the Lulea organization playing at the J18 and J20 levels for Lulea in 2002-2003 at the age of 16. The young forward put up 7 goals and 9 points with 14 penalty minutes and a -3 rating in J18 that season and had 2 goals in 7 games with a +2 rating in J20. The following season, 2003-2004, Harju again split time between J18 and J20 posting 1 goal and 4 points with a +5 rating in 3 games in J18 and 14 goals and 26 points with 8 penalty minutes with a -1 rating in 35 games in J20. He also was a point a game player that season in the J18 playoffs with 4 goals and 7 points in 7 games with 8 penalty minutes and a +5 rating. Despite somewhat respectable numbers, Harju was passed over by the NHL and spent the next three seasons grinding it out on his way to the Elitserien. In 2004-2005 at age 18 Harju spent almost the entire year with Lulea's J20 team scoring 18 goals and 31 points in 33 games with 14 penalty minutes and a +1 rating. He also was loaned to Pitea HC that season for 1 game, his first taste of men's league hockey. In the J20 playoffs, Harju had 2 goals and 4 points with 2 penalty minutes and a -1 rating. 2005-2006 turned out to be a critical season in Harju's development as he finally began to make the transition from Sweden's junior ranks to the Elitserien. Harju's dominating 14 goals and 23 points in 17 games with 4 penalty minutes and a +14 rating in J20 earned him promotion to Lulea's top team where he played 39 games chipping in 3 goals and 4 points with 8 penalty minutes and a -2 rating. Harju also appeared in the playoffs at both levels for Lulea scoring 3 goals and 4 points in 4 games in the J20 playoffs and scoreless with a -2 rating and 20 penalty minutes in the Elitserien playoffs. Harju's breakout season was in 2006-2007 when he scored 12 goals and 22 points in 55 games with a +8 rating and 30 penalty minutes. Then, in 4 playoff games for Lulea against Linkopings, Harju had 2 goals and 4 penalty minutes with a -2 rating. By year's end he had earned promotion from Lulea's checking lines to a scoring line and he had earned the Lightning's 6th round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. The Lightning tried to sign Harju in the summer of 2007, but the forward chose to remain with Lulea for the 2007-2008 campaign. Harju made the most of his time, finishing tied for 10th in the Elitserien with 20 goals in 51 games to go along with 28 points, 55 penalty minutes, and a -1 rating splitting time between third line center and scoring line winger. Harju was also 46% on draws during the season. Unfortunately, Lulea failed to qualify for the postseason in 2008.

Professional Career

The Lightning will not be signing Harju during the summer of 2008, and he will spend another season is the Elitserien.