Still from Day One: William Karlsson staying in Vegas
Derek Hegna
Host · Writer
Looks like Wild Bill will continue to be posted in Vegas for the foreseeable future.
On Wednesday, Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced that the team has agreed to a two-year contract extension with center William Karlsson.
The contract carries a $6.75 million annual cap hit.
Since being selected from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2017 Expansion Draft, Karlsson is one of only three players remaining from that class still playing in Vegas; the other two are defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb.
Ever since putting up a career year with 43 goals and 78 points in the team’s inaugural 2017-18 season, Karlsson has been a fixture in the Golden Knights lineup. With 570 regular season games under his belt in Vegas, Karlsson is second on the franchise’s all-time list in goals (165), points (403), plus-minus (+128) and takeaways (382). He is also the all-time franchise leader in shorthanded goals and points, where he has recorded 15 and 26, respectively.
Karlsson has also been an asset for the Golden Knights in the playoffs, where he holds the record among active players with a +55 plus-minus rating in 121 Stanley Cup Playoff games. This includes Vegas’ Stanley Cup run in 2023, when he produced 17 points and a +11 rating in 22 games played.
The move ensures Vegas’ center group remains secure, at least for the time being
Karlsson has found new life centering the second line with Mitch Marner and Brett Howden, finding instant chemistry with both players. He has also worked on the shorthanded unit with Nic Dowd, and new head coach Ryan Craig already knows that Karlsson is a player capable of filling roles in all situations.
Now, Karlsson will continue that same role in Vegas for at least two more years.
