Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A kakar wasa mai zuwa Karlsson ya taka leda a tawagar 'yan kasa da shekaru 18 na Sweden a gasar zakarun Turai ta 1982 ta IIHF U18, inda ya ci maki biyu a wasanni biyar kuma ya lashe lambar zinare. Karlsson kuma ya taka leda a tawagar 'yan kasa da shekaru 20 ta Sweden a shekarar 1983
Gasar Hockey ta Duniya ta Junior ta 1984. A cikin kakar 1982/83, an ba Karlsson damar yin wasa a Modo Hockey na Elitserien, babbar gasar wasan kankara ta Sweden. A lokacin wasanninsa biyu na farko tare da kungiyar bai yi nasarar zira kwallaye ba, kuma a kakar 1983/84 an sauke kungiyar zuwa Division 1. Duk da haka, Karlsson da Modo sun hanzarta komawa Elitserien a kakar wasa ta gaba.