WILLIAM KARLSSON - Center - 26 - $5.90MM Cap Hit - UFA in 2027-2028
LAST UPDATED 8/28/19
William Karlsson is such an interesting player. He was a pretty under-the-radar player in Columbus and Anaheim, never scoring more than 25 points in a season. Vegas saw something in him, though, and selected him in the expansion draft. He rewarded them for that, scoring 43 goals and filling in as the team's 1C with 78 points in 82 games. Karlsson won the Lady Byng trophy for his efforts, and was a top-10 finalist in both Selke and Hart voting. An absolutely unforeseen and insane breakout season. Now, that being said, there were some underlying issues he had. First and foremost, Karlsson sustained a 23.4% shooting percentage over the entire 82 game season, something that typically doesn't happen again. The following season, it didn't, and Karlsson's production dropped from 43 goals and 78 points to 24 goals and 56 points, a significantly more reasonable expectation for a player with Karlsson's history. That's not to say Karlsson still doesn't have incredible upside, though, I just mean that expecting him to have a repeat point-per-game performance given his history and pedigree is a bit much. He's still an incredible player. Karlsson has a ton of tools to work with, chief among them being his brain and his shot. Karlsson just oozes intelligence when he's on the ice, and he always seems to know exactly what to do when he has the puck. This means that Karlsson is smart enough and bold enough to pull off some plays that other players can only dream about, and that intelligence combined with a willingness to take risks makes him a fan favorite in Vegas. His shot and intelligence should carry him to 55-65 points regularly on Vegas' top line. Defensively, Karlsson brings that incredible hockey IQ to the table, and combines it with some above-average skating and strong defensive stickwork to make him a great defensive center. He could stand to improve at the faceoff dot, but the entire defensive package he presents is so impressive that his inability to win 50% of his draws is less of an issue. Karlsson is simply so smart and careful that he's a real challenge to play against, and thanks to his speed he's always a threat to score shorthanded. Karlsson's isolated impact metrics are absolutely incredible on special teams, indicating a unique ability to process the play and use his high hockey IQ to accomplish more than the normal player could at even strength. He's a genuinely great player who should bounce back this coming season. A great two-way #2C who can fill in as a 1C with some great linemates.
William Karlsson is such an interesting player. He was a pretty under-the-radar player in Columbus and Anaheim, never scoring more than 25 points in a season. Vegas saw something in him, though, and selected him in the expansion draft. He rewarded them for that, scoring 43 goals and filling in as the team's 1C with 78 points in 82 games. Karlsson won the Lady Byng trophy for his efforts, and was a top-10 finalist in both Selke and Hart voting. An absolutely unforeseen and insane breakout season. Now, that being said, there were some underlying issues he had. First and foremost, Karlsson sustained a 23.4% shooting percentage over the entire 82 game season, something that typically doesn't happen again. The following season, it didn't, and Karlsson's production dropped from 43 goals and 78 points to 24 goals and 56 points, a significantly more reasonable expectation for a player with Karlsson's history. That's not to say Karlsson still doesn't have incredible upside, though, I just mean that expecting him to have a repeat point-per-game performance given his history and pedigree is a bit much. He's still an incredible player. Karlsson has a ton of tools to work with, chief among them being his brain and his shot. Karlsson just oozes intelligence when he's on the ice, and he always seems to know exactly what to do when he has the puck. This means that Karlsson is smart enough and bold enough to pull off some plays that other players can only dream about, and that intelligence combined with a willingness to take risks makes him a fan favorite in Vegas. His shot and intelligence should carry him to 55-65 points regularly on Vegas' top line. Defensively, Karlsson brings that incredible hockey IQ to the table, and combines it with some above-average skating and strong defensive stickwork to make him a great defensive center. He could stand to improve at the faceoff dot, but the entire defensive package he presents is so impressive that his inability to win 50% of his draws is less of an issue. Karlsson is simply so smart and careful that he's a real challenge to play against, and thanks to his speed he's always a threat to score shorthanded. Karlsson's isolated impact metrics are absolutely incredible on special teams, indicating a unique ability to process the play and use his high hockey IQ to accomplish more than the normal player could at even strength. He's a genuinely great player who should bounce back this coming season. A great two-way #2C who can fill in as a 1C with some great linemates.
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