Are you ready for the most controversial list of importance ever? After we talked about the most significant goalies and wingers, you'll think that those lists were an absolute breeze. Alas, it's time to stir up the crazies on Facebook and get people yelling at each other.
There's one particular debate that will be stirring from this list alone. And yes, I'm going to spoil the names for you since Golden Knights fans already know that this list wouldn't be complete without them.
Those names happen to be Jack Eichel and William Karlsson. There are plenty of reasons why the two names belong at the top of this list. For one, they're record holders for the Golden Knights that carry significant weight within the organization. But it goes beyond that.
Both superstars do more for the Golden Knights than merely put up points. They're two-way superstars that can change the game for the better. Alas, it's time to dive into this fiery debate and see who's No. 1.
3.) Chandler Stephenson
The third-most significant center in Golden Knights history, although you can make a case for Tomas Hertl later on. The current Seattle Kraken center had 75 goals and 162 assists during his five-year Vegas residency, winning a Stanley Cup in the process. That included stellar back-to-back campaigns in 2021-22 (21 goals and 43 assists) and the Stanley Cup-winning season (16 goals and 49 assists).
Let's be honest for a second. This list will drastically change in the future. Names like Eichel and Hertl will change the list, barring some drastic moves or injuries. But as it stands, the third spot belongs to Stephenson.
2.) Jack Eichel
Okay, so there's a debate about whether Eichel deserves the No. 1 spot. After all, he's the single-season record holder for the most assists (66 in 2024-25) and the most points (94 in 2024-25). One can argue that he's the most important center in Vegas Golden Knights history.
But it's by technicality of not being around long enough that he isn't No. 1. Still, the spot will be his to claim with his current trajectory eventually. Heck, some people will claim that he deserves it now and their argument is valid. Let's revisit this list in a few years and we'll say that Eichel is the most significant Golden Knight in franchise history.
1.) William Karlsson
So, funny story here. I looked up the all-time top players in Golden Knights history on Hockey Reference. Two centers were in the Top Five. That would be Jack Eichel (38.6 point shares) and William Karlsson (44.3 point shares). Part of why Karlsson's No. 1 here (for now) is based on that fact alone.
But it's also the fact that he holds the single-season goals record (43 goals in 2017-18), along with the most all-time short-handed goals (15). Again, Eichel and Karlsson are interchangeable at No. 1 and No. 2 (and rightfully so). Still, Karlsson holds the top spot based on his early contributions with the Golden Knights.
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