Kelly McCrimmon offers a great William Karlsson update—with a catch

Vegas Golden Knights fans have waited 84 years for the latest William Karlsson update. Okay, not that long. But it's easy to see why fans have grown attached to the Original Misfit. He's the franchise leader for single-season goals (43 in 2017-18) and pulled off a memorable Stanley Cup parade speech.

Still, Kelly McCrimmon provided some good news for the Golden Knights, stating that the Misfit isn't going on season-ending LTIR. That part is great, yet there's a catch with his return date.

Did you catch that? The Golden Knights must win at least one round to possibly get him back. While that seems likely because of the Pacific Division's overall mediocrity, that seems easier said than done. Entering Friday's game against the Minnesota Wild, the Golden Knights had 72 points.

Yeah, that might come with the Pacific Division lead. But imagine if the Golden Knights played in the Eastern Conference with hockey teams loaded up on the West Coast entering Friday. They'd be out of the playoff picture. Plus, Vegas hasn't exactly thrived against playoff-position teams this season, with its latest win against the Detroit Red Wings being its first since November 20, 2024 (4-1 over the Utah Mammoth).

The Golden Knights still have something to work for after Kelly McCrimmon's latest update on William Karlsson

Imagine this scenario, dear reader. After acquiring Cole Smith and Nic Dowd before the trade deadline, the Vegas Golden Knights make it past the first round. Then comes a Knight in golden shining armor. He takes off his helmet to reveal that he's none other than William Karlsson.

That would be monumental should the Golden Knights make a deep playoff run. Imagine having Nic Dowd and the Swedish center shutting down the neutral zone. Both players are adept at taking away a team's superstar, whether that's Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, or Jason Robertson.

The hockey IQ would be off the charts for the Golden Knights, making them a dangerous defensive team again. Part of the goaltending woes this season have stemmed from disappointing play from the likes of Adin Hill and Carter Hart. However, not having a veteran two-way center doesn't help, either.

Karlsson doesn't just provide ample defense on even strength play, though

It's no secret that Karlsson does well on the penalty kill. He's terrific at getting his stick out and disrupting the play. In turn, that'll bolster an already-awesome unit (ninth in the NHL entering Friday with a PK rate of 81.2%).

But that's not all, though. Say you have a lead against a team like the Avalanche. You're deep in the defensive zone and need a key faceoff for a clear exit. Now, you have options in front of you, whether that's Karlsson, Dowd, or Colton Sissons. You have three closers that you can deploy, constricting your opponents to death.

Wouldn't that be nice? That's what makes this team much more dangerous if they make it out of the Pacific Division or even win one round. Still, they must win that round to even have that discussion. Otherwise, it's a moot point.