William Karlsson had a memorable 2017-18 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. The revered speech-maker set a franchise record for most goals in a single season, scoring 43 times. It was a breakout season that helped Vegas reach the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. During that season, he scored 35 assists, making him a focal point of the offense.
While those 35 assists are impressive, they aren't the franchise record. That belongs to a former Golden Knight who's stayed one season with the team. Imagine being a player who arrives, sets the club record for the most single-season assists, and leaves after. This player left his mark and dipped out like the Hamburglar with a McDonald's cheeseburger.
While this player isn't saying "Robble Robble" on the ice any time soon, he does have a presence in Golden Knights history. Who set the franchise record for most assists in one season? Here's a little hint: He's a well-known St. Louis Blues star who spent last season with the Detroit Red Wings. No, it isn't Alex Pietrangelo since he's never played in Detroit, nor is he the Hamburglar. Here's who holds that record.
David Perron has the Vegas Golden Knight record for most assists in a season with 50
David Perron is the record holder for the most single-season assists in Vegas Golden Knights history. He scored 50 assists in 2017-18, helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final. It capped off a miracle season where nobody expected the franchise to become Western Conference champions, let alone make the postseason.
Still, Perron's impact was felt on the franchise that season. 17 of those assists came on the power play, where he became an important piece. He was a player who had a keen sense of making plays and setting his teammates up for goals. With that sense, Vegas won the Pacific Division that year and shocked the world.
It capped off an impressive lone campaign for the new Ottawa Senators star, who'll bring that playmaking ability to Ontario. With a young team looking to return to the playoffs, Perron can give the lineup an offensive boost. That's especially true with budding stars like Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk ready to bring a Stanley Cup to Canada's capital.
Still, Golden Knights fans can't forget Perron's contributions. They're just as important to what William Karlsson did in that inaugural season, for he made the offense go. He also made the power play look good, something that has been a problem historically for Vegas. Who could be the player to break that record? Could it be Jack Eichel, who's becoming the face of the franchise? Or could it be Karlsson, who's a tenured Golden Knight?